Toyota SF-R - a Miata fighter concept

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

If maximum performance/fun is desired, and only 2 seats is required, a sportbike will fit the bill for ~$10k. I don't really see the point of sporty cars anymore...

Ever ride your bike in the snow? Or take your dog along, carry more than a bag of groceries...

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Ever ride your bike in the snow?

Not just snow, even heavy rain can become a PITA.

Or take your dog along

That's why I've been considering to get a motorcycle and a side-car. Even though my dog is small and could eventually fit into a topcase similar to the kinda oversized ones used by motorcycle couriers (known as "motoboys") in my country, it wouldn't be neither safe or comfortable.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Ever ride your bike in the snow? Or take your dog along, carry more than a bag of groceries...

Ah, I missed where this car is great for hauling large quantities of things, taking the pets to the park, and snow racing; things more suitable in just about any other car.

My point though, is that the car is neither fast, fun, practical, or good looking.

Someone will think it projects the right image though!

[ksa8907]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Ah, I missed where this car is great for hauling large quantities of things, taking the pets to the park, and snow racing; things more suitable in just about any other car.

My point though, is that the car is neither fast, fun, practical, or good looking.

Someone will think it projects the right image though!

While i have no intention of getting a motorcycle, i do agree that this will probably be a tough sell when someone would probably be crosshopping or at least comparing an ae86/fr-s/br-z. I know which I would buy.

[freebeard]

That first picture is ... unfortunate. Maybe it's the color?



This is just begging for a sharkmouth.

[niky]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

neither fast, fun, practical, or good looking.

1st: Relative: It's got nearly the same power and weight as an MX-5 1.5, which is good for 100 km/h in about 8 seconds, meaning the American magazines, with their roll-out corrections, SAE corrections and shorter 0-60 times, will get it there in 7 seconds. Which isn't bad.

2nd: We won't know till it comes out. If it ever does.

3rd: Granted. Hell, even a Spark will be more practical.

4th: Beauty is in the eye of the beer-holder.

There's obviously a market for cars like this outside the USA... since they sell the MX-5 1.5 out there. And this will be half the price of either the MX-5 or 86.

A 1.5 liter displacement, seating for four and a sub-4 meter length also puts it on the right side of many tax laws, which should drop the price even more in places where other sports cars get slapped with punitive taxes.

The question is... will fickle sports-car buyers consent to buying something that doesn't carry the "You-lot-can't-afford-it" aura? I recall the reason that Toyota moved their aim upmarket during the BRZFRS86 gestation was because they figured young/poor enthusiasts weren't buying cars, anyway.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by redpoint5

Ah, I missed where this car is great for hauling large quantities of things, taking the pets to the park, and snow racing; things more suitable in just about any other car.

But it is quite possible to build a small, sporty 2-seater that can do all of those things quite well. Just for example, the Honda CRX. Even the Insight, while it's a bit lacking on sporty (but still far better than the average car or SUV), carries both dogs (~65 lbs each) plus backpack, skis, &c. And gets 70 mpg, which is way better than I ever got from any of the half-dozen or so motorbikes I've owned.

[freebeard]

Beauty is in the eye of the beer-holder.

Stealin' that.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by niky

Hell, even a Spark will be more practical.

If one is looking for practicality, would never even consider to get a sporty coupé.

Beauty is in the eye of the beer-holder.

It's not so bad-looking at all, and I'm not drunk right now

A 1.5 liter displacement, seating for four and a sub-4 meter length also puts it on the right side of many tax laws, which should drop the price even more in places where other sports cars get slapped with punitive taxes.

Not sure how 4 average-sized Western people would fit inside it anyway. But the tax advantage is still a good point

The question is... will fickle sports-car buyers consent to buying something that doesn't carry the "You-lot-can't-afford-it" aura? I recall the reason that Toyota moved their aim upmarket during the BRZFRS86 gestation was because they figured young/poor enthusiasts weren't buying cars, anyway.

They might still find a marketing niche for it. It even resembles the spirit of those featherweight British roadsters, roughly like a Jap reinterpretation of the Lotus Seven...

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

Not sure how 4 average-sized Western people would fit inside it anyway.

But there are people out here (and not all of us are young and poor) who never have occasion to carry more than one other person. So why should we have our buying choices limited to 4-door sedans?