The End is Nigh: Boomers getting too old for sports cars

[Kchrpm]

http://alabamanewscenter.com/2016/10/25/boomers-swap-corvettes-comfort-sports-car-sales-fall/


It was a sign of things to come this month when Ford Motor Co. idled its Mustang plant for a week as sales for the year fell 9 percent. Other sports cars have faded at a similar rate, and even stalwarts like the Chevrolet Corvette and most Porsche models are slumping.

While there are still plenty of buyers who love the passing lane, automakers face a pesky reality. Men born between 1946 and 1964, who buy most sports cars, are cruising past their peak spending years. And as age 70 beckons, a person folding up like an accordion to get into the front seat of a speedy roadster is hardly the prescription for an aching back. Some men are even turning to high-powered versions of luxury sports utility vehicles.

“Boomers are starting to age out of sports cars,” said Eric Noble, president of the CarLab, a consulting firm in Orange, California. “When you get into your 60s, comfort becomes more important. Sports cars are not going away, but the market will get smaller.”

[dodint]

Well, the 'Vette is doomed. That has been their bread and butter since, what, the C4 and on?

[Kchrpm]

I'd say the C3. Guys in their 20s and 30s were getting them back then, including my dad.

[Godson]

It'll work out in the end. Just won't be as large of market volume. Im ok with that

[dodint]

Also, there are already plenty of awesome cars out there. If they stop making something I want I'll just go buy a collector I like.

[IMOA]

Any article that claims most Porsche models are slumping has to be viewed with a significant chunk of suspicion, especially since they're breaking records every year

In other news, there's an 18 month waiting list for the mustang in Australia.

[Kchrpm]

Any article that claims most Porsche models are slumping has to be viewed with a significant chunk of suspicion, especially since they're breaking records every year

They provided more detail later in the article.


That makes sense when you look at Porsche. This year and in 2015, the brand’s passenger car sales have fallen by 8 percent. At the same time, the Macan SUV has grown by 30 percent this year and is now Porsche’s top seller. Company spokesman Christian Koenig said the sales decline is due to replacement of the 911 and Boxster sports cars, which caused shortages of inventory, and the announcement of a new Panamera coming in January 2017. Porsche believes the new sports cars will once again juice sales, he said.

[21Kid]

So... Old people are interested more in comfort than performance. This is news? :?

[Kchrpm]

No, the news is that the last of the boomers is finally getting "old", and their kids don't have the money/interest for new sports cars that the boomers did.

[21Kid]

A bit of both...
“Boomers are starting to age out of sports cars,” said Eric Noble, president of the CarLab, a consulting firm in Orange, California. “When you get into your 60s, comfort becomes more important. Sports cars are not going away, but the market will get smaller.”

The generational handoff won’t help sports cars much either, Noble said, because there are fewer Generation Xers, buyers in the 35 to 50 age range. And the boomer children — the millennial generation — aren’t yet earning enough money to buy Mustangs, which start at $24,915, let alone a Corvette Z06 that can sell for more than $100,000, Noble said.

[Kchrpm]

Right, the news isn't that people in their 60s like soft stuff, it's that the largest segment of the sports car buying population is now in predominantly in their 60s.

[dodint]

When we went to the Porsche dealer the guy we spoke with specifically said the Macan is their biggest seller by a long shot. He can't keep the S's in stock. The one we went to had a demo and a bunch of top of the line show pieces, nothing in the middle.

[speedpimp]

No, the news is that the last of the boomers is finally getting "old", and their kids don't have the money/interest for new sports cars that the boomers did.

The youngest Boomers are only 52, so plenty of potential contained within.

[IMOA]

There's 2 possible explanations to the declining porsche sportscar sales

a) 2015 had the 911, Boxster and Cayman in the last year of their cycle which is when they always have the lowest sales (and actually 911 and cayman sales both increased, boxster and panamera were down)
b) in the space of 1 year all boomers within a generation suddenly all got too old and stopped buying sportscars

The article is a sensational headline in search of some facts, here's some better ones. In 1994 (993 launch) Porsche sold 21,124 cars. In 2015 Porsche sold 225,121 cars, and just under 32,000 911's.

[Kchrpm]

All boomers got old? No. But more people are aging out of sports cars than are aging into them. Also, the cyclical change.

[dodint]

All boomers got old? No. But more people are aging out of sports cars than are aging into them. Also, the cyclical change.

http://i.giphy.com/l2SqdhgQbUnRwdZCw.gif

[Godson]

There's 2 possible explanations to the declining porsche sportscar sales

a) 2015 had the 911, Boxster and Cayman in the last year of their cycle which is when they always have the lowest sales (and actually 911 and cayman sales both increased, boxster and panamera were down)
b) in the space of 1 year all boomers within a generation suddenly all got too old and stopped buying sportscars

The article is a sensational headline in search of some facts, here's some better ones. In 1994 (993 launch) Porsche sold 21,124 cars. In 2015 Porsche sold 225,121 cars, and just under 32,000 911's.

Impressive numbers there.

[IMOA]

All boomers got old? No. But more people are aging out of sports cars than are aging into them. Also, the cyclical change.

To do that you'd need to look at trends over 10 years, not cherrypick numbers from a single year where other factors ave a far greater impact than what he's arguing is causing it. And, frankly, his numbers are crap.

[Kchrpm]

Fair enough. I fell for sensationalist journalism. I apologize.

[Rare White Ape]

Judging by the numbers of new MX-5 and 86/BRZ's I'm seeing every week, which I'm sure are bought by a younger demographic, I'm pretty sure that the future of high end sports cars is safe.

[thesameguy]

Fair enough. I fell for sensationalist journalism. I apologize.

You also insulted Porsche, and should apologize for that as well I'd think.

[Kchrpm]

I am sorry for sullying Stuttgart.

[Random]

Stuttgart accepts your apology.

http://cdn1.stuttgarter-zeitung.de/media.media.635cf217-4332-4650-8720-2ad06a5e2a61.normalized.jpeg

[thesameguy]

Mmmm... booooeeeer.

[Crazed_Insanity]

I wonder if boomers will eventually age out of boobies and beers too... maybe in their graves... ;)

[21Kid]

Stuttgart accepts your apology.

http://cdn1.stuttgarter-zeitung.de/media.media.635cf217-4332-4650-8720-2ad06a5e2a61.normalized.jpeg

Good way to finish up this thread. :random: :up:

[IMOA]

Fair enough. I fell for sensationalist journalism. I apologize.
Don't apologies, it's an interesting discussion so I appreciate you starting it. If everyone simply agreed with each other life would be desperately dull.

And Stuttgart doesn't mind what you say to it because deep down it knows it's driving home in a Porsche.

[Dicknose]

And note that Porsche owner here was born after 1964
I don't think that sports car lovers are over yet, we probably have another 20 years of people who love cars and are in the 35-55 bracket that aren't "too old"
Maybe when today's 20s are in their 50s it might be different. But who knows what cars will be like then.

[Yw-slayer]

JAPANESE CARS R00L

[21Kid]

In the future it will be Chic/Retro/hip, and there will be a resurgence of sports/muscle cars that take skill to drive. ;)