Roadsters?

[DonkeyApple]

SWoll said:

I'm still struggling with who this is for (in the UK at least)

£40k+, MG badge and BEV. So you've immediately ruled out anyone who's budget conscious (MX-5 buyer), badge conscious (BMW/MB/Porsche buyer) or an enthusiast (Lotus buyer)?

Maybe I'm missing something but who else is buying roadsters, or more specifically, this car?

Retirees who enjoy driving well below the speed limit from suburbia to the countryside but still need to consider the budget so a diesel wagon for his every day stuff while the wife potters about in the EV roadster?

I recall also reading that females were the larger buyers of TTs and certainly around here the Boxster is the middle aged lady's choice of fun car once she has finally rid herself of the children.

So at a guess, I suspect that professional women over 40 or ex housewives over 50 who care about the planet, don't really car about the badge history and haven't been reprogrammed by Trump, Farage or someone selling solar panels?

[DonkeyApple]

TheDeuce said:

DonkeyApple said:

starsky67 said:

DonkeyApple said:

I can see that the point is being missed just a little.

I’m not sure it is.

A spirited cross country drive in a performance EV can be every bit as enjoyable as in a petrol powered car. Yes I did just write that (and I’ve got a manual 997.1 amongst others in the the garage to compare).

It’s not the same, but the range of positives are large and such that no one should bemoan the eventual inevitable demise of petrol powered cars.

There are going to be some fun EVs to take their place, no doubt about that.

But you have just missed the point. . I've made zero mention of whether one power plant is fun or not.

Neither have we - we're talking about the fun available being cheaper to enjoy in EV.

What were you thinking we were talking about

You were replying to my post though, so would it not be normal to expect that reply to be in response as opposed to something completely different?

[SWoll]

DonkeyApple said:

Retirees who enjoy driving well below the speed limit from suburbia to the countryside but still need to consider the budget so a diesel wagon for his every day stuff while the wife potters about in the EV roadster?

I recall also reading that females were the larger buyers of TTs and certainly around here the Boxster is the middle aged lady's choice of fun car once she has finally rid herself of the children.

So at a guess, I suspect that professional women over 40 or ex housewives over 50 who care about the planet, don't really car about the badge history and haven't been reprogrammed by Trump, Farage or someone selling solar panels?

Yes they buy Audi's, Mercedes, Porsches as I pointed out as they are as much a status symbol as anything else.

It's got an MG badge, they'll just wait until the Germans or Tesla also have a roadster to offer before switching to BEV IMHO.

[otolith]

SWoll said:

Yes they buy Audi's, Mercedes, Porsches as I pointed out as they are as much a status symbol as anything else.

It's got an MG badge, they'll just wait until the Germans or Tesla also have a roadster to offer before switching to BEV IMHO.

I think a lot of established brands are having their kudos undermined by being on the back foot with EVs. Look at the sector Kia has slipped into.

[Olibol]

SWoll said:

I'm still struggling with who this is for (in the UK at least)

£40k+, MG badge and BEV. So you've immediately ruled out anyone who's budget conscious (MX-5 buyer), badge conscious (BMW/MB/Porsche buyer) or an enthusiast (Lotus buyer)?

Maybe I'm missing something but who else is buying roadsters, or more specifically, this car?

Me, for starters. I’m no-longer interested in driving ICE cars for environmental reasons, but have always loved open top sports cars. I’ve also always been a bit of an inverted badge snob, so not interested in a Porsche- not that you can buy an electric Boxster any time soon, and certainly not for £50k. I’d have an electric MX5 if they made one, and had a very fast and sorted Mk1 until recently, so know what small, powerful and involving feels like. This car is a compromise but ticks more boxes for me than anything else on the horizon. I’ll get a lighter, smaller replacement when it exists.

[DonkeyApple]

SWoll said:

Yes they buy Audi's, Mercedes, Porsches as I pointed out as they are as much a status symbol as anything else.

It's got an MG badge, they'll just wait until the Germans or Tesla also have a roadster to offer before switching to BEV IMHO.

I generally agree but they won't all be able to afford a Boxster EV and Tesla products are pretty polarising and seem very much aimed at blokes, what with farting seats, flamethrowers etc.

