Whatever happened to the WRX coupe?
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i believe they do that so they can be all
the ford focus rally, with "RALLY INSPIRED" suspension. (which is just their way of explaining the harsh ride) look what our family car can do.
ever notice that the pony car races (trans-am series) dont get coverage in the states. why, probably b/c car companies sell more cavaliers than camaros. i think they sold more vettes than V8 camaros.... this is a sad thing.
the ford focus rally, with "RALLY INSPIRED" suspension. (which is just their way of explaining the harsh ride) look what our family car can do.
ever notice that the pony car races (trans-am series) dont get coverage in the states. why, probably b/c car companies sell more cavaliers than camaros. i think they sold more vettes than V8 camaros.... this is a sad thing.
Bigmatt said:Why did Subaru discontinue the coupe body style? It was my favorite. And while we're on the subject, why does it seem that all the top rally cars these days have gone to the four door? Is it a safety thing?
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I've been wondering the same thing myself. I just checked out a nice Imprezza DVD which featured the coupe in the WRC. It looks SO much better than the sedan. In fact, it reminds me of a cross between a tank and a Porsche. It had me thinking, "That's the car I want!".
The closest Scooby has come to it is the 22b, and they made only 400 of those. IMO, Scooby has ditched the coupe because they couldn't afford to produce both and the performance was nearly equal. I think they are now paying for that unforunate decision with the sales slump of the WRX in Japan. Maybe they will understand that while the performance is critical,
the appearance and image are pretty high on the desirability list as well.
Without making anyone any more upset,
Subaru discontinued the coupe because no one was buying it. It made up less than 10% of sales worldwide. When they redesigned the shell for the 2002 MY it was not ecconomically feasable to spend the research dollars designing a coupe as well. Personally, I love coupes, and own 2 currently (not Subaru). But I can understand why Subaru doesn't choose to build one at this time.
Maybe someday.
J.B.
As a side note, I'm suprised that the lack of a coupe is hurting Japanese sales, since all the research I've done indicates that they MUCH prefer the 4 door variants in Japan.
Subaru discontinued the coupe because no one was buying it. It made up less than 10% of sales worldwide. When they redesigned the shell for the 2002 MY it was not ecconomically feasable to spend the research dollars designing a coupe as well. Personally, I love coupes, and own 2 currently (not Subaru). But I can understand why Subaru doesn't choose to build one at this time.
Maybe someday.
J.B.
As a side note, I'm suprised that the lack of a coupe is hurting Japanese sales, since all the research I've done indicates that they MUCH prefer the 4 door variants in Japan.
STiWant1 said:
Actually, I think it comes down to demographics. If there were a larger demographic bump in the younger driver range then the coupe
would be selling better. These things change. In a few years it may make
make sense to have a "younger" line up. In the mean time, I don't think
Scooby has tried hard enough to compete against BMW and Porsche for the attention of the "empty nesters". If they had gone to full production on the 22b and advertised it much the same way they have the WRX, I think it would have been a hit in the US.
I agree but I also think that Subaru sells sedans in the sense that Honda sells sedans. I don't think they sell coupes in the sense that Porsche sells coupes. No matter what, they are trying to sell more bread and butter cash cars and those are sedans. I think that an STi or a 22b would be an image car to help sell RS's and Outbacks... This is one of the reasons why I think they race a sedan, its good product placement. The other reason I think is related to the professional race production requirements, and sedans fill that requirement with ease.
I'm not trying to get flamed for this but I also think that if you look at the demographics for younger owners more are choosing sedans over coupes anyway (and pretty much always have and probably always will, they're just more practical), and age is not necessarily the constraint on a target market for coupes. Besides if Porsche made a 4 door that looked as good as their coupes (if possible) would you not say hey 4-doors is better than 2?
I'm not trying to get flamed for this but I also think that if you look at the demographics for younger owners more are choosing sedans over coupes anyway (and pretty much always have and probably always will, they're just more practical), and age is not necessarily the constraint on a target market for coupes. Besides if Porsche made a 4 door that looked as good as their coupes (if possible) would you not say hey 4-doors is better than 2?
Yes, Porsche makes an SUV and most people don't like it or the idea, but car companies don't go out of business for making more money. I doubt an SUV is going to hurt Porsche's image with its new car (coupe) buyers (ie significantly reduce sales), and I am pretty sure it isn't going to hurt their wallet either.Rufus3383 said:
Maybe I am missing your point, what was it again?
Maybe I am missing your point, what was it again?[/quote]
The point I am attempting to make, and failing miserably it seems, is about image. My wife once cooked a blue cake because she didn't want her brother to eat it, but she didn't enjoy it much even though it tasted just the same. Personally, it's the same thing between a "sports" sedan and a coupe. The coupe says "sportcar" to me and the sedan says "3 kids and a motherinlaw".
The point I am attempting to make, and failing miserably it seems, is about image. My wife once cooked a blue cake because she didn't want her brother to eat it, but she didn't enjoy it much even though it tasted just the same. Personally, it's the same thing between a "sports" sedan and a coupe. The coupe says "sportcar" to me and the sedan says "3 kids and a motherinlaw".
cool. then you are really a sportscar kind of driver/buyer. I used to be that way, I loved not trucking people around in my 2 seat CRX. and the times I did were very memorable (Driving from Baltimore to Philly with 4 people )
Unfortunately everywhere I go now, I have to include one more, my wife. in a matter of days that number goes up to 2. My soon to be new born child. I want four doors 'cause its easier. And I don't want give up performance for it.
)Unfortunately everywhere I go now, I have to include one more, my wife. in a matter of days that number goes up to 2. My soon to be new born child.
I want four doors 'cause its easier. And I don't want give up performance for it.
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Exactly!!! Sports cars are more expensive. Who can afford them? Relatively older people. What do these people usually have? Families. Hence, the four doors. I got stuck with only my '91 MR2 once when our Accord was in the body shop. With a family of four, it wasn't pretty. Unless you are better off than the rest of us sorry saps, and own extra cars, four doors are more practical. I theorize that the majority of the population are sorry saps like me, thus four doors will sell more than a coupe.
And speaking of coupes, check out this baby. The 22B.
http://www.22b.com/media_jap22b.htm
Unfortunately, they only made 400 of them, but they are monsters.
http://www.22b.com/media_jap22b.htm
Unfortunately, they only made 400 of them, but they are monsters.
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