Quote:
Originally Posted by gas-can
I agree with the sentiments expressed here, but have to admit that we do sound like a bunch of mad old men, moaning about the days gone past.
Get off my lawn!  |
And yes we do. Add my wife to that, and she'll join you on the porch with a rocking chair, shotgun, and some rock salt!
It's to be expected though. Anyone driving a dedicated 2 seat sports car (folks on this forum) are going to be looking for a very different driving experience than 98%+ of the folks on the road. That's just to start with, then we get into the details of how we want that experience to be more precisely defined. The Miata is a two seater, but it's not what we drive.
Driver engagement and involvement are paramount most of this forum. That means 3 pedal in most cases, some challenging, even "less than perfect" dynamics (Z4 is not as "balanced" as an M3 or a Cayman), seating position, road "feel", and that elusive mix of other elements that add up to excitement and involvement/engagement in the act of actually
driving are our priorities. Road feel for most people--they don't want it--they want an isolated, quiet, tame, and totally predictable experience. We'd see that as boring and pointless.
Examples: As some others will point out the Cayman is a more balanced "better" car, but it's just not engaging, not challenging. (I had one, it just didn't engage me like the Z4M, others have found the same.) The 991 version of the 911 has dialed out all of the "bad" things about the 911. Anyone driven one? I have, and it's really really fast, comfortable, and handles very well. It's faster. It's just about perfect. And to me it seems boring. (Other earlier 911s had, let's say, more character.) A friend of mine summed up my taste by saying "If the car is 'difficult' and might just bite you badly it's your kind of car...." Guilty as charged.
There's a confluence of things that make all of what we value less and less available in modern vehicles. Fuel efficiency and carbon mean turbos (or hybrids) that means there's no need to downshift or manage gears to get engine power. (Turbos aren't "bad", but torque from 1,200 RPM means less effort to exact performance, and that changes driving involvement/engagement.) Larger people mean larger cars, and bulk means a less nimble car. Technology improves and nannies and other tech intervene almost all the time. Road feel and engagement is shunned for comfort. And the big thing now--moving to driverless cars--people find driving to be something that gets in the way of the phone, texting, killing time, or working. For most people Driving isn't fun, a hobby, and end in itself--it's a means to get to the soccer game, the store, or to work. (I really enjoy driving--can't wait to hit the road--I know others here feel the same.) And most people view cars as curious mix of status and appliance.
So, yes, the world is changing and we have different priorities. On the other hand, it may not just be we're "old" or sound old. I'm willing to bet most of the folks who hang out here haven't ever been and will never be followers of the crowd types but rather more free-thinking, DIY, adventuresome, interesting, and dynamic/creative folks.