The Future Automotive Thread

[B18C5MK1]

Originally Posted by ONYX S-13

You sound like me like 4 years ago.. I eneded up buying one though for 3500 with only 53k on the ODO... Never broke down on me.. Only thing that went out (which was kinda big) was the heater core.. flipping thing cost 500 bucks for parts and labor...


I've put 32k on the ODO since then and it's still running strong, slooooooooowwwww but strong.

yeah. lol. you gotta floor that thing everywhere! and all it does is just get a lil louder. haha.

you did come up though.
w0rd.

[ONYX S-13]

Originally Posted by Baka Sama

The last one didnt do well because it didnt have a freakin trunk! I mean come on, who buys a 20k car without a trunk?

I true.. I remember when I worked at toyota and this woman was sooo happy to get the spyder and as everything was said and done she's like "where can I put my bag (as in where's the trunck)?

The salesman showed her the two small compartments behind the seats and said "here it is"....

Her face looked like this and she said "that's barely enough room for my makeup bag and my lap top"... The salesman just siled and waved... I almost busted up laughing.. I totally thought the whole front was for the spare/trunk too..

[exitspeed]

Some new news about the Toyota 86 replacement and Suby RWD cars.

More details have come to the fore about the ongoing development of a lightweight sports car birthed from the union of Toyota and Subaru. Our friends over at 7Tune were kind enough to translate the finer points of an article in Daily Car, and the one burning question -- what platform the new coupe would be derived from -- has been answered.

A test mule has been spotted running around Toyota's test track in Toyota City, built off a shortened Subaru Legacy chassis and powered by the firm's SOHC two-liter flat-four. Although the mule's underpinnings are currently derived from the Legacy's (with about 200mm lopped off), it's expected that a version of the Impreza 15S's platform will be used instead. This gives credence to the idea that the new coupe will send power to the rear wheels, as the AWD chassis could be modified to be exclusively RWD. Currently, the test car is running the all-wheel driveline with the front drive shafts removed.

Subaru's 108 HP 1.5-liter boxer (EL15) is likely to be used to power the new coupe, apparently due to the rear differential's fragility and Toyota's aim of making the coupe as fuel efficient as possible. While barely cresting the 100 HP mark won't set the spec sheet ablaze, the fact that the vehicle will tip the scales at 1,100 kg (2,425 lbs.) should make it a competent performer in the same way as its AE86 forbearer.

If Toyota can keep the weight down (a constant challenge), while keeping the price below 2,000,000 yen, it's rumored that we could see the coupe make its debut sometime next year, with sales beginning later in 2008.

[Source: 7Tune]

[cdlong]

just about anybody can swap the center diff and make a suby RWD, what makes it a RWD car is it being set up that way from the begining. to do it right, they need a different trans (which they will anyway, but i mean fundamentally different) that will allow them to push the engine back as far as possible. with no front half shafts to feed, the engine can sit between or even slightly behind the front wheels instead of hanging out there in front.

they could even lop off some of the front overhang to further improve weight distribution, weight overall, and give it more of a RWD look (wheels closer to the front bumper than the doors. while they're at it, they could move the front suspension forward for the same reasons. if they do all that, i might consider it, if they just take the front halfshafts off a legacy, i'll pass.

[WILDACEX187]

hmm...ej25 swaps? but wat to do about the tranny? i bet they'll get the weakest of the week.

[Baka Sama]

Originally Posted by wootwoot

Need more information! Curious. I was recently told the base model Polo will be selling over here for 13k. If they can slide thing thing into the lineup somehow I would be much interested. (if it were diesel!)

http://www.zercustoms.com/news/Volks...!-concept.html

[cdlong]

if that car has an engine that fits behind the rear axle it's going to be boring to drive. might as well drive a smart car. we all know how well those sold in the states.

[Kn1ves]

So BMW is considering expanding its reach by including a fourth brand, and Rick Kranz, columnist for Automotive News, thinks he has the answer: Triumph. By playing off the retro-chic invasion started with the new MINI, Kranz maintains that there is a place for Triumph, specifically a small, rear-wheel drive ride that could continue the legacy of TRs and Spitfires from the past.

