Legal Bill

I just don't care about super cars any more. Ferrari is about the only super car manufacturer whose new cars I'll even read about now. I feel the envelope of performance is not big enough to merit the huge price difference over some pretty affordable mass production cars that can outperform the super cars of just a few years ago for a lot less money. I also feel the envelope of performance is not something I'm interested in exploring in some of the high horsepower missiles. Do you still follow the cutting edge high money super cars?

Lovetodrive2000

Haven't followed them for years. No way would I ever put down that type of $$$ for a car.

Not sure people who buy the really expensive cars are about performance, but about status.

boltonblue

I guess it depends on what you call a super car.
or a megacar? MClaren 570 or 720, 911 GT3?
or a hypercar? laferrari, mclaren P1, Porsche 918. Koenegsigg whatever... my button is bigger than yours.
follow is sort of a strong word. read about in mags in the "reading room" sure, track production dates..hell no.

I drove a 2015 S63 AMG coupe last week. Is that a supercar?
it was fabulous. If the CFO in charge would let me, I'd try and buy it.
I really, really liked it.

dlq04

Bill, I totally agree. While there may be one or two exceptions, modern super cars never hold my interest. Even when they do I find them so impractical I doubt I'd want one. My dream cars are cars with heritage, killer looks, limited numbers, and mostly all from the 1960s.

UnkieTrunkie

I still crane my head up when a car of some note gets released. There's one thing with which I'm becoming less-enthused: the marketing-exclusivity-ownership-marketing cycle that seems to be happening with these one of X variation cars. I want the cars manufactured, and the stories organic; not the other way around.

Some things I like: smaller manufacturers being able to make cars and still make money. The ethos of Pagani is great. Do I like that he never ends the Zonda, and the total number of Huyaras seems to be a moving target? No. But, do I love he can laser-mill and manufacture those gorgeous pieces of aluminum as he does? Absolutely. I love that Rimac is able to make an electric car that can break records and yet still be made by a tiny team of people in a country that has had no prior great automotive history.

I like that technology has allowed a lot more customization all over again. It's not the age of the coach-on-frame elegance of yore, but I like that you can go to a Porsche dealer, and for a chunk of cash, get everything customized within an inch of an interior and exterior's life; and have computer systems in place to make and double-check a lot of the processes.

All this aside, I can strongly sympathize with notions that these cars that were once built to conquer thousands upon thousands of miles of highway are now getting relegated into one of two bins: luxury appliances, or coveted and hoarded objects d'arte. . . No different when one of the makers of Bordeaux said that their wine was meant to be drunk, these cars are made to be driven.

The killer looks and limited numbers are still there. . . but heritage. . . that comes from driving the cars, not parking them on a pedestal.

Lovetodrive2000

But... will these cars hold up for 100k miles?

How about 50k miles?

25k miles?

ralper

Bill,

I've always felt that way. I could never understand the need to spend the kind of money a supercar cost when I could have as much fun in an S2000, a Miata or an MG. Give me 4 wheels, a small engine, tight steering, good handling and a manual gearbox and I'm happy. I don't need 300,000 horsepower.

Legal Bill

The Mercedes you mention could be a super car. It certainly hits that price level and it certainly is one of the cars that I wouldn't spend any time reading about. Hypercar is just hyper hype IMO.

gerry100

Nowadays one can buy a car for < $100 k that is far beyond the capabilities of anybody but a Pro driver.( this wasn't always the case).

Anything over $100k is purebling

Since Bill and I were kids, cars have evolved faster than humans

dlq04

LOL