We live in the new "golden age" of cars

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times"

When it comes to 99.999% of all cars, they are boring as hell. You sit in any car from any country today and all look the same, smell the same, have the same doo dads and features.

But for that other 0.001%, we live in the golden age.

Examples: Look at what Ferrari and McLaren crank out today. Their normal cars and their special editions like the Pista and Senna. Absolutely nutty performance, style, and beauty. The top technology of our time -- and still meets emissions standards.

Look Pagani and Koenigsegg. Look at this Detomaso 72 thingy. These guys are nuts but if you want a hand made car, you can get one. Or Bugatti. 1600 HP anyone?

Look at the Corvette C8 for what you get for $70 grand. Almost anyone who wants a 2 seater can afford that. And they have 2 other versions coming out with electric power and probably turbo with a flat crank V8

Speaking of flat plane V8's, look at the Mustang GT500. Who would have thought you could sell a $100,000 Mustang with more than 700 HP for the street?

Then there's the Ford GT. A half million dollar Ford actually de-tuned from LeMans spec.

Then you have Alfa's GTA and GTAm. Crazy.

Or the Dodge Hellcat. A street legal drag racer with a warranty.

Now look at the USED market. Prices for 458's, F430's, and almost all McLaren's at extremely reasonable prices.

Unfortunately I think 10 years from now we will look back at today as the Golden Age. It may be the end of the line but at least we are going out with a bang.

 

Sadly, I think you’re 100% correct, in regards to both the present and the future.

 

totally. beginning of the end.

 

Wait!

Or end of the beginning??

SV



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I partially agree. There’s some pretty wild stuff, and some amazing performance bargains. But I’m not crazy about the turbo era. If it wasn’t for that, we could have some manic 700 hp N/A engines.

 

It's a great time to be a car guy..if you like cars that all pretty much drive and feel the same. Honestly..its getting boring. Give me a 72 chevelle with a 396 big block, backed with a 4 speed and a 4:11 gear set..that is fun, interesting and easy to own.

The rest have become applicaneses except for a very select few..Unfortunately Ferrari is no longer in that club in my eyes..

 

im enjoying my 95 f355 more today than i ever have...owning a 2017 tdf made me love my 355 more than i already did. go figure.

 

The end was electric.


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Yes theyre cool, but theyre all paddles and eps, so in many ways on road pretty bland other than hellacious acceleration which a tesla can also do.

To me the real modern golden age is represented by a new Gt350, a hellcat with manual, or if its paddles then an alpine, cayman Gt4 pretty excelent too, and maybe some fo the last fe vettes with a stick. Theyere all also attainable which is what makes it such a golden age.

 

I disagree too many cars nowadays, not enough manual, lack of emotions specially with the turbos... the golden age was early 2000’ imo


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This thread is shocking

 

I agree. I also think that the demand for the classic cars is going to decline over the coming decades as the new breed of teenager/young adult simply does not have the enthusiasm for automobiles that every other generation before has. I know this theory has been beaten to death but I do think it's true. I'm 36 and it's also somewhat relevant in my generation. People my age are using their money to buy nice apartments/houses, take vacations, eat well, and buy whatever the latest gadget is. The ones who do spend some bucks on a car are simply buying a new or 2 year old Audi, range rover, etc. Nobody wants or cares about classic cars.

Whenever I go to a cars and coffee there are hardly any kids there. I hear owners even joking that they keep inviting their kids and they don't want to come.

 

this is what I’m hoping like heck for. I’m 31. All the great classics are somewhat or extremely out of reach. I agree this is the case with our generation in western society. But I think the huge variable is going to be economic and cultural trends in the middle/Far East. It seems like there is a younger interest in classic cars in the Middle East and Asia. There are already a lot of classics there.

 

The other day i was on twitter, there was an ad for Alfa Romeo (At least they got the targeting right). While the ad sucked, 90% of the comments were how they are only interested if the car is electric or not. Some were very aggressive (How dare you not have an electric car...etc...).

So yeah, we have maybe 10 years left before we are seen as self indulging *******s.

 

do you think in the 60's they said the same thing?
and then the 70's
then the 80's

driving these cars has always been seen as indulgence and I have always been an ass

 

While Used Cars Pile Up in Lots, the Classics Are Busy Changing Hands https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-16/coronavirus-crashes-the-car-industry-winners-emerge-in-classics

 

There is only one golden age and that was the period of the late 50s, 60s, and early 70s. That was when EVERY car was unique (well maybe not the Firebird and Camaro, just think of them as one car). Now the Mayor said 0.001% are unique. Sorry, that is not a golden age, that is simply pathetic.

 

Ford / Mercury... same car different trim (Don't forget Edsel)...

Plymouth/Dodge same...
And Barracuda/Challenger twins.

Chrysler/DeSoto same

NOVA group from GM

Etc. etc.

 

https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/63415352/the-wiley-report

Interesting

 

I don’t believe we’re witnessing a golden age rather than simply a continuum of progress. Cars will inevitably get faster, offer additional safety, accessibility, increased comfort and require less maintenance tomorrow and the day after.

The ‘golden age’ occurred when the selection of cars from truly independent multiple manufacturers was endless and only a handful were designed with aerodynamics as a consideration. Unlimited option combinations and yearly design changes from manufacturers were a routine treat from the Big Three and although foreign manufacturers could present only a limited array of models without as much as a badge relocation annually, their offerings were (mostly ) delightfully unique and reported a driving environment preferred by those inhabiting the country of origin.

While today’s cars are unquestionably better in every possible way (and they should be), they lack the beauty of particularity, my personal requisite for any golden age.

 

I love the current age of the automobile. Lots of variety in design, performance, power source, etc... The 2006 S2000 is probably the best engineered car I have ever owned, and the little Alfa I just bought is a powerful fun car for not too much money. If you have the budget you can get unreal performance in a factory package today, but that is not for me.

 

The past 20 years have been quite good for interesting cars.

 

It only takes one movie or great events or celebrities etc... To get people back into it.

 

The golden age was years ago, back in the 90-00 ish....

I hate the modern cars today with turbos and all kinda ****, the analog feel is gone since mid 2000's or something, i used to have e39 BMW M5, great car of last analog generation or the E63 AMG, who makes that today without those stupid turbos?

They dropped superchargers except Dodge, but the turbos killed it all, they are all synthetic today if you don't pay the cash and get the real deal, the V12s from Ferrari, but they will probably vanish soon as well.

 

Yeah the snowflake generation taking over and kills everything, sad but true until we say stop to it.