All,
Just taking a break, and was thinking about the variety of new sports cars
available today, and comparing it with the variety of "new" sports cars that
were available in the 60s and 70s.
I asked myself the question: What sports car available today is equivalent
in terms of cost and performance expectations to the TR6?
So I drew up a little chart. I hope that the column alignment on your
screen holds up.
2003 | 1960s/70s
------------------------|------------------------------
$20,000 Honda CRX | $2,000
MR2 | Sprite/Midget/Spitfire
Miata | MGB
$30,000 350Z | $3,000 240Z, GT6
Honda S2000 | TR6
$40,000 Audi TT | $4,000
BMW Z3 M | A-H 3000
BMW M3 |
$50,000 | $5,000 Sunbeam Tiger
Boxter S |
Corvette Z01 | Corvette LS-1
$70,000 | $7,000
Viper | E-Type
$80,000 Porsche 911 | $8,000 Cobra
| Pantera
$100,000 Cheap Ferrari | $10,000 Porsche 911E
| $16,000 Dino (entry-level Ferrari)
$200,000 Saleen | $20,000 Ferrari Daytona/Lambo Miura
In the left hand column is a list of modern sports cars arranged in
increasing price. The right-hand column is a list of 60s/70s sports cars
also arranged in increasing price (1970s dollars for a new car).
Clearly, this is pretty rough, and I may have messed up in my memories of
MSRP of the older and newer cars. If I excluded your pet cars, it was not
intentional.
But we may make some interesting observations, some obvious, some
not-so-obvious.
- there are no modern British sports car for sale in the US
- the modern market is almost dominated by German cars
- The Nissan 350Z is positioned at exactly the same market segment as
the Datsun 240Z. So too with the Corvette.
- the Honda S2000 occupies the same position as the TR6
- The BMW M Roadster is the modern-day A-H 3000 (no insult to Big Healey
fans)
- The Miata is the modern-day MGB
- The Toyota MR2 holds the same position as the small Brit sports cars
- Porsche 911s and Ferraris have become cheaper with time
- "Super Cars" retain their elite status
- The Viper is positioned in the market in the same place as the Cobra
I made this comparison to think that if I were in my teens today, what car
would I be most likely to restore in 30 years time (based on numbers
produced and what my salary allows)? Looks like I may have ended up with a
S2000.
I wonder what kind of inferences we can make for the modern sports cars in
30-40 years? Will CRXs/MR2s swarm like flies at vintage race events?
Just some musing for you to think about.
Shane Ingate in Maryland
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