[TheRainMaker]

Well, I really like it

About time we had something different in the EV market.

[TheDeuce]

TheRainMaker said:

Well, I really like it

About time we had something different in the EV market.

I feel the same. This thread started out asking why there were no EV roadsters, now we have one - and in EV terms its 'affordable'. And in the right trim, it should be bloody quick too.

Give it another 5 years and there will be a few other roadster options too. I certainly can't see Mazda giving up on their sales darling MX5 just because the grown ups are banning ICE...

I'm looking forward to the road tests to see how much of a decent job the Chinese have done of a car that is supposed to be fun and carefree on the road. It looks pretty good and I think the weight / power is at a perfectly good ratio for a roadster/sportscar - so fingers crossed it will also manage to put a smile on the face dynamically too.

[SWoll]

DonkeyApple said:

I generally agree but they won't all be able to afford a Boxster EV and Tesla products are pretty polarising and seem very much aimed at blokes, what with farting seats, flamethrowers etc.

Have a look at how many Model Y's are driven by women. It's really not a blokes car, and is by far Tesla's biggest seller.

[TheDeuce]

SWoll said:

DonkeyApple said:

I generally agree but they won't all be able to afford a Boxster EV and Tesla products are pretty polarising and seem very much aimed at blokes, what with farting seats, flamethrowers etc.

Have a look at how many Model Y's are driven by women. It's really not a blokes car, and is by far Tesla's biggest seller.

Honda and Mazda will likely make small sporty/roadster EVs too - plenty will be available for those that simply don't like the Tesla club and from known manufacturers that are not premium manufacturers. Japanese firms went heavily into hybrid and then HFC as an alternative to BEV but it's become glaringly apparent that the rest of the world they sell to has set it's sights upon BEV (yes, effectively by law), so the Japanese manufacturers are now moving, reluctantly, in that direction. I expect once they're churning out broad ranges of EV cars those cars will appeal very much to those that don't want to pay for a premium product but also don't want a Chinese car or, an American car that farts.

One thing's for sure, in a few more years the range and depth of EV options will be very different than today. Currently the range of options is limited due to traditional manufacturers also still maintaining a full range of ICE cars.

[Olibol]

TheDeuce said:

Honda and Mazda will likely make small sporty/roadster EVs too - plenty will be available for those that simply don't like the Tesla club and from known manufacturers that are not premium manufacturers. Japanese firms went heavily into hybrid and then HFC as an alternative to BEV but it's become glaringly apparent that the rest of the world they sell to has set it's sights upon BEV (yes, effectively by law), so the Japanese manufacturers are now moving, reluctantly, in that direction. I expect once they're churning out broad ranges of EV cars those cars will appeal very much to those that don't want to pay for a premium product but also don't want a Chinese car or, an American car that farts.

One thing's for sure, in a few more years the range and depth of EV options will be very different than today. Currently the range of options is limited due to traditional manufacturers also still maintaining a full range of ICE cars.

And when they do, I’ll probably have one. In the meantime, I’d rather go about in a heavy open GT than another Model 3.

[DonkeyApple]

SWoll said:

DonkeyApple said:

I generally agree but they won't all be able to afford a Boxster EV and Tesla products are pretty polarising and seem very much aimed at blokes, what with farting seats, flamethrowers etc.

Have a look at how many Model Y's are driven by women. It's really not a blokes car, and is by far Tesla's biggest seller.

It might be regional. But lots of PHers do think it's still the 70s but women have become a vital customer segment and I get the feeling far more likely to not carry the prejudices against EVs. Plus, they seem to be the most import buyers of modest sports cars?

[Risonax]

SWoll said:

I'm still struggling with who this is for (in the UK at least)

£40k+, MG badge and BEV. So you've immediately ruled out anyone who's budget conscious (MX-5 buyer), badge conscious (BMW/MB/Porsche buyer) or an enthusiast (Lotus buyer)?

Maybe I'm missing something but who else is buying roadsters, or more specifically, this car?

