Just a thought on today's car companies and consumers.

[jrcanes55]

I have loved BMWs for a long time, as I've grown to know the brand and have experienced the products first hand I have developed a much higher appreciation for the older models. This ad is the perfect way to help me explain. As BMW fought it's way to the top they did so by creating an affordable high performance street car. A car that was un matched by anything. They brought things to the table that had never been done before.

The 2002 was one of the fastest 2 door coupes from it's time. And when the E12 528i was brought to the states it was the fastest 4 door sedan in the country. Not to mention, they were also affordable, you didn't have to be some wealthy banker to drive one.

Reliability was also something you could count on. You got what you payed for. Both the m10 and m30 motors were and still are amazingly easy to work on and maintain. They were so simple and efficient there really wasn't much to go wrong.

The best part about these cars was that they weren't meant to be a symbol of a persons financial status. They were cars meant for those who enjoy driving. The people who would go out on a Sunday just to tear up a mountain road. The people who would drive their car to the track, beat it senselessly, and then drive it all the way home.

This has made me realize. As the years have gone by cars have gotten bigger, computers have gotten smarter, and the amount of skill required to drive a fast car is at an all time low. Anyone can now buy a car, take it to a track, and perform well simply because a computer is keeping them in check the whole time.

I fear the days of the true driving enthusiast are slowly coming to an end. Very few car companies today are making pure drivers cars, and the ones that do make them so expensive that only the most elite businessman can afford them.

It saddens me to see the future of the sports car. Which is why I'm so grateful that there are so many people still out there who hang on to their classics. They are the ones who remind us all what driving is really about. They are what keeps the car scene alive. They inspire everyone out there to push new boundaries, try new things out, and most importantly to take care of the vehicles they love.

I may never be the richest man in the world but I know even if I were, I'd still be driving something old. Something responsive and something that I can control.

So in conclusion, to all you people out there who spend your weekends making sure your car is ready for whatever it is you like to do, keep it up. Don't let anyone out there tell you otherwise. It's your car, be proud of it and drive it like it was meant to be driven.

[Nicolaus Pro]

I feel like most of the people on this board echo your sentiment. You should post it on The Car Lounge, it will surely generate a multiple page thread.

[theseeker411]

Christ, if I thought I could actually get halfway decent money out of the heap in my sig, I'd have a new Scion FR-S in my parking space.

The enthusiast oriented cars are still around, and doing pretty well. The FR-S/BRZ twins and the Miata instantly come to mind as budget friendly new sporty cars. The BMW 1 series is relatively inexpensive for what it is. The Boxter/Cayman isn't totally out of reach (and some would argue more involved than the 911). Heck Kia is considering a FR-S fighter, Nissan is considering bringing back the 510 (and the Z car is still a decent sports car), and the new Mustang is finally getting an independent rear suspension.

I do agree that BMW has lost it's way in regards to driving dynamics, but they were never "cheap" cars. If you adjust for inflation, my e24 was about 100,000 dollars in today's money in 1987.

[Chasen88]

I feel like most of the people on this board echo your sentiment. You should post it on The Car Lounge, it will surely generate a multiple page thread.

+1 they deff don't make them like they use to.

[parttimeprojectionist]

Christ, if I thought I could actually get halfway decent money out of the heap in my sig, I'd have a new Scion FR-S in my parking space.

The enthusiast oriented cars are still around, and doing pretty well. The FR-S/BRZ twins and the Miata instantly come to mind as budget friendly new sporty cars. The BMW 1 series is relatively inexpensive for what it is. The Boxter/Cayman isn't totally out of reach (and some would argue more involved than the 911). Heck Kia is considering a FR-S fighter, Nissan is considering bringing back the 510 (and the Z car is still a decent sports car), and the new Mustang is finally getting an independent rear suspension.

I do agree that BMW has lost it's way in regards to driving dynamics, but they were never "cheap" cars. If you adjust for inflation, my e24 was about 100,000 dollars in today's money in 1987.

this is a good response to the idea that the future of sport cars is dying in some way.

i think its easy to hide behind the asthetics and prestige of classic cars. it not like anyone is gonna say that liking classics is wrong or lacks a sense of style.

and theres an interesting role reversal to add to this in the fact that classics are now status symbols, and a lot of them can only be afforded by businessmen.

thanks to the OP for the thought provocation and hopefully more people chime in

[Oh Damn, it's Sam]

And when the E12 528i was brought to the states it was the fastest 4 door sedan in the country. Not to mention, they were also affordable, you didn't have to be some wealthy banker to drive one.

