Been thinking about this for 15 years or so, but it's more true than ever, would love to hear your commiseration on this subject.
Back in 2006 I bought a brand new 244hp Honda Odyssey Minivan. The V6 pulled like a train, did 5-60 in about 7 seconds which is relatively quick for a van. Accords and Camrys around that time could do a sub-6 second run to 60 with the right engine. My Forester XT did it in 5.3, it was a true sleeper.
In the years since I've noticed more and more that just everything is fast. Vans, sedans, compacts, all of it - the power to accelerate the way a Ferrari did 30 years ago is in the hands of the average 18 year old driver or soccer mom now. And the "fast" cars, the actual sports cars like Mustangs etc., go from a roll to 60 in around 4 seconds or under even. Not that 5-60 is everything, but it does translate to real world performance especially if you're driving an auto trans.
Add electric cars to the mix....a Chevy Bolt doesn't have to be shifted, just press and go, you're easily quicker than Civic Si, BR-Z, Fiesta STs, and etc. And that's just a Bolt....we haven't even mentioned Tesla and etc.
Anyhow all that's to say that the thrill of being fast is kind of meaningless now because everything is fast. Talking street, not track.
Counterpoint, in a car like the Fiesta ST, that experience of "being fast" is wonderful because (a) the car is so well-tuned suspension-wise (b) it is so light (c) it has a 6-speed (d) on and on. So in cars like ours or a BR-Z I'd suggest that the enthusiast will truly enjoy the experience of speed/driving for those reasons. That's what makes our cars special in a world of faster Chevy Bolts and Honda Odysseys.
Back in 2006 I bought a brand new 244hp Honda Odyssey Minivan. The V6 pulled like a train, did 5-60 in about 7 seconds which is relatively quick for a van. Accords and Camrys around that time could do a sub-6 second run to 60 with the right engine. My Forester XT did it in 5.3, it was a true sleeper.
In the years since I've noticed more and more that just everything is fast. Vans, sedans, compacts, all of it - the power to accelerate the way a Ferrari did 30 years ago is in the hands of the average 18 year old driver or soccer mom now. And the "fast" cars, the actual sports cars like Mustangs etc., go from a roll to 60 in around 4 seconds or under even. Not that 5-60 is everything, but it does translate to real world performance especially if you're driving an auto trans.
Add electric cars to the mix....a Chevy Bolt doesn't have to be shifted, just press and go, you're easily quicker than Civic Si, BR-Z, Fiesta STs, and etc. And that's just a Bolt....we haven't even mentioned Tesla and etc.
Anyhow all that's to say that the thrill of being fast is kind of meaningless now because everything is fast. Talking street, not track.
Counterpoint, in a car like the Fiesta ST, that experience of "being fast" is wonderful because (a) the car is so well-tuned suspension-wise (b) it is so light (c) it has a 6-speed (d) on and on. So in cars like ours or a BR-Z I'd suggest that the enthusiast will truly enjoy the experience of speed/driving for those reasons. That's what makes our cars special in a world of faster Chevy Bolts and Honda Odysseys.