Hardly anyone I expect will be spending £40k on a car. 90% of new car sales are PCPs. MX5s are £4k down and £300 a month until you swap it for another. This MG will probably be £34.5k down and £350 a month until you swap it for another. Ironically, some will be badge conscious, and buying it for the Octogan.

Ironically, £55k Hyundais seems to be selling ok. Who'd have thought a company once known for a crap Cortina selling at that price.

Generally, buying a brand new car outright only makes sense if you intend to run it into the ground, otherwise make a bonfire out of £5 notes. Only an old fool, or old person with less than 10 years to go, would buy any current BEV outright, because the chances are in 10 years time, it will be rendered something virtually unserviceable. Maybe in 10 years, there might be cars with a reasonable 20 year service life, or a service life that can be extended on and on.

[Risonax]

Apologies for the Twitter link. Video footage of squealing tyres:
https://twitter.com/RickySUIS/status/1649087825441...

[DonkeyApple]

Risonax said:

Apologies for the Twitter link. Video footage of squealing tyres:
https://twitter.com/RickySUIS/status/1649087825441...

https://youtu.be/SIaFtAKnqBU

[otolith]

Risonax said:

Only an old fool, or old person with less than 10 years to go, would buy any current BEV outright, because the chances are in 10 years time, it will be rendered something virtually unserviceable.

Interesting. Why do you believe that? Loads of 9 year old Teslas available, still working, still worth money, still serviceable.

[kambites]

otolith said:

Risonax said:

Only an old fool, or old person with less than 10 years to go, would buy any current BEV outright, because the chances are in 10 years time, it will be rendered something virtually unserviceable.

Interesting. Why do you believe that? Loads of 9 year old Teslas available, still working, still worth money, still serviceable.

I'd imagine it'll be easier to find someone to service an EV in ten years' time than an ICE vehicle.

[MrTrilby]

Risonax said:

Hardly anyone I expect will be spending £40k on a car.
Generally, buying a brand new car outright only makes sense if you intend to run it into the ground, otherwise make a bonfire out of £5 notes.

That is not my experience. Our current car cost about that when we bought it new, 5 years ago. We’re changing it in September, through choice and because it suits us rather than being forced to by a lease expiry. Assuming it sells for close to what I think it’ll sell for then it will have cost us about half the amount compared to if we’d taken out a PCP. And during that time we’ve enjoyed a car with manufacturer warranty built with the options we wanted rather than the previous owner’s choices, and we’ve not had to worry about how it was or wasn’t treated by the previous owner.

Horses for courses but buying outright has worked out well enough for us that we will continue doing it. Besides, if you’re worried about saving money then PCP’ing a £40k depreciating asset is definitely not the way to do it.

[TheDeuce]

kambites said:

otolith said:

Risonax said:

Only an old fool, or old person with less than 10 years to go, would buy any current BEV outright, because the chances are in 10 years time, it will be rendered something virtually unserviceable.

Interesting. Why do you believe that? Loads of 9 year old Teslas available, still working, still worth money, still serviceable.

I'd imagine it'll be easier to find someone to service an EV in ten years' time than an ICE vehicle.

Unserviceable because.... It doesn't need servicing

It's power plus an electric motor. That's it. I think our species has reached a point in tech terms at which we can keep such a simple machine in service.

[Risonax]

otolith said:

Risonax said:

Only an old fool, or old person with less than 10 years to go, would buy any current BEV outright, because the chances are in 10 years time, it will be rendered something virtually unserviceable.

Interesting. Why do you believe that? Loads of 9 year old Teslas available, still working, still worth money, still serviceable.

Based on mainstream manufacturer statements, not Internet Forum opinions.

Unserviceability refers to the ability to obtain parts for a car as well. Something that was an issue for Hyundais and Kias at one time once they were out of warranty.

In 10 years time, battery technology is likely to be unrecognisable to today, and support for obsolete formats less likely. Owners of 20 year old Tesla collectables might be scratching around in breakers yards, which won't exist in 2033, thanks to manufacturer recycling commitments, for half worn out parts. Bit like what owners of older (and not so old) Honda and Lexus hybrids are having to do today (Honda no longer supply new batteries for the Honda Insight ZE1, though have sewn up the market for used batteries).