Using the existing platform that underpins the 1-series and selling Triumph at the scores of MINI dealers seems entirely plausible. BMW's got the technology and incorporating Triumph into the MINI's network could ensure dealer profitability into the future. Plus, BMW already owns the name. Either a Spitfire or TR revival could slot in nicely between the MINI and the Z4, but the only rub is that exact niche is where the new 128i and 135i plans to do battle. Expansion is one thing, but brand cannibalization is another – something that's not addressed in Kranz's column.
------

Ive worked on Spitfire's before and they're freakin small. Along with the 1 Series coming out, a nice small Miata fighter from BMW would be a nice option

[cdlong]

i agree, they could make a home for it by not making it a luxury car with all the bells and whistles, just a simple fun car. they could use a smaller 6 or 4 from europe as the base engine and the 128i engine as the uprated model like the cooper and cooper S. i'd buy that in a second.

[axiomatik]

Originally Posted by cdlong

if that car has an engine that fits behind the rear axle it's going to be boring to drive. might as well drive a smart car. we all know how well those sold in the states.

so far as I know, the Smart hasn't been offered for sale in the states yet. It is sold in Canada, but not the US until the rollout of the next generation.

[exitspeed]

Some interesting stuff here. If you didn't know GM is planning a line of small RWD cars for it's numerous brands. The cars are going to be on GM"s new Gamma Platform. Some of these cars are going to be a new RWD sedan under the CTS, the G6 replacement, and probably something for Saturn. My guess is they might throw a Saab in the mix as well. Well this is the Holden Torano concept that will give you a hint as to the styling and proportions of these new cars. I for one think it's REAL nice looking. Not to futuristic or anything. No pushed forward a-pillars, and not a terribly racked beltline.





The next 3 years is going to be exciting INDEED! I'm particularly interested in the Cadillac version. It might be pretty tempting with my dad's GM discount.

[irax]

isnt that the new v8 rwd grand prix that is supposed to replace the GTO ?

[exitspeed]

No, that's the Holden Commodore. That is a bigger car. The car above is like say the size of...an older Infinity G20. FUCK YEA!

[illvialuver]

damn, looks alright, i like the glss roof and the white interior, reminds me of the mitsubishi gto in that jackie chan movie city hunter

[exitspeed]

Glass roof definitely won't happen.

[Yuri]

Originally Posted by exitspeed

Glass roof definitely won't happen.

I wouldn't count it out.
It's just two longitudinal sunroofs, with plenty of reinforcement.

[exitspeed]

Originally Posted by Yuri

I wouldn't count it out.
It's just two longitudinal sunroofs, with plenty of reinforcement.

Cost wise though if they are going for a budget type RWD Sedan. It would have to be UNDER $30k maxed out or just over. Since it has to be under the CTS which starts at like $32,000. Technically they could do it. But if anything I see one of those new over sized sunroofs you're seeing like in the Ford Edge.

Hey did you hear Lutz said they are fleshing out the Solstice line with a targa version of the coupe that is planned. I'm hoping that goes for the Sky too. Though I hope they do a more traditional coupe profile vs the high-rear hatch look they Solstice concept had.

[LigouriRd]

Originally Posted by exitspeed

Drool! If GM brings a rwd hatchback over here, goodbye Mazda. Throttle lag good riddens! I may have to forgive the fact that it is a pontiac...mabye rebadge it a holden.

[LA_phantom_240]

I'd rock that pink...

[LigouriRd]

Originally Posted by LA_phantom_240

I'd rock that pink...

It takes a strong man to drive a pink car or wear a pink shirt...I don't know that I am that strong.

[exitspeed]

Originally Posted by LigouriRd

It takes a strong man to drive a pink car or wear a pink shirt...I don't know that I am that strong.

I'm 5' 7" 138 lbs and where pink shirts. My wife doesn't want me to paint my car lavender frost metallic though.

