What is the future of Performance Sports Cars?

RedvGreen

RedvGreen

RedvGreen

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With the recent review of the new S3 Lotus Elise S on PH we see that the main emphasis has been on economy. Claiming a combined 45mpg with 149g/km emissions.

As you may expect, it has gotten slower with each further series entry level car this one is down 0.2sec to 6.0sec 0-60MPH from an S2 Elise S 0-60MPH rating of 5.8sec.

Are Automotive Manufacturers therefore bowing to the pressure of the Climate Change group?
Is this Lotuses token answer to the bursary received from the Government to develop eco-cars?
Are future cars doomed to become slower, but still marginally faster than their standard daily-drive brethren (an overall reduction in performance with hybrids, resulting in the misuse of the term performance comparably?)
 
you're comparing entry level vs entry level here, i imagine all manufacturers will be diversifying more and having opposites to appease tax breaks and people looking to save the world....look at the 3 series, there are now far more efficient models than ever with 320D ED etc, but at the other end of the scale you've got the 335i and the first V8 powered m3, both of which are more powerful than ever before and certainly like a bit of gogo juice! :p

I imagine the range topping s3 will be the fastest yet for example
 
rG-tom said:
you're comparing entry level vs entry level here, i imagine all manufacturers will be diversifying more and having opposites to appease tax breaks and people looking to save the world....look at the 3 series, there are now far more efficient models than ever with 320D ED etc, but at the other end of the scale you've got the 335i and the first V8 powered m3, both of which are more powerful than ever before and certainly like a bit of gogo juice! :p

I imagine the range topping s3 will be the fastest yet for example
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I spy the next gen M3 going back to a straight-6 put adding a turbo charger or two to better performance from the last.

This is what we will see with the next M5 with this car losing it's V10 :(
 
I think it's good that cars are getting better economy out of (almost) the same performance.

I just wish the government would drop the whole "man made climate change" lie and be honest. It's just a money making exercise.
 
The big push is getting CO2 down for the fleet averages etc, which will (overall) mean downsizing engines.

Future of performance cars? Smaller engines, turbochargers, direct injection and hybridisations (battery + big powerful electric motors). Having an electric running mode will allow the manufacturers keep the CO2 way down and allow the car to go as quick as its equivalent would be. Manufacturers will be aiming to stick all this in without hindering the performance of the car.
 
Not in the slightest.

Plenty of fast stuff out there, it's just a more cut-throat and Lotus et al are widening their appeal. Yes, you CAN get 45mpg from an Elise, but only driving sensibly, something you are unlikely to do if you buy an Elise...it's simply a figure to plicate the wife
 
The thing is with performance cars, they are going to be harder and harder to run costs wise, what with tax, fuel, and generally everything going massively up!
 
ScoobyDoo69 said:
The thing is with performance cars, they are going to be harder and harder to run costs wise, what with tax, fuel, and generally everything going massively up!
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Exactly. The kind of people who buy such cars probably don't believe in man-made GW anyway, but they do believe that the price of petrol is killing their wallet. Whatever excuse the government may use for raising petrol tax and road tax really doesn't matter: people simply want more economic cars, even the ones that go quickly.


M
 
rypt said:
How can you be a tree hugger?
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It's not a new car. It's already lived far longer than originally intended - although with Jonny69 who knows how much longer it will live ;)

Running an old car is so much better for the environment than buying a new ecomentalist-mobile and scrapping your old one.
 
Flibster said:
Running an old car is so much better for the environment than buying a new ecomentalist-mobile and scrapping your old one.
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Not quite, a huge amount more energy is consumed in the use of a car than making it. Check out any legitimate LCA done on a car.

I am unable to justify my old cars, environmentally.

Next gen Ferraris are going to be hybrids aren't they? With a 100hp boost available from the motor, on top of their 500hp engine ;)
 
rypt said:
How can you be a tree hugger?
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Im a bit of a tree hugger.

Id love to have the money to buy a huge amount of Land and Revegetate it with what used to grow there.


And i still loves things that burns large amount of petrol with no thought of any emissions (Cat free preferably:D)
 
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