How about Mitsuoka Orochi?
Maybe not middle class but not pure supercar.
Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Ferraris?
41–50 of 222 posts
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Ferraris?
#42Probably because most consumers want something average / something that doesn't draw that kind of attention.
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Ferraris?
#43Middle class cars at aimed at different needs than highend cars. A highend car like a Ferrari may aim at image and performance solely and not consider how that car would handle/drive in adverse conditions like snow or concerns for MPG. Most middle class cars are highly optimized shape wise for MPG as well as handling all types of road and weather which is why tires on performance cars look so different than middle cl…
This is a good answer. It boils down to what you're paying for. My dad was a suspension and steering engineer at General Motors years ago, and he impressed upon me the number of evolutions these designs go through. The current shape of a standard "middle class car" is highly optimized to give the best trade-off between aerodynamics, fuel efficiency, interior capacity, structural strength, etc. That's what a typical middle class buyer wants to pay for. A Ferrari is entirely optimized to look hot and go fast, and makes a huge number of concessions to those goals. Just try using one as a daily driver and grocery hauler and you'll see why few people do that.
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Ferraris?
#44So where does the Tesla Model 3 fit in ? https://www.tesla.com/model3
What do you mean? It's not as if the Model 3 offers anything near Ferrari-level design nor performance. In my (admittedly biased, like anyone's) opinion, designwise it's very similar to the Mazda 3 4-door sedan:
https://www.mazdausa.com/vehicles/mazda3-sedan
And before you quote 0-60 times: they are a tiny, tiny part of performance; if you look at actual racetrack performance, even the Model S P100D is miles behind a Ferrari, it's behind the top-spec Honda Civic in Nurburgring lap times. Which Tesla don't even measure nor publish, unlike all other sports car manufacturers ever. The Model 3 will be even worse off.
Come to think of it, we used to have a word for big, heavy American cars that go fast in a straight line and not otherwise: muscle cars.
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Ferraris?
#45this is coming from a mechanical engineer working at one of the big 3's in Detroit. the car development process is very expensive. making one part affects lot of different parameters, for e.g. change in hood design will affect aerodynamics, noise paths, crash, durability, manufacturing complexity, cost of each part {bold}, fuel economy. in car industry, people fight for every dollar that is spent on a car. for a consumer, a simple led costs 1$, but for a manufacturer, if they sell half a million cars, the expenditure is very high.
changing anything on a car platform is very expensive, aesthetics are not always priority.
on other note, i think the ford fusions look like aston martins. kia interiors are very close to Audi's.
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Ferraris?
#46Earlier quoted context omitted.
Its the same in cars as in designer handbags. But for basically any given designer handbag I can find dozens of bags at a fraction of the price which are largely indistinguishable from the original if you're standing across the street.
The basic function and use of both purses are basically indistinguishable - the customer's needs are the same in both products. Sporty-looking cars that are low-to-mid priced really can't afford to handle like a sports car, since it is likely to be someone's main car - or back up when a car is in the shop. The expensive car is likely to be difficult to handle, especially in city driving and on the snow/ice. In additi…
Not the low-end market, no, cars require a bit more technical expertise than handbags. But I imagine you'll find that there are cars 2/3rds the price of any given Ferrari model that have roughly the same level of performance, from objective measurements. In which case you're "only" paying something like 30k to participate in the word "Ferrari."
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Ferraris?
#47Earlier quoted context omitted.
Additional current cars in this category include the Hyundai Genisis Coupe, Nissan 370Z, Porsche Cayman/Boxster, Alfa Romeo 4C, Chevrolet Corvette and BMW Z4. (Criteria: under $60K base price, looks like either a classic sports car or an exotic in my completely subjective opinion, actually likely to appeal to enthusiast drivers, also in my completely subjective opinion) More previous cars in this category include the…
Ah, the Fiero, aptly named given its tendency to explode upon impact from the rear. It's what killed one of my father's friend's wives back in the very early 90s.
That was the Ford Pinto.
The Pontiac Fiero had a tendency of catching on fire, in the rear, because of engine failures. Specifically, the 1984 Models with the 2.5l 'Iron Duke' 4 cylinder engine. The connecting rods in the engine would fail, blow a hole in the engine block, leak oil onto the hot engine/exhaust components, and then catch on fire.
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Ferraris?
#48As other answers have essentially already said- because Ferrari is a brand, and past a certain price point brand names often matter more than the physical object. Its the same in cars as in designer handbags. The opposite question is equally interesting; why doesn't Ferrari produce a relatively cheap car, so that they can offer the Ferrari cachet to a broader market? Presumably as to not dilute their brand. But it me…
Invicta makes watches 'shaped' like Rolexes, but they aren't Rolexes.
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Ferraris?
#49I think the same market that is interested in the Toyota 86, Subaru BRZ or Miata would be interested in a car like you describe - but with more horsepower and with a mid mounted engine. Like a poor mans Porsche Cayman.
Re: Ask HN: Why aren't there middle class cars shaped like Ferraris?
#50Because it's dishonest. You also get all the discomfort and impracticality of a supercar with none of the benefits. You just project some status until people discover what car you're actually driving.