[eyehate]

pink is awesome! as long as its not a pastel or light pink...

STi's color (called cherry blossom red) pink is pretty manly.. i had a few subtle bits of pink in my WRX's engine bay



And t-mobile has a magenta color i don't mind rocking at all (i work for them and get a lot of swag). Takes a mans man to feel comfortable enough to rock pink on a regular basis. Helps that we have "magenta" days here and get free phones for who can wear the most pink. I won a blackberry pearl for wearing pink, not a bad deal i would say.

in regards to RWD sub 25k cars (and to keep this post on track). If drifting really takes off and becomes much bigger than it is now, car manufacturers will have no choice but to pay attention to it at that point. After all they used to (some still do) make production cars, just so they can have a race car built off the same chassis... I'm just bored at work and rambling. sorry for the extra long post and lame pics.

[jackjack]

i like that pink. looks damn good.

[exitspeed]

Originally Posted by eyehate

in regards to RWD sub 25k cars (and to keep this post on track). If drifting really takes off and becomes much bigger than it is now, car manufacturers will have no choice but to pay attention to it at that point. After all they used to (some still do) make production cars, just so they can have a race car built off the same chassis... I'm just bored at work and rambling. sorry for the extra long post and lame pics.

That's not quite enough incentive for them to make these cars alone. I mean if a "scene" was all that would be needed, then surely Nissan would have noticed that the S-Chassis has become the most popular tuned car in the world. That would have been more then enough for them to rush a new 240 to the market.

No, there's actually a number of factors involved at this point. It's it has a lot to do with the fact that it's getting to the point where the HP numbers expected by consumers is becoming too much for a FWD car. Look at the SRT4. The Neon was perfect as a FWD turbo. The Caliber however has too muhc power, too much weight, and too much torque steer. All that adds up to a package that is now fun, unlike it's predecessor.

Another factor is that the cost to develop and produce RWD cars is considerably less then it was in the early-late 90's when we only saw $40,000+ RWD Japanese GT's (the 240 excluded). By building a platform they can spread across numerous cars (for example Nissan is talking about a 240, an Infinity version, and possibly a Infinity RWD small sedan, and I'd speculate a CUV), they can make the development cost...cost effective.

The industry is also terribly guilty of follow the leader. The 1 Series is the very first car to the market with the type of specs we've all been dreaming about (curb weight aside). GM technically have the Solstice/Sky (yea they're roadsters, but pretty close), which will be offered as coupes shortly. GM's cars have done well, especially the Sky, and the 1 Series looks like it'll be a hit. Everyone's readying up, because they all have to release these cars within a reasonable amount of time from each other.

Drifting has largely been seen as a "trend" among motorsports, and you can already see the enthusiasm kind of fading away. However you are correct that with these cars coming to market, we could see a more serious resurgence of the sport and the backing of numerous mfgr cars. This could also level out the playing field too. On the pro side of things.

[eyehate]

the only thing i am worried about, would be full factory backed 500000 dollar cars with million dollar budgets and 20 man crews going to every event. That would kinda kill the grassroots aspect of drifting, but it sure would be cool to watch.

[WTFaNG]

Originally Posted by infinitexsound

bring back a revised datsun 510 ... with 2.5 turbo engine..... gotta love the throw backs....

That was the B13 Sentra SE-R

[Yuri]

Originally Posted by eyehate

the only thing i am worried about, would be full factory backed 500000 dollar cars with million dollar budgets and 20 man crews going to every event. That would kinda kill the grassroots aspect of drifting, but it sure would be cool to watch.

Which is why no one cares about Formula D anymore. imo.

[SHIFT_*grind*]

Slightly back off-topic: There is no manlier pink than Pink Panther, applied to a '70 Challenger with at LEAST a 383.

=D

[mrmephistopheles]

Has anyone posted this yet?



Also, any translators among us?

(I took a pic of a page of concepts featured in Best Car - The large text in the upper right says Silvia)

[exitspeed]

^
Haven't seen that before. Way to bring something to the table.