A sports car is one of the most attractive types of cars, with a great look, powerful performance and excellent exhaust sound that will make you smile. An open sports car that can open the roof to feel free is also regarded by many as the "dream car".
But such sports cars are gradually disappearing from us. This is because consumer trends have changed. Tuning is also not good. This is because the manufacturer makes it powerful and highly complete, so the manufacturer does not feel the need for additional adjustments.
Mercedes-Benz immediately discontinued the SLC, a compact sports car with no successor. BMW plans to discontinue the 2 Series, 8 Series and Z4 models without a successor. Lotus, known for its pure lightweight sports cars, is now satisfied with its annual sales of about 1,500 units. The popularly believed true sports car is disappearing.
Choice and focus
At present, most automakers have announced the end of the internal combustion engine by 2025-2030. All committed to carbon neutrality through electrification. To this end, new models are being prepared and new production plants are being built. That's because factories that produce eco-friendly cars don't emit soot.
As a result, automakers are under enormous financial pressure. Therefore, their choice is to choose and focus. At this time, the sports car was considered the top priority of the eviction.
GM was preparing for electrification from the start and drastically reduced its lineup. Ford and Lincoln announced they would transition to SUV specialists. Mercedes-Benz decided to discontinue the unpopular SLC because the Bremen plant in Germany, where the SLC was produced, was converted into a plant for the EQC. S-Class Coupe and Convertible will be discontinued as a strategy to simplify the lineup. SL's development division was changed from Mercedes-Benz to AMG.
There is also an anecdote similar to the current squad downsizing. When the financial crisis that began in the United States erupted in 2008, financially troubled automakers were the first to discontinue convertible cars and sports cars. These include the Volkswagen Golf Convertible and EOS, the iconic 207CC, the Ford Focus Convertible and saturn Sky (Opel GT).
A crossover world
A good sports car is good, but the fact that there are many different types of cars that can replace sports cars is one of the factors that has led to a weakening interest in sports cars.
It has become a world of various derivative models becoming increasingly popular. Take the BMW 3 Series, for example. In the 3 Series sedan, the 3 Series Touring if the luggage is increased, the 3 Series Gran Turismo if the length and roof are increased, the 4 Series if the doors are narrowed and made into a coupe style, the open model 4 Series Cabriolet if the roof is removed It is sold as a Gran Coupe series model. Make various models with one framework.
Among them, 4-door coupe models are threatening the sports car market. A pure sports car has two doors, and the space inside the car for two people is small, and there is not enough storage space and trunk space. On the other hand, the four-door coupe looks as stylish as a sports car, with the rear seats intact, comfortable and able to run fast.
For consumers who are uncomfortable with 4-door coupes, there are also alternatives to SUV coupes. Although it belongs to the popular SUV type, it has a stylish roof line, sensual driving performance and a lot of space. Some high-performance SUV coupes, such as Audi's RS Q8, can run fast enough to create lap times on the track that are difficult to achieve even for any sports car.
In the end, we have no choice but to meet the needs of the market.
According to the 2019 World Automotive Statistics Yearbook, the number of registered cars worldwide reached 1.49 billion in 2019. North America is up 23 percent and Europe is up 22 percent compared to a decade ago. Asia, on the other hand, grew by 116%. This is due to growth in South Korea and southeast Asian markets (mainly China).
The same is true for automobile production. China's car production has almost doubled compared to a decade ago. As a result, Asian countries account for 52.5% of global vehicle production. More than half of the world's cars are made in Asia.
Naturally, the eyes of car companies are bound to focus on the Asian market. Especially Chinese. The problem is that Chinese consumers don't like sports cars. Not only does the tax charged per 500cc vary widely, but they also like poor road conditions and large luxury cars. To satisfy their tastes, we naturally had no choice but to focus on developing long-wheelbase sedans or new SUVs, rather than sports cars.
From innocence to relaxation
A pure sports car had to give up a lot. Getting on and off is uncomfortable, and the quality of the ride is poor. Sounds good, but quiet itself is not good. Various amenities and equipment are also limited. The space is narrow and the operation generates a lot of heat.
In the past, the development of sports cars focused only on running. A type called "Grand Tourer" or "GT" has also emerged as a replacement. It refers to a sports car that maintains strong performance but can travel long distances by driving more comfortably.
Today, this distinction is meaningless. Because all sports cars are becoming more and more comfortable. At the same time, as performance becomes stronger, lap times on the track are shortening. The development of technology has given up a lot of things and changed the sports car that runs in a more comfortable way.
The Porsche 911 of the past was difficult and no one could control. It's tiny and doesn't even have a cup holder. But now, anyone can drive it comfortably and quickly, and there's plenty of room for a variety of ADAS features, including adaptive cruising. Manual transmissions are now mostly replaced by the automatic transmission PDK. "WET" has also been added so that even novice drivers can drive safely on slippery roads.
The BMW M8 blurs the line between luxury coupes and sports cars. Usually, it offers a ride experience that isn't much different from a regular passenger car, but when it starts running, it produces 625 horsepower, transforming it into a high-performance sports car.
In the final analysis, having the same characteristics as Maserati and Bentley is the direction that the current sports car pursues. We want to make high profits even with high-end, high-performance, comfortable, luxurious packaging, even if the sales volume is small. After all, it is the consumer who changes the character of the sports car and determines the fate of the sports car.