Hello all. I am a 30 something car nut.
I have a simple question?
Do Auto makers really listen?
I have looked at many of there web sites and found no place for consumer feedback.
Where can we give our input as to what we would like to see in a new car?
We see concept cars, but the sad truth is that they don’t make there way to every region.
I recently visited an auto show where the base models were on display.
Who gets excited about a base model?
And worse yet sales reps are consistently racist.  
Opening up cars to affluent looking Caucasian Americans while claiming;
“We can’t open the car up.” to minorities.
Why does Honda wait 10 years to make a RWD convertible then make it too tight for the average 6.2 American to fit in? I fit fine in a civic, so who set up the measurements for the S2000? A midget? An AWD K24 powered RSX no brainier.
Toyota, DOHC RWD Coupe (Scion TC but RWD) Scion “86”
Mazda, looking good
Nissan, 350z bang!  Make the S15 US leagal and send them over for 25K
Mitsubishi, EVO thank you  and an AWD eclipse please
Subaru, WRX STI thank you

Bottom line; The big wigs in the big 6 should all get yearly subscriptions to SCC.
To learn what we want. As I head toward my 90K grouse family income.
Wouldn’t you want some of it?
Then listen to what we want.

Thanks for listening.  

Not wanting to totally contradict you, but ive got a few issues:

I'll agree with your rant about honda.  The S2000 is TINY.  Its also a convertible.  I guess Honda expects people to always drive top down.

You'll never get another RWD toyota.  Buy a supra.  otherwise you're SOL.

Mazda isnt perfect.  They need some work.  Yes, they have both the RX-8 and MX-5, but neither is selling well.  

Nissan will never bring the S15s to NA.  Its not gonna happen, get used to it.

Mitsu will never make an AWD eclipse.   You'll be lucky to get a RWD one anytime soon.

Oh, and SCC barely listen to these forums, unless you mail them personally.  I doubt the big 6 would listen to us much more.  

It's a funny thing about nevers, just when think you're right. Honda makes a truck. The mustang comes back.
The 350z comes back. Americams still but big block SUV's
I might actualy buy a Mitsubishi.  

You're buying a Mitsubishi... what? For their current lineup, I wouldn't recommend anything besides the EVO. The Eclipse is overweight and more of a tourer (a la 3000GT) than the older 1st and 2nd gens., while the rest of the lineup is boring and of dubious build quality. As for car manufacturers not listening to enthusiasts, the main reason is there aren't many enthusiasts out there. Hardcore enthusiasts make up about less than 10% of big companies' customers, so it makes more financial sense for them to build cars with mass appeal and maybe build one or two sports cars and a few sportier models derived from their mainstream cars. There are other considerations, too, like legal, emissions, saftey, economic impact on the company, etc. It sucks that Nissan isn't making another 240SX/Silvia anytime soon, if ever, but that's reality.  

Everything you said I would love as well.  Hell, if Toyota made another AWD Celica I would freaking kill for it and a RWD Scion would be sweet as well as the S15 coming to the US.  

Sad part is that gtfan is right.  When you own a business as big as making cars, you need to put profits ahaid of everything, and it does make sense to make a car that the mass population is gonna buy rather than the few "true enthusiast".  Our kind is hard to come across, just take a look at all of the ricers and F&F wanna-be's.  Sometimes they get it right like the new mustang and the challenger and charger.  But if you notice, Ford did it because almost everyone was begging for it to come back and Dodge and Chevy had to come out with their models to compete.  Its all about the greenbacks.  

true, but look at the Solstice. When GM started designing that car several years ago, they did not need it for sales. They were doing quite fine on their SUVs alone.

Now it might be the car that helps save the general. I think it was Bob Lutz's baby. He wanted a performance roadster for GM. They didn't need it, the bean counters HATED it, but he got it pushed through and they are building it.

so, stranger things have happened.  

Our kind is rare. The bigger population want cars that play mp3s with horsepower killing air conditioners,While we most likely want a 2,600lb rwd 300hp, turbocharged sports car. Also most people think they need sport utility vehicles and trucks. For what? to drive themselved to work? How did you need to offroad to get their or haul 150lbs of lumber? Maybe if you worked construction, and usually it aint construction workers who drive those things. Tell me how the fushion is life in drive. And if anyone saw the autoshows, then things dont look to beeautiful for us true car freaks.  

I think they do listen, just not to us. Like GTfan said, they listen to their money. if a car doesn't do well in a few years, it's off to the junkyard. Which is why I'm going to go to High school and college to be an Industrial Designer,

work for a car company,

and then,

create my own car company designed for only tuners in mind. It will be mostly 4's and 6's with aftermarket parts ready to be bought, and not ruin the warranty. and, the general public can buy the car stock, or add their own Mp3's and crap. It will be a regular car to them, the dream company for you. I Hope I can supply enough parts to get the cars up to 470 whp and 580 whp on the 4's and the 6's. you'd have all the body kits, carbon fiber, and wheels you want. which is why I draw cars all the time. I've got one I want to put as my image, but am having trouble with (an AE86 of course), could any one help me? Just post it on my forum in the general section.  

Yeah, I want to do something similiar to what you are going to do, except I will also include V8's in the lineup. I am going to go to Skip Barber racing school next summer. Right now im in college. Hopefully your dreams come true.  

Now hey. I didn't say I wouldn't have V8's. I just said MOSTLY, 4's and 6's. Oh well .  

Well here's my humble take on it. Yeah I gotta agree that sometimes automakers turn a deaf ear to the enthusiasts, but these next few years could be very promising. We have the STi, EVO9, Mazdaspeed RX8, Miata, 3 and now the AWD 5, The Solstice, Cobalt SS, GT Mustang, Charger, V8 though FWD GM's, GTO, 350Z, Civic Si, RSX, NSX, not to mentions turbo Volvos and hot offerings from Saab (though they aren;t as popular). And we even have the possibility of a Challenger and a Camaro rebirth. I really think that the next few years will show a rebirth in performance machines, and run strong for about 5 years, then taper again once we start paying $7.00 a gallon in gas.

As for the whole SUV, truck thing. Yeah you know, everyday I see people CONSTANTLY running 85 or 90 MPH in their vehicles, and alot of those are big SUV's and trucks. Im cruising 65 to 70 in my Kia, hitting 36 MPG in hilly terrain with ease. I really don;t think that America is hurting enough from the gas prices just yet to make any changes.  

Yeah, I agree.  Where I live gas is $2.60.  I personally dont like it but I havent changed my driving habits cause of it.  I've heard gas in Europe is like 8 bucks now.  THATS a completely different story.  I'd ride a bike if that was the case.  

Just for he reason to post, Where I live the gas is $2.29 a gallon and when you go to Evansville it's $2.09. But I havn't been there in 2 weeks so you never know. If you want to draft something from more of a distance, a semi- would be a better deal than a small car. but then again it is about 80 times bigger and 20 times heavier. SMASH!  

Where I live gas is $2.89 for 91, $2.79 for 89, and $2.69 for regular. I could still take it if gas reaches 3.20 to 3.70, but once it goes over that It will start to cause some problems for me. I wouldn't mind taking a bike to work, but school is kind of far. I was thinking about getting a sports bike, like a GT, oh yeah.  

Where do you live 2FAST, I go to school in Bloomington.