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Thread: Stolen off tw°tter: What car* deserves a rebirth?

  1. #1
    Ask me about my bottom br FaultyMario's Avatar
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    Stolen off tw°tter: What car* deserves a rebirth?

    So maybe a car got a remodel that ruined it or maybe its market died out, but what concept that was embodied in a car needs to come back?

    I'll start:

    Type 181
    There needs to exist a car that is low-maintenance, capable in soft-roads and can seat 4 adults with the top down.
    I think VW could do it, they have a wide enough portfolio of brands that could give it shelter or even start a new, gen-z focused offshoot. Like what Mercedes did with Smart. Or what Suzuki did with the Jimny.

    CRX
    I think the pandemic has demonstrated that there is space in the market for a lightweight, low-emissions grocery-getter. Not all people want or wish to pedal short distances, and that's fine.
    IMHO the problem with the CR-Alpha was that Honda tried to make it "fun". One shouldn't lade projects with subjectives; and because beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so are many other adjectives, let the car fulfill its goals and then, let its buyers and users show the way to "fun".
    acket.

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    I feel like the Honda E could've been the electric CRX redux if it wasn't busy trying to be cute.

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    Chevrolet Corvette...

  4. #4
    Relaxing and enjoying life MR2 Fan's Avatar
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    My obvious choice is Toyota MR2...HOWEVER I doubt it would resemble what most MR2 fans would want, something akin to the first or second gen one. Also, it's difficult to justify in the current lineup with the 86 and 4 and 6 cylinder Supras already being offered.

    There's rumors there could be a hybrid version, but an MR2's also been rumored for a decade.

  5. #5
    Junior Potato
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    It seems like such a no-brainier to us to make a new MR2 with Corolla parts that they must know that it’s not a profitable exercise.

  6. #6
    Ask me about my bottom br FaultyMario's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Godson View Post
    Chevrolet Corvette...
    :handinchin:
    acket.

  7. #7
    Corvette Enthusiast Kchrpm's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Godson View Post
    Chevrolet Corvette...
    I thought it but didn't say it.
    Get that weak shit off my track

  8. #8
    Ask me about my bottom br FaultyMario's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rare White Ape View Post
    it’s not a profitable exercise.
    I'm going to go off in a rant and blame it on Steve Jobs.

    Nah, not really his fault, but of the economic shift to services (and to other gradual movements in society, in general).

    I think that nowadays society assigns values to cars in the sense that they are mobility services and symbols of status. Think of SLM's flower shop van, the service that he needs is so niche that there are no ready-made offerings for him. But most people don't need a car with a cot and a shower. Most people don't need a car that can transfer road surface sensations and deliver a dynamic driving experience, either.

    Buyers want comfort, isolation and amenities.

    And so the price/value (and hence profit for automakers) is derived from how society values comfort, isolation and amenities. So in order for a hypothetical MR2 to be profitable it would have to be the original one and at the same time be a Kia Sorrento.
    acket.

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    The VW Thing seems a bit of a one-off to me. There have been a few convertible SUVs - Nissan Murano, LR Evoque and VW T-Roc, plus the part-convertibles of yore with part fabric roofs. So I'm not convinced it's a goldmine market niche just waiting to be exploited.

    A new CRX would be great, the issue is the motivation. A petrol engine isn't exactly low emission by today's standards. They did the CRZ as a hybrid and it didn't seem to work out. And a battery car would be heavier and more expensive than I think is the CRX's original role. Having said that, if they do a coupe on the E platform, and style it like a modern CRX, that would be cool I think.


    Predictably I'd love to see a new RX-7. Porsche has had the middleweight sports car market to itself for too long, and the RX-7 has a real heritage to build on.
    Realistically the only way to get a rotary to market would probably be to be as a range extender, where emissions and durability concerns can be managed. Since Mazda are working on doing this for their electric crossover, one could imagine a ~400hp sports car with electric drive, a smallish battery and a rotary to top it up. Possibly build it on the ND MX-5 platform as making it small will be the only way to keep it light.

    I could see it working, but realistically I don't think Mazda have the capacity to do this right now.

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    Lancer Evo.

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