In 1975, the E12 530i's base price was $9097 on US shores (source). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, that's equivalent to $39,390.52 in 2013 money. We can debate on whether that counts as affordable, but you're certainly right that $40k doesn't require banker money to get into your hands. However, I do think there are many fabulous-to-drive cars on showroom floors today that well fit within that sort of price range. For example:

Miata: $24k base
FR-S / BR-Z: $25k
Hyundai Genesis Coupe: $26k
370z: $30k
328i: $37k
IS350: $39k

And if you can stretch that $40k budget ever-so-slightly, the 330i and SLK are both $43k. You can also add the 'Stang, Challenger, and Camaro to that list as well if they tickle your fancy. The S2K is off the market now, but it was exactly that sort of car: quick, light, tossable, simple (with the exception of the gauge cluster), relatively inexpensive, and Honda seems to have done well with those. All of that is excepting anything in the front-drive or AWD category, which adds a list of terribly fun cars too long to list.

I do agree that weight is becoming a significant enemy, requiring greater power at greater expense while relying upon more expensive technology to retain some semblance of decent fuel economy. This has a habit of pushing cars upwards in the market, where toys like touchscreens and such are de rigeur, thus inflating the prices of the most powerful further. That said, I don't think the enthusiast market is dead or anywhere near dead. The halo cars are moving upmarket, yes, but the lower reaches have plenty of options for those to whom status is less relevant.

[SheaMoose]

I definitely agree that computers are taking away most of the skill and finesse that it takes to properly drive a car.

[Nicolaus Pro]

I definitely agree that computers are taking away most of the skill and finesse that it takes to properly drive a car.

Most definitely. These people bitch out about driving in snow when they have a 4wd SUV with all sorts of electronic goodies, and I'm just here in a slammed mercedes (daily 190) with no TC, no ABS, stretched summer tires, LSD and 5 spd. And somehow I'm the first one in class

[Jlyons617]

I don't get it. People are pissed that BMW's aren't a driver's car anymore? The E21 was really the last one that was. The E30 for all practical purposes a bloated Datsun 510. The E36M is pretty nice as a grand touring car but it becomes expensive to track one when you can have more fun on the cheap with a Miata, Honestly the fun euro cars left in the 80's and were replaced by better engineered, more reliable Japanese products.

[d0wse]

I believe that as much of a euro fan boy as i am, even the new honda si is super fun for their price.
And it seems that all modern cars are damn near impossible to even do basic maintenance on.

[e.mury]

I hope this happens

[jrcanes55]

I find everyone's comments here very accurate. Especially the one about the BRZ. But I think the number of cars like it are very slim and while the 370z is affordable if you read last year or the year before (can't remember) car and driver lightning lap, it put someone into a wall because the brakes are garbage.

One thing I would also like to touch on is maintenance. It's so difficult to work on cars now, I work for mini and even for a car maker that makes 5 different cars and 2 different engines, parts are ridiculous and they are riddled with problems. There are so many recalls and manufacturer defects it's just insane. Looking back at both my e28 and e36, the only warranty issues were hood hinges on the e28. The e36 was perfect. It just goes to show that things are getting overly complicated.

I will say though that my dads mini, an 09 cooper S is pretty close to what I'd want out of a car today. It's so basic it doesn't even have cruise control. No sunroof, manual heater controls, and cloth seats. only other thing i'd like would be manual windows.

Anyway that's my little rant.

[VanDamage]

I do agree that modern cars, especially sports cars have a bunch of hoops to jump through in order to be a pure "drivers car" Regulations on safety, pedestrian crash impact, emissions and such have a way of doing that, making the car heavier and more restrictive to design. I think there are enthusiasts within carmakers who are trying to keep things fun and simple, but I'd bet their ideas are either shut down or diluted by rules, regulations, and marketing.