Tuesday 8th January 2013

PH Blog: What happened to the affordable coupe?

Remember when cheap coupes were everywhere? Well, where've they all gone?

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Back in the late 90s, I had a thing for the Peugeot 406 Coupe. I know, I know... but I remember being taken in by its snakey front end, its gently-curved shoulder line and its crisp, pert backside. (Easy tiger - Ed.) Every road test I read praised its lusty V6 powerplant and agile, supple chassis. I didn't care that at heart it was just a fairly humdrum front-wheel-drive repmobile. For me, a coupe was all about the way it looked, and the way it went - and the 406 Coupe did both in a way that got me a little hot under the collar.

200SX: a rear-drive hero of its time

What I really loved about it, though, was that it was accessible. OK, not for me - I was 13 years old at the time - but it was a car we could, theoretically at least, own. And it was just one of a whole host of coupes that, during the late 90s, brought glamour to the masses. Remember the VW Corrado, the Alfa GTV, the Fiat Coupe, the Ford Puma, and the Nissan 200SX?

Where are they now? Today's coupes start at the distinctly premium end of the market - I’m thinking here of the Audi TT and A5, Nissan 370Z, BMW 4 Series and their ilk. There’s the Scirocco, ostensibly a successor to the Corrado - but whether it's a true, swoopy coupe or just a very handsome three-door Golf is open to debate. Same goes for the Megane Coupe. In fact, the Toyobaru and Peugeot RCZ are the only two cars I can think of offering accessible thrills in a proper, 2+2-shaped body but neither is as cheap or attainable as, say, the Puma was.

Nothing like the Puma around today

Suddenly, bare-bones Mini Coupe aside, it seems the affordable coupe is a rare beast indeed. I didn't really notice them going, but I can't help but think it's a pity. Market forces logic isn't going to stop me lamenting their demise either. Oh sure, we've got some fantastic warm- and hot-hatches, but something a little more 2+2-flavoured and a little less family-oriented for the DINKYs among us would be a delight.

Rumours of Ford reviving the Puma (or the Capri, depending on which publication you read) surface perennially, and some noises have emanated from Nissan about a GT86 rival. But apart from that, all's quiet on the cheap coupe front. If nobody wants them, that's fair enough. But you'll still find a little corner of Kent where there's a bearded man wishing such things were still around.

And with that, I'm off to browse the classifieds for old Pugs, Fiats and Alfas.

Alex

 

[toho82]

I guess people just don't have the requirement for them? What does a coupe do that a decent hatch can't? Why would people pay more for a coupe?

I understand why they have become to reserve of people who have a spare 30k + to spend.

[Oddball RS]

Before someone else does, yet again 'oh i've got it M135i!!!'

[kambites]

I think the small coupe has largely been replaced by the small coupe/cabriolet - the Tigra, etc. The market was always driven more by style than driving dynamics.

Don't they still make the Hyundai Coupe in some form or other?

[Scrof]

kambites said:

I think the small coupe has largely been replaced by the small coupe/cabriolet - the Tigra, etc. The market was always driven more by style than driving dynamics.

Mmm, I did think of the Renault Wind and Vauxhall Tigra when writing this - but cars like the Fiat Coupe, Puma and 200SX all had driving capability in spades, where the Wind and Tigra... well... don't.

[kambites]

Scrof said:

kambites said:

I think the small coupe has largely been replaced by the small coupe/cabriolet - the Tigra, etc. The market was always driven more by style than driving dynamics.

Mmm, I did think of the Renault Wind and Vauxhall Tigra when writing this - but cars like the Fiat Coupe, Puma and 200SX all had driving capability in spades, where the Wind and Tigra... well... don't.

Yes they did, but was that the reason that the majority of buyers bought them?


Anyway, surely scaling the Fiat Coupe up to today's money you'd be looking at Audi TT prices anyway? It was 20k in 1995! Same with the 200SX.

Edited by kambites on Tuesday 8th January 12:58

[vrsmxtb]

Does the Hyundai Veloster-thing qualify as a coupe. Astra GTC? Arguably most striking Vauxhall in years.

I guess it's purely manufacturers streamlining their ranges, coupled with limited demand? I mean, really, what benefits are there over a 3 door hatch, aside from potentially sleeker styling?

Edited by vrsmxtb on Tuesday 8th January 12:59

[Steve vRS]

kambites said:

Yes they did, but was that the reason that the majority of buyers bought them?

No, but it's the reason why the Puma is held in reverence and awe today whilst the Tigra is forgotten and essentially removed from history.

Autoexpress don't have a bi-annual photoshop scoop of next years Tigra do they?

