kanaric wrote:
Knurled wrote:
Previous posters nailed it - the Miata is successful not because it is a good enthusiast vehicle, but because it panders to non-enthusiasts. Purely enthusiast vehicles are very low volume.
That's why I bought the FR-S. I didn't want to take a chance on Toyota/Subaru to wake up one day and say "Awe berk it. These things don't sell," and have them pull the plug.
you could have always bought one used still lol. Like the 240SX it's twins with.
MCarp22 wrote:
Trackmouse wrote: Why has no one created a company like this?!?!?
Are you new here? I can think of a 200+ page thread about this.
Well we all know Mazda is going to correct this but they have no Mazdaspeed products right now, no GT car, and just the Miata. They are hardly an enthusiasts company at the moment just because of 1 car.
Meanwhile Ford for example has two hot hatches and a GT with multiple trims and a AWD rally car throwback to the homologation era coming out.
The only company that is close is probably Subaru with the FRS, WRX, and STI. However they still have no GT type sports car like Mazda has in it's 2004-2006 era. Around then you had Miata, Mazdaspeed Miata, MS3, MS6, and RX7.
The Japanese companies are all pretty much in a malaise era right now. They produce very little cars in terms of what interests enthusiasts and what they do make is either really old or not up to speed with the competition or even modern times. The current GTI with performance package, the upcoming Focus RS, even cars like the Focus and Fiesta ST are superior products to any recent Japanese hot hatch. Their GT cars have 2004 power figures and are riding on ancient chassis compared to competition. GT cars? What am I talking about. The 350z. The only one they make that isn't a luxury badge.
We all know why the Miata sells, it's the definitive roadster and women, old men, and enthusiasts all like it. The FRS is a sports car without power in an era when every car >$25k has significant power on the cheap. They could have just dropped a 260hp H6 in there and be like a 6 year old Cayman for the same price a 6 year old Cayman costs but they did not. Let's be frank here. People want power. The car will be sought after in a few years when they are cheap but by Toyotas own admission they are not selling and we all know why. They don't want a 4 cylinder they want a 6 as well. Toyota sacrificed marketing for making the car as cheap as possible when they could have done both. I doubt that Subaru H6 is that much more expensive and a flat 6 could have been a great selling point. A low redline 4 cylinder with like 200hp like what a Civic has? When the S2000 existed with much more power at 1999? Not really a selling point. It can handle as good as anything, however most people don't care solely about that. They will pick up a sloppy suspension LSD free WRX or a Focus ST instead. And they are, because those are selling. It was a total and absolute failure from the start in terms of what they chose to build and in terms of what abilities it had they could use to market it. It's a 2800lb car (not really a feat) with 200hp (around what people expect in a car like a "sport" Kia Forte) with 1/4 mile times less than a Camry. All most potential buyers will notice. They could have had both power and handling but they chose to not and that mistake will end many potential future case like this IDx or maybe even the S1000 coming here. Those cars are even more niche so if a car that was thought to be relatively safe and to have wide appeal didn't sell (FRS) those certainly wont'.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I can agree with the whole low power rant for what it is worth. But it misses the whole point. Big HP is like big tits; better to want than get.
I drive my car in a world where the average driver takes over 5 sec to make it though an intersection when the light turns green. Yeah, I sure need another 100hp because......???
Funny thing is that the only people who complains bout the FRS/BRZ are those that have not driven them. Those that have bought them, or even driven them for some time, tend to like them just fine for what they do offer.
Clarkson (biggest HP hog in the world) pretty much sums up what the owners feel about this car once they get past the "No Power" whine. Find me a single picture of someone who is enjoying his Mustang or Hyundai to this extent.
