You could argue that with Honda and Porsche, Honda hasn't really sold anything exciting and RWD for a while now (S2000 is dead...) and prefers FWD, and Porsche, well, the most drastic thing was switching from air cooled to water cooled, really. And maybe making SUVs.
Irrelevant? Perhaps, but certainly not a driving factor for the creation of these vehicles. In reality I suggest it could be argued effectively either way.
But does it makes sense, purely from a logic perspective, to give people what they ask for, or what they didn't know they wanted until they were offered it, over something they know they don't want or, even worse, actively avoid?
Tradition doesn't sell cars, a tradition of innovation does, though. And I think thats still firmly intact.
<cough> www.charginmahlazer.tumblr.com </cough>
OK, so maybe tradition is taking a back seat, but if the cars still handle brilliantly, won't that still, in some way, fit with the tradition. Just because a car is heavy doesn't mean it can't handle well, despite this being untrue in many circumstances.
Indeed. the people don't know what they want.
And Citroen have plainly thrown their history of innovation by the wayside with vibrating seats and the DS4.
<cough> www.charginmahlazer.tumblr.com </cough>
These are the best looking Lotus's ever. I know I am speaking out of term here coz they appear to eschew what the purists find most precious in the marque but they all look extremely sexy.
"A string is approximately nine long."
Egg Nogg 02-04-2005, 05:07 AM
Late to these threads and will add this comment only in one and chose this
I think there are three purposes in a concept ( car or otherwise ).
First to get the comapny name out there and journos writing about them.
Second to test the waters on new ideas and directions, see if customers like where you want to head.
and Third ( and I think as important ) to give infor to your competitors in a bid to influence THEIR design decisions in the years ahead.
So just MAYBE someone in Lotus has learned option three and by giving lardy weights will build complacency in the competition design houses. Going to be difficult in Mazda design lab asking to spend money to get the weight of the MX-5 replacement down when the managers will see the Lotus numbers Until it launches with real numbers and then too late. The power game has been played this way for decades.
OR, maybe they're seeing the benefit of the "race/track release" cars.
Take the base car and then pare the weight and tune the performance and sell at a vastly higher price.
You get two sales to the real enthusiast and creates a real "halo" around the bas car.
Just a possible vision of how things may NOT be as they seem at this time.
BUT, away from my fantasies, all the other points are true too.
Cars DO get heavier to meet legal and customers differing needs
"A woman without curves is like a road without bends, you might get to your destination quicker but the ride is boring as hell'
Lotus Elise #2
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Lotus Elise #5
The mime in the car wants OUT.
Never own more cars than you can keep charged batteries in...
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