The evolution of the import scene Options

[azian_advanced]

Way back in the the year 2000, extreme bodykits, large chrome rims, full body decals, loud exhausts, and wild color paint jobs were the hottest things then. I remember my buddies and I would just talk about imports every day and spend most of our free time in our computer classes just looking up sites with pictures of cars. We'd talk about drag racing even when none of us knew jack about cars and were still learning how to drive! Back then, the word 'souped-up' was frequently used referring to an extremely done up ride. It was in this time when F&F came out in the theatres and really brought the scene to another level.

well.. that was me when I was 15.

several years later, extreme looking bodykits and euro lights were frowned upon. not sure how it all started but it just did, and those cars were labelled as 'rice'. at the same time, a whole new era emerged and the new taste in modification was 'jdm'. if you bought a part and was not made in Japan, it's not 'jdm'. simple as that. this change in trend happened so fast that everyone just hopped the bandwagon and accepted it.

so this is where we are now in the import scene. but how are things gonna look like in the next 10 or 20 years? what's the import scene going to become? many concept cars are being designed to run on a hybrid or fully electric motor... or even run on bio fuels which has already begun in a few countries. how long will the tuner scene last? what's the future gonna look like? maybe 15 years from now people will be doing battery swaps instead of motor swaps. or maybe the future generation will look at us the same way we look at the older generation today who are into classics and hot rods.



edit: this belongs in offtopic

This post has been edited by azian_advanced: May 21, 2010 - 2:30 AM

[yarik83]

I would like to shed some light on what exactly is happening to the car scene. First and foremost modifications are not frowned upon. There are people who either can not afford them or seek practicality in a vehicle so do not need them. Most people that can't afford to modify end up being a vocal minority that causes all the anti-modification movement mumbo jumbo. Modifications have been in car community since the day when a bicycle became propelled by a steam powered engine and whether it was early 1900's or mid 1950's or late 1990's or even early 2000's... there has always been a community out there for each type of car and within that community people found ways to modify stuff. Whether it is internally or externally... usually the faster and flashier.. the better. Era of "The fast and the furious" has not come and gone. It has evolved, much like anything else out there. Through time aero dynamic packages became either options or standart additions at dealerships worldwide. You can walk into any dealership and buy a car that will get you from A to B. But you can also buy exactly the same car and for additional 3-5 grand they will put upgraded stereo and exterior add ons that make same exact car look like it arrived on a space ship. Even things like sports suspension is now standart or optional on many cars. Here is a good example. Bilstein suspension is virtually one of the best suspension systems out there and very expensive... comes with TRD package on my 4x4 Tacoma. You can, of course get stock suspension too. Also market moves with what is trending. Early 2000's it was bumpers and spoilers, mid 2005 ish it was drift cars, late 2009 it was economic crisis, much like one that ended era of muscle cars.. next thing on the plate is a symphony of an affordable hybrid or electric car with what people need. People want to pay less at the gas pump and get more gadgets than you can poke a stick at. Next generation sports car is likely something european or with letter "i" in it cause it makes it sound better. They will make them smaller and lighter and even while it will not have 900 horse power.. it will get you 0-60 in 3.9 - 4.5 seconds standart.
If you look at car market in general...they figured out a way how to make really heavy cars go a hell of a fast. Porshe has a suv on steroids, rols royce's phantom can outrun just about anything without spilling that 900 dollar glass of wine while passenger relaxes in a space the size of a house. Next generation of sports car will be based on stronger and lighter alloys, probably a whole bunch of carbon fiber, some sort of kinetic energy recovery system, likely dual paddle clutch (since it seems to become a standart nowadays). Expect a car capable of seating 4, just barely while being the size of a VW GTI. Body styling will be sharp jagged lines and car will have a robotic feel to it. Most post 2005 cars have already started heading in that direction.

If I had to design a 30000 dollar sports car... I would make it a 4 seater with all wheel drive and capability of being a daily driver, something with just enough horse power to have fun when your wife is not with you and something not so scary that baby in the car seat does not bounce around the back seat. A car that has just enough trunk space to put 5 carry on suit cases. A car like that already exists. Whether you buy an evo or an sti... you get virtually the same bang for your buck. Then, of course those cars are for college graduates making 50K+ a year so those types of cars dont exactly help younger crowd. If you are a teenager now then in 10 years you might not be able to afford something like a new evo or sti but you can probably afford a used one that will be 10 years old.

I have spent last 12 years being a dreamer but I am not the kind of person that wishes he had something. I am the kind of person that makes steps to make it happen. I am sure that at some point practicality will start knocking on my door and that is when I will be forced to purchase something like a van but you can always combine the good with the bad and make best of it. I needed a 5 seater car. I really really wanted an evo x. Then I figured that owning a truck would be more practical. Interestingly enough I noticed a general trend. Most people I know who own 4x4 trucks used to own a sports car in the past. So desire for fun is still there... just in a grown up kind of way.