What do you want them to build?
Discussion
I've always thought there's a distinct lack of two seater practical sports cars and coupés around. Manufacturers seem to assume that everyone without children has very little luggage and/or sports equipment to carry around, which is obviously not true. My Z4C was perfect in concept, if a little flawed in execution: two seats, rear drive, big boot - a rare combination. I'm out of the market for a car like this, because I need to tow and carry stuff on the roof, but I'm sure there's a market for cars like that. To be honest, there's nothing stopping cars like that from having roof bars, but oddly they never seem to: the GT86 for example has no provision for roof bars, whereas the Yaris does - odd.
Ozzie Osmond said:
RobM77 said:
I've always thought there's a distinct lack of two seater practical sports cars and coupés around.
I thought the PH driving gods were always criticising Boxster/Cayman because they are too practical! 
ETA: To answer your point though, I would criticise those two cars for lacking steering feel, road feel and general interaction with the driving experience, but I'd never criticise them for being too practical, that would be daft.
smithyithy said:
I just want Kei cars. Pls Japan, bring some over here..
This. I'd be very very interested in a new Suzuki cappo but with maybe a bit of light hybrid gubbins to give it a genuine 80+mpg like the original mk1 honda insight had. And none of the completely unnecessary daft roof. Actually - Honda should do it with the original Beat and mk1 insight gear - that would be awesome!Ozzie Osmond said:
There's always an available excuse for not buying a sportscar!
I've owned an Elise (for eight years), two Caterhams, a Z4 Coupé, an MR2 and a 2-Eleven; so I've owned plenty of sports cars. My posts are just highlighting what I think is a missing sector of the market for people who enjoy driving and want a sports car, but also have luggage to carry.Edited by RobM77 on Monday 1st August 11:04
- A small estate, no more than Focus sized, just big enough for the dogs.
- Small highly tuned NA engine, like a 3.0 V8, which loves to be revved.
- AWD, with suspension setup further towards sporty than comfort, but not too far.
- Loads of soundproofing for road noise, very little for engine noise.
- Perfect driving position, pedals not offset, small diameter steering wheel with lots of reach adjustment.
- Supremely comfortable big wide deeply-padded supportive driver's seat with adjustments in every angle possible - the lower height limit should be touching the floor of the car, and I should be able to tilt the front of the base enough that I'm looking the rear passenger in the eye.
- Hydraulic power steering, not electric, and only a bit - just enough so it's not a strain.
- Manual gearbox.
- Android head unit fully connected to all of the car's functions, everything customisable and programmable.
- The choice of both auto wipers and manual multi-speed intermittent wipers.
- Small highly tuned NA engine, like a 3.0 V8, which loves to be revved.
- AWD, with suspension setup further towards sporty than comfort, but not too far.
- Loads of soundproofing for road noise, very little for engine noise.
- Perfect driving position, pedals not offset, small diameter steering wheel with lots of reach adjustment.
- Supremely comfortable big wide deeply-padded supportive driver's seat with adjustments in every angle possible - the lower height limit should be touching the floor of the car, and I should be able to tilt the front of the base enough that I'm looking the rear passenger in the eye.
- Hydraulic power steering, not electric, and only a bit - just enough so it's not a strain.
- Manual gearbox.
- Android head unit fully connected to all of the car's functions, everything customisable and programmable.
- The choice of both auto wipers and manual multi-speed intermittent wipers.
renrut said:
Damn that S660 is almost exactly what I was talking about, minus hybrid gear. How do I get one?
I'd imagine you can import them from Japan, I don't know if they fit under normal car regulations, I only looked briefly online and something mentioned them not meeting US / EU crash test legislation or something, who knows..Cool little things though.
kambites said:
Alfa might have found it easier if they hadn't completely screwed up the final suspension calibration on an otherwise enormously impressive car. 
Although that engine and gearbox combination was always an odd choice for a sports car.
All works well on the racetrack though. Now they have to soften it up. Like what Toyota had to do with the MR2.Although that engine and gearbox combination was always an odd choice for a sports car.
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