Not that I'm in the market, but...

Wow, I've read of this car a few times in the last few months, but it's getting closer. A new car that I'm actually excited about in this day and age.

2700 lbs, RWD, manual, decent (200) hp... Yes, please!

Scion FR-S

I don't know if we in the US will get only the Scion version or if the Subaru BRZ will also come here. And again, I'm not looking to get a new car right now, but if this is available in a few years when I am, I could totally see this as a commuter for me, especially once the kids are out of car seats. My commuter won't need to shuttle the kids around too much, but it'll be at least enough to rule out a true 2-seat car. And I'd prefer a version with rear doors and better yet, a hatch, but wow, I'll take what I could get in a RWD lightweight car in this day and age!

Okay, what I REALLY want is time and money to work on and convert my E30 to the fun machine it should be, but even once that happens, it'll only be a fun car, not a rack-up-the-miles kind of commuter ride. So a car like this will still be a VERY welcome addition to the market.

Cab
1990 325i(s)
2004 325XiT

I've said just the same about this one, if I like it (still need to get a chance to drive it) I might want one, in 7 years or so. I'll wear the E46 down to its last bolt first! It has near 200.000 km now and I'd like to at least double that. In my current job that will take me 4 more years.

I like the specs, price is right too. A 2 litre four banger always worked for me

The market in the US is completely diferent from here, we don't call a 2 litter 200bhp a "commuter", unless its a 9seat mini-bus...

It looks like a very decent fun car!
But the rise of oil prices may turn it's daily use into a very costly habit.

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Jose Pinto
The market in the US is completely diferent from here, we don't call a 2 litter 200bhp a "commuter", unless its a 9seat mini-bus...

Indeed the market is quite different. Here what most people call commuters would be either a Toyota Camry or a gigantic SUV.

My daily commute is about 26 miles each way, on mostly secondary roads with some highway driving mixed in. I drive my 2006 Mazda3 hatchback, 2.3L I4, and get about 29 miles per gallon. Except for the very occasional Smart ForTwo, my car is among the smallest cars on our roads.

I expect that this Scion/Toyota/Subaru will probably get similar fuel economy to my Mazda when cruising, with obvious potential to do much worse when driving in a spirited manner.

Quote

It looks like a very decent fun car!

I think it does, too. It's been a long time since the US market has had much of anything like that, if you exclude the Miata, which I do due to its lack of coupeness and only 2 seats. Probably since about the E30 days...

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But the rise of oil prices may turn it's daily use into a very costly habit.

Perhaps, but it's not likely the shift to smaller, super efficient cars in the US is going to happen all that soon. It should, but it probably won't.

As much as I would love a fun and sporty car like this that I could also commute in, what's truly more likely for me when my Mazda dies is something like a Jetta TDi wagon.

Cab
1990 325i(s)
2004 325XiT



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/31/2012 05:55AM by Cab Treadway.

VW TDI are evil, and make your belly grow fat.
Also the maintenance will cost your an arm and a leg, even worse than BMW...

I am using the volvo to commute lately:

sometimes the mercedes-benz:


Either way, my "Chauffeur" don't let me drive it.

Shouldn't this go into the "car talk" section?

I'm surprised they made it N/A. Toyota have said it's intended to be a base for tuning, and these days turbos are easier to squeeze more power out of.

Looks like it will be a lot of fun, though. Hopefully it's like an MX-5 (aka Miata) but with a roof and a bit more grunt.

Quote
nomis3613
I'm surprised they made it N/A. Toyota have said it's intended to be a base for tuning, and these days turbos are easier to squeeze more power out of.

Looks like it will be a lot of fun, though. Hopefully it's like an MX-5 (aka Miata) but with a roof and a bit more grunt.

I imagine there will be an STi version of the Subie at least. I'd be happy to have the lower stress of the NA engine with "reasonable" power and economy.

Cab
1990 325i(s)
2004 325XiT

Quote
Jose Pinto
Shouldn't this go into the "car talk" section?

Anyone is welcome to take the discussion there. I've not ventured off of the Comm forum in years, though.

Cab
1990 325i(s)
2004 325XiT

There is no mass transit option for me to commute. There is a bus that comes to my plant, but I'd probably have to drive 20 miles to find a place where I could pick it up. There is a train station in my town, but it doesn't go anywhere near my work.

Cab
1990 325i(s)
2004 325XiT

Quote
Cab Treadway
There is a train station in my town, but it doesn't go anywhere near my work.

That what train stations are supposed to do, just be there.


Now seriously, the mass transit makes a huge difference.
From my house to work, I pay for one month the equivalent to half tank of gas, I would spend more than that per week in my car!
Plus I can ride as much as I want, while our cars each time the key is turned money is being spent.

OTOH, the trip takes about one hour (includes bus, metro and some walking) while by car is 15 minutes (without traffic).
Now, that I moved to a city 70km away, there were no way I could afford the gasoline, and the train is becoming increasingly expensive, thanks to our IMF three stooges.