Comments on: Where’s the next 240Z, RX7 or Miata? http://blog.autospeed.com/2002/08/20/wheres-the-next-240z-rx7-or-miata/ AutoSpeed's Blog. Opinion and Auto News Comment Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:07:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Wave http://blog.autospeed.com/2002/08/20/wheres-the-next-240z-rx7-or-miata/comment-page-1/#comment-37434 Wave Fri, 03 Oct 2008 16:17:47 +0000 http://blog.autospeed.com/2002/08/20/wheres-the-next-240z-rx7-or-miata/#comment-37434 The 350Z is a very nice car but I don't think it will change the world. To add to doctorpat's suggestion, I think that if the Japanese manufacturers were going to reinvent something else and make it cheaper, then the Ariel Atom would be a sensational idea! There are plenty of very similar track-focused cars available which are all generally hand built and therefore very expensive. I'm pretty sure that the Atom is well on the painful side of $100,000. I see absolutely no reason why Honda or even Toyota couldn't build an extruded space frame with a Civic/Corolla drivetrain at the back for around $30,000 or maybe even cheaper! At that sort of price range, sales numbers would be massively increased and perhaps it could become fairly common to have a weekend fun car. The key is being able to do a fun ultra-lightweight car as cheaply as possible so that regular people can afford to buy one as a second car. Make the future of sports cars lighter, not more powerful! The 350Z is a very nice car but I don’t think it will change the world. To add to doctorpat’s suggestion, I think that if the Japanese manufacturers were going to reinvent something else and make it cheaper, then the Ariel Atom would be a sensational idea! There are plenty of very similar track-focused cars available which are all generally hand built and therefore very expensive. I’m pretty sure that the Atom is well on the painful side of $100,000. I see absolutely no reason why Honda or even Toyota couldn’t build an extruded space frame with a Civic/Corolla drivetrain at the back for around $30,000 or maybe even cheaper! At that sort of price range, sales numbers would be massively increased and perhaps it could become fairly common to have a weekend fun car. The key is being able to do a fun ultra-lightweight car as cheaply as possible so that regular people can afford to buy one as a second car. Make the future of sports cars lighter, not more powerful!

]]> By: Andrew http://blog.autospeed.com/2002/08/20/wheres-the-next-240z-rx7-or-miata/comment-page-1/#comment-28896 Andrew Wed, 21 May 2008 06:45:22 +0000 http://blog.autospeed.com/2002/08/20/wheres-the-next-240z-rx7-or-miata/#comment-28896 Yes, the 350z is a return to what the zed cars are all about. The z32 tt was a capable performance, but even the non-turbo version sold in Australia was close to $90k (in 1990 dollars). The z33 is a performance bargain. Yes, the 350z is a return to what the zed cars are all about. The z32 tt was a capable performance, but even the non-turbo version sold in Australia was close to $90k (in 1990 dollars). The z33 is a performance bargain.

]]> By: doctorpat http://blog.autospeed.com/2002/08/20/wheres-the-next-240z-rx7-or-miata/comment-page-1/#comment-2168 doctorpat Tue, 18 Sep 2007 03:55:05 +0000 http://blog.autospeed.com/2002/08/20/wheres-the-next-240z-rx7-or-miata/#comment-2168 Just as the 240Z was the reinvention of the E-type, but cheaper and more reliable. And the RX7 was the reinvention of the 924, but cheaper and close to as reliable, and the MX5 was the reinvention of the MGB, but cheaper and more reliable, and the LS400 was a Mercedes S class.... I think we have to wait for something that until now hasn't been practical, but can be made so. There have been attempts. The NSX was a Ferrari 348, but cheaper and more reliable. But not cheap enough. The GTR was a Porsche 959, and it was cheaper, but it was four cylinder versions of the same thing (WRX, Lancer) that made it to the big time. The Supra twin turbo was an Aston Martin, a Porsche 928, a Ferrari 612, and it did rather well in the markets where it was released. But not here. I would put my money on something nobody has tried yet. Maybe a Honda Lotus Elise. Or a Lexus Shooting Brake. A suzuki Morgan three wheeler... Just as the 240Z was the reinvention of the E-type, but cheaper and more reliable. And the RX7 was the reinvention of the 924, but cheaper and close to as reliable, and the MX5 was the reinvention of the MGB, but cheaper and more reliable, and the LS400 was a Mercedes S class…. I think we have to wait for something that until now hasn’t been practical, but can be made so.

There have been attempts. The NSX was a Ferrari 348, but cheaper and more reliable. But not cheap enough.

The GTR was a Porsche 959, and it was cheaper, but it was four cylinder versions of the same thing (WRX, Lancer) that made it to the big time.

The Supra twin turbo was an Aston Martin, a Porsche 928, a Ferrari 612, and it did rather well in the markets where it was released. But not here.

I would put my money on something nobody has tried yet. Maybe a Honda Lotus Elise. Or a Lexus Shooting Brake. A suzuki Morgan three wheeler…

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