Hahaha. Ok, man. New World Order indeed. Let me guess, it's those pesky democrats isn't it?

yes...

I have to disagree. Supercars always have taken a very minute share of the car market. They have a REALLY small effect on the environment and rich people always exist somewhere in the world to import them (i.e. Saudi Arabia and China's economies are both really good during this world recession).

LOL. OK. It's all a big conspiracy because they are in cahoots with all of the world's corporations, all of which happen to be ran by hard line conservatives.

Come on. This is all speculation and paranoia that has business being brought into a grown up conversation.

It's OK for you to disagree with what a political party thinks is the best way to do things, but get real.

Missing the point. The point is that gov't restrictions may eventually eliminate cars like this.

Dramatic, pandering to a certain group, ehh... you be the judge.

There are already government restrictions... for large car companies. Companies like Lotus and Ferrari (and brands of kit cars like Atom as well) are exempt from a lot of safety and smog laws in the US.

lol. didn't you see the other thread about the special allowances that they are giving to smaller manufacturers. That's un-American as well, apparently.

Meh. :rolleyes: More vapid eye-candy. Don't get me wrong, I love watching the show, it's great eye-candy, but its information content is, as usual, close to nil.

Regardless of the mass market, with its demand for cars under $30k, automatics, cup-holders, five person seating capacity, 30+ mpg, etc., there will always be a market for $200k+, 500 hp, etc. supercars. Maybe not quite as large a market these days as back in 2007 or 1999 when people had lots of paper wealth but no "real" wealth, but a market nonetheless. Even if every las drop of oil is used up next year, with biofuels there will, again, always be a market for such cars for people wealthy to afford them. Just because the Prius is popular doesn't make a V12 Vantage unpopular with its target audience.

The only way such a car can go away is if there is a global move to outlaw them. There will always be thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies in the human race.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...7469a9b8a9.jpg
^^ Yeah, the 458 sure signals the death of the supercar. :rolleyes:

The Lotus had (has?) an exemption to DOT bumper standards, specifically Part 581. It has nothing to do with safety - "The purpose of this standard is to reduce physical damage to the front and rear ends of a passenger motor vehicle from low speed collisions." And the speed they're talking about is 1.5 mph. That's one-and-a-half. 2.2 feet per second. The Elise complies with all US safety requirements.

The they are not exempt from smog/emission laws in any way, either. (Although they are small enough to be exempt from CAFE requirements, IIRC.)

Similarly, I am not away of any safety/smog laws that Ferrari is exempt from.

(Kit cars do indeed operate under very different rules, though.)