Quote:
Originally Posted by Pre
You still don't understand manufacturing or fleet averages. Some, to produce X, takes much longer than a regular model, a lot longer. So the plan in the beginning was limited numbers, before the first one was even sold. So this isn't some bs pivot for you to ever use. It's not some cookie cutter model to mass produce, especially when it's in their specialized factory which requires 10X the amount of time to produce compared to their cookie cutter version. The GRC and CTR were never going to be produced in mass numbers. Neither was the Supra either. Neither was the Golf R either. Everyone seems to know this but Subaru which is why these other companies aren't losing their ass.
Then fleet averages mean something to a mfr. They don't want to produce infinite amounts of something that isn't a truck or a hybrid car, or EV. Watch when the WRX is axed and you'll understand this.
Another component is younger people, not all but many, aren't interested, period. They call a 6MT a theft deterrent these days. These same not interested people only care about connectivity and ADAS. They want the vehicle to drive itself so they can play on their 6" my precious the entire drive. Half the people I see driving now are looking down at a phone screen while they drive. Dopamine addicts, social media addicts, to the point it's a bigger epidemic than opioids. You think they are interested in a performance car of any kind? Only if it's a Tesla so they can brag on their social medias "Oooh look I got a TESLA BRO!" They live a life of convenience where they want the phone to do everything for them.
There will be few affordable performance anything models left in a few years. Probably the Miata, and whatever Toyota decides to produce. Not going to be much else. A Ford Mustang GT starting price is near $50k now with TTL. Chevy quit producing the Camaro altogether in December 2023. The writing is on the wall, hell it's on a billboard in "bright blue neon lights with like purple outline." High priced stuff will remain, close to 6 figures or over it. Affordable stuff is leaving quick. Hell a PP equipped BRZ is what now, $37k to the dampers and Brembos? The train has already left.
Customers told Subaru the changes they needed to make. Make a STI version, with diffs, Aisin 6MT, etc. If just the WRX, cool, fix the rear bumper, make the fender arches full color and get rid of the plastic BS. Perhaps go in another direction with your head unit/controls. They ignored all of that and this is the result. No STi. No 5 door. Just this bastardized thing left and it ain't selling too well. It'll be gone for too long soon so you can pivot yet again and start defending the Crosstek or something next.
Well, yeah; but not just talking STI competitors. So, then, lets go back to EVO days.......
What about GTI, Si, Elantra N. Those types as well. And again, I'm asking "why not" The Type R, at 1% of Civic sales, certainly isn't hurting anything and could be done more. They only make it in one factory. Make it in 2? They just don't want to? That's fine as well. Nowhere in my post was I defending the WRX. I was asking why sales are dropping. It not selling is more price than it is looks. Sales were "fine" when it first came out and the crying was much louder. Sales have declined with the price increases. An NO, I'm not saying the looks are not to be considered. I just don't think it's a defining factor. Like you mention about BRZ pricing. It's just nuts. When the twins were first teased, they were saying they were shooting for a sub $20K car. Was it ever even close to that?
But you also gave another "answer" to the question in what the younger folks want and don't want. I think that's also affecting all cars. Or wouldn't those other "better" and "cheaper" cars do better, eh?
edit: Question. Does Texas have inspection/yearly stickers for their license plates? Coming back on a call, we were behind one and there wasn't anything to show it has current registration like is required here. Was curious if it's just not a thing there, or are they "illegally" driving around here? Lots of Texas plates here recently for some reason.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SoDealer
STI badged vehicles that are purely cosmetic with no performance upgrades. They could have tS'd this "S210" model, but decided to one up STI badging and go straight to its halo branding. If that vehicle debuted in the US, it never would have been an S designation.
But that's what they've done to their cars in Japan for decades. "STI" does work on a car.......it's an "STI". They just denote how much so by tS monikers and the like. Just because we got ONE model, that happened to be their hopped up performance version, does not make any of the other ones not a "STI".
Quote:
Originally Posted by mcarb002
Bu bu but Subaru spent Biiiiillions in research and development and that's what the engineers told reporters and a marketing video showed them doing wind testing it must be true it must be true!!
But, that's irrelevant to a model like this. MPG and aero are already different with this model with more HP.