Sweet, more $70k and up cars that no one can afford. It'd be nice to see the emergence of small inexpensive and fun? That's what I'd like to see. Hell, even the Miata can barely be described as a small roadster any more. I mean 400 BHP uber-GTs are nice and all, but don't particularly interest me.

 

At first, I thought this thread was about the deaths of some import models (girls).

 

fuel prices is only one of a few factors. another significant factor probably has to do with competition. there are so many performance oriented cars out these days that chosing a 2 seater sports car such as the z4m doesn't make the best sense anymore. i mean, why buy a 2 seater sports car when there are sports sedans and coupes out there that will satiate one's performance needs while at the same time provide practicality for everyday living?? anyone factor is the rising prises of performance vehicles. the market for performance vehicles historically have been the younger consumers, and younger consumers can only afford so much on a car. the death of the supras, 300Zs, and rx7s are particularly due to this reason.

 

No. Many of these "performance" models still get >25mpgs.

Hopefully we'll see the death of obese SUVs getting 12mpgs carrying one person and perhaps a 30# child.

 

Headed for another mid 90s? Gosh I hope so. Plenty of great cars were conceived in the mid 90s. The S2000 for one.

 

cayman
new boxster 09/10
997
nsx 2010
supra 2010
lexus supercar 2010
z06
IS-F
RS3 ?
Exinge (sp?)
elise
mustang as good as it has ever been
M3 v8
M1
335
s2000 cr
civic si
evo
sti
mS3
turbo miata
tsx 2door (turbo awd in my dreams but not all that far out there)
g37

inflation is a bitch but there are some sweet cars in the 30 to 80k range

 

Higher gas prices don't necessarily mean that there will be a mass extinction in performance cars. First, as a percentage of total auto production, performance cars are rather low. I bet that world-wide Honda for instance sells substantially fewer than 10,000 S2000's. So these cars always appeal to a more limited number of consumers. If sales drop the manufacturers may be forced to use components that are used in other models such as engines, accessory components, etc., but many manufacturers do this already anyway.

Second, higher gas prices may not be bad for the performance car market, but they may cause buyers to change the paradigm of what constitutes a performance car. Big engineed cars, like Vettes and Vipers and Mustangs appeal to our sense of speed, playing off that old troupe that there is no substitute for cubic inches. But is this true? I recently drove a Lotus Exige for the first time. While I don't think I ever would buy one (the build quality really is Neolithic), I would be hard pressed to name any other car that is more entertaining for the driver. The S2000 is another car that does the same, albeit to a lesser extent than an Exige which has a surfeit of driver involvement. Even the MX-5 is a fun car with a great gearbox and agile reflexes. Each of these cars can be driven economically if the need be.

Cars can be entertaining and fun without having engines powerful enough to generate electricity for a Third World Country.

 

I'm ready for this now.........bring it

 

I have been wondering if the recent number of hi powered cars such as the Veyron and AMGs (to name a few) was sort of a last hooray before we all drive tiny hybrids. Makes want to cry.

 

Hey, I've seen that pic before

I think the real answer is yet to be fully discovered. No, I do not believe we are headed down the road where all great sportscars are killed off, but I do see the price of newer sportscars climbing higher and higher, and sadly heavier and heavier. For me, I think the bright light on the horizon will be for those manufacturers who wake up to the fact that we will buy hybrids if they are sporty. Stop feeding us just hybrids like Civic, Accord, Camry; good grief, give us a hybrid Lotus Exige or something really fun.

My hope is Honda gets the new CRX completely right! Now at 1st glimps, 113 hp may not sound all that fun, but combine that with 268 lb-ft, which happens to be more torque than an E46 M3, and if the weight is kept reasonable, I believe it could be one very quick and fun daily driver, and serioulsy, as my Titan averages 16mpg, the idea of getting 66 mpg has me flabergasted...