Steve

[nickwilcock]

My 40 or so years of car ownership has been:

(2 x MG Midget)
Fiat 128SL 1300 coupe
Opel Manta Berlinetta (ser.1)
VW Scirocco (ser.1)
Nearly bought an Alfa Sud Sprint Veloce, but the settled instead for a second VW Scirocco (ser.1)
Opel Manta Berlinetta (ser.3)
Opel Manta GTE stage II (ser.3)
Honda Prelude 4WS (ser.3)
Honda Prelude 2.2i VTEC (late ser.4)

After Honda ruined the Prelude with the hideously ugly 5th generation model, I looked in vain for an alternative coupe. But after 8 years it was obvious that Honda had abandoned that market segment, so I bought a Mercedes-Benz SLK320, later replaced by my current SLK32 AMG, which is coming up to its 10th birthday. Goodness know what I'll buy when I have to sell it; perhaps by then there might be some affordable coupes on the market which have reasonable performance?

Perhaps I'll settle for a used Audi A5? I was as sadly disappointed by the ugly new Scirocco as I was by the non-Giugiaro ser.2 abortion.

Edited by nickwilcock on Tuesday 8th January 13:06

[Maxus]

Volkswagen Scirocco, Hyundai Veloster, Kia Pro_Cee'd, Astra GTC, Renault Megane Coupe, Mini Coupe - All under £20k

[stuart-b]

nickwilcock said:

My car ownership has been:

(2 x MG Midget)
Fiat 128SL 1300 coupe
Opel Manta Berlinetta (ser.1)
VW Scirocco (ser.1)
Nearly bought an Alfa Sud Sprint Veloce, but the settled instead for a second VW Scirocco (ser.1)
Opel Manta Berlinetta (ser.3)
Opel Manta GTE stage II (ser.3)
Honda Prelude 4WS (ser.3)
Honda Prelude 2.2i VTEC (late ser.4)

After Honda ruined the Prelude with the hideously ugly 5th generation model, I looked in vain for an alternative coupe. But after 8 years it was obvious that Honda had abandoned that market segment, so I bought a Mercedes-Benz SLK320, later replaced by my current SLK32 AMG, which is coming up to its 10th birthday. Goodness know what I'll buy when I have to sell it; perhaps by then there might be some affordable coupes on the market which have reasonable performance?

Agreed, I had a 4th Gen prelude, then old 9XX series Porsche, now a BMW Coupe. Not that many really decent coupes out there that would suit me.

[Mr2Mike]

toho82 said:

What does a coupe do that a decent hatch can't? Why would people pay more for a coupe?

Looks nice. Usually better aerodynamics as well.

[Robmarriott]

Xsara, mx6, probe, calibra, celica, megane... The more you think the more haven't been replaced.

[RX7]

I think there have been a few of recent years, but perhaps the price point has moved on from affordable?

Rx8, 350z, werent they classed as coupes?

[nickwilcock]

The only hatchback I ever wanted was the MkIII version of the Triumph GT6. Preferably with the SAH 3 x 40DCOE, hot cam and tuned exhaust. Sadly, I could never afford one at the time and they're too old in the tooth to be used as daily runners these days.

[trashbat]

kambites said:

Anyway, surely scaling the Fiat Coupe up to today's money you'd be looking at Audi TT prices anyway? It was 20k in 1995! Same with the 200SX.

This - the Alfa GTV too. On the other hand, has what we consider 'affordable' fallen in real terms?

[C.A.R.]

[swift generalisation]

Modern cars look awful. Nobody cares for a Coupe anymore. It would need to comply to a huge array of requirements not least being able to act as a nice fluffy cushion for those clumsy, inconsiderate pedestrians.

[Oelholm]

vrsmxtb said:

Does the Hyundai Veloster-thing qualify as a coupe. Astra GTC? Arguably most striking Vauxhall in years.

I guess it's purely manufacturers streamlining their ranges, coupled with limited demand? I mean, really, what benefits are there over a 3 door hatch, aside from potentially sleeker styling?

Edited by vrsmxtb on Tuesday 8th January 12:59

- If anything, the manufacturers have even larger ranges than before, just look at Mercedes, Audi, BMW - all seem to spew out new models all the time.

I guess a lot of manufacturers are looking at Toyota and Subaru to see if the demand is sustainable, a bit like Mazda with the MX-5 in the early nineties/late eighties.

[loomx]

People like coupes, they do sell well, look at the amount of 3 series coupes and A5s out there. I think the biggest issue comes from lots of manufactures lying and calling cars that arent coupes, coupes. I am mainly looking at the french manufactures! but even the alfa brera isnt a coupe in my book.

But as said about, there are still a fair few <£20k coupes out there.

[rossi1]

BMW E36 M3,Even an E46 M3, both easily found under 10k! I don't think you could want any more from a coupe?

[Agoogy]

Saw my first Astra GTC in the flesh yesterday the VXR one... big...but stunning IMO.