Summary
The ZR1 Corvette is the model supercar. However, Corvette's chief engineer says it may be the last of the performance cars. Fashion and marketing cycles are dependent on change. Legislation, fuel costs, practicality, and costs will mandate change and style in the future of the "supercar".
Analysis
As a designer I can tell you that most things, in fact probably everything, changes. It is the rate of change, and the context in which people accept or reject change, holding onto present concepts and styles, that determines the rate of change.
The new ZR1 Corvette is the ultimate in American supercars. It has 620 horsepower, can travel at over 200 mph, a 6.2 liter V-8 engine, 19 inch front and 20 inch rear wheels, and costs around $100,000. The 2006 version, ZO6, got 15 mpg city, and 24 mpg highway. The ZR1 is scheduled to go on sale next summer. The ZR1 is the ultimate male "reptilian fantasy".
The chief engineer for Corvette says that the ZR1 may be the last of the Detroit performance cars. This is because of stricter federal fuel economy regulations and limits on carbon dioxide.
President Bush signed into law on Wednesday legislation that will require automakers to increase fuel efficiency by 40 percent to an industry average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020. The new law also requires greater use of ethanol, to achieve energy independence and ease global warming. Juechter, the chief engineer, says that to sell the ZR1, GM will have to compete with cars that average 45 miles per gallon.
I agree with the new environment legislation. It makes sense to improve the fuel efficiency of automobiles, reduce fuel costs, find alternative fuels, and make our transportation networks more efficient. These are some of the reasons the Japanese cars are selling so well in the general US auto market. It is also true that you do not need the speed or power of the ZR1, in fact, speed laws in the USA are about 60 mph, depending on state, thus if you ever came close to the 200 mph of the ZR1 you would find yourself in a lot of trouble.
One of the difficulties Detroit has had in desinging its cars, is that it has chosen to appeal to what is called the "reptilian" part of the human brain. The need for feelings of power and instant gratification. Does a driver in a typical suburban town such as Paramus, NJ, which rarely gets over a few inches of snow at one time, and where traffic is often bumper to bumper need an SUV or a ZR1, the answer is no, these autos are an emotional purchase, based on reptilian instinct.
The Japanese, on the other hand, have stressed "mammalian instinct". Mammalian instinct is the part of the brain that shows logic and reason. To purchase a cost efficient, fuel efficient, and reasonably priced economy car is a logical and reasonable "mammalian" decision. This logic is the primary reason the Japanese auto manufacturers have outperformed the US auto industry in auto sales.
Although the article does not mention the sales performance of supercars, SUV's are performing poorly, and I would bet that performance cars are also performing poorly in the present climate.
Is this the end of the performance car, I would say certainly not. Designers will find ways to adjust to new technology. It may be the end of the gas guzzling performance car, however it will bring in a new age of stylish cars. There will always be someone willing to spend $100,000 on a car that boosts their ego, most likely a male!!! And I am certain that given time designers and engineers will be building electric and other alternative fuel supercars that fit the styles and expectations of the time. I am also certain they will outperform the cars of today.
This is not the end of the supercar, it is just the end of the supercar that does not fit the expectations of modern society regarding economy, cleanliness, and safety standards. Human beings still have the "reptilian" instinct in their personalities, and there will be someone, "most likely a male", willing to pay for a car that looks good, but whose speed and power he will likely never be able to use without a traffic ticket.
These new sports cars will change to meet the needs and expectations of the society to which they are sold. Detroit must learn that it must change with society, and not try to change the natural evolution of history.
