Todays exotics pricing....

$165,000 in 1980 = $419k now, courtesy of the Inflation Calculator (http://www.westegg.com/inflation/infl.cgi), so not all that different. About the price of a Carrera GT, I believe.

What was the most expensive car in the world in 1980, and how much was it?

 

What "super exotics" were being produced in 1980? I think 308's were about 35K at the time. My 89 328 GTB had a sticker of 78,880. My 2005 430 had a sticker of 178,297. Seems about in line with inflation and technology has certainly added a vast increase in performance and other features.

Dave

 

Can we define a 1980's super exotic ? Mainly for a technical comparison so as to determine a relative basis for what constitutes value ?

512BB
BMW M1
Lamborghini Countach
930 Turbo

These are a few for starters......and even so, I personally find it hard to accept $500K as the entry level point today, because I feel it does not provide value, even with the better cars being produced.

A new Ford GT supports this theory as well as does the new 997TT......cars still in the median 1980's price banding.......but some of today's best offerings on a pound for pound value basis.

 

According to your website, my 1985 308 would cost around $115,000+ in today's dollars. Interesting!

 

How about the Vector? What was its pricing?

 

According to Wikipedia,

"In 1985, the Testarossa retailed for about $94,000 ($167,705 in 2005 dollars) in the United States. This included a $2,700 (i.e., $4,800) gas-guzzler tax."

That is interesting -- so the TR ~= current 430 pricing, even though the TR was the "equivalent" of the 575/599 today. That says to me prices have fundamentally increased...

 

I don't know that there any cars comparable to those cars in the 80s, with the possible exception of the Vector.

The 80s were not a high point of automotive development.

 

Except for the Porsche 959 . . .

Ian

 

It is all realtive. They may not be as fast as the modern cars right now. But they were the fastest cars at the time.

 

Prices reflect what the buyer is willing to pay. Sure you can spend stupid money on a car today, but you can also get '80s "supercar" performance for stupidly cheap. WRX, S2000, heck the new Miata will keep up with most anything built 20 years ago, especially when the road gets twisty.

Twenty year old cars are about enjoyment, not raw performance numbers. Give me a choice between a Triumph Spitfire and a Mitsubishi Evo whatever and I'll take the Spit every time. Yeah you can outrun me in your Camry, but the smile on my face when I finally arrive makes it worth the trip.

Oooh, rant gone wrong!

Back on topic: performance is a game of money. I can get 90% of the performance of the best supercar for 10% of the price. Is the last 10% of performance worth a 1000% premium? Your choice. The really sad thing is that the fast cars are bought by people with money as status symbols. Britney Spears' Ferrari anyone?

 

I second that, especially after driving a Z06. The Z06 is without a doubt, the fastest car (continue to read) that you would let your friend or wife drive too. Personally, I would never drive an Enzo as hard as I drove the Z06 but that's me. I don't think that we're talking about sacrificing performance for dollars anymore. The dollars just get you into a more exclusive owners club, and that's about all.

 

Exactly. That's why many of us are stuck on older cars. For the smile rather than the 0-60 times.

Ian

 

Excatly what I was goning to say. Performance is NOT refelected in the price of the cars anymore. Its more about the materials and status then really great out of this world performance.

 

yeah, before I head off to prison, two comments:

Supercars may be getting faster, but my 18-year-old Golf 16V showed all the newer cars the way home a couple of years back when I took it out to the local autocross series. OK, a little credit goes to the driver, but some GOOD drivers in newer GTIs and ALL the 32X BMW drivers couldn't keep up. And then there was that race where I got bumped into A Stock with the Honda S2000s, and they all had a bad night. "Whaddaya mean, I won? No way!"

1988 VW in excellent original condition with 42k miles: $3400
All the little things to take it from excellent to perfect: $3400

Lifting the championship trophy at the end of the season: priceless.

And two: I'd put a 550 up against a 'vette for driveability. My wife is the worst driver in the universe, and I'd hand her the keys with no qualms. Of course it's not actually my car!

 

Good story Scot. I'm sure it happens more than most track guys admit . . .

Ian

 

One thing for sure is exotic cars are not like other technologies. Take PC or technology in general. Performance has been doubling every 18 months. Forget about prices for a moment.

IMO exotic cars have reached the point of diminishing returns big time. However on the mid priced vehicles you are seeing more performance for the $$$ as time goes on, IE the Z06.

Don't get me wrong. I am shopping for my first F car "Testarossa" and down the road can't wait to take part in the game of diminishing returns that the latest F cars have to offer!!!

 

According to the government definition of inflation, you can now get the same automotive performance for even less money than before.

So by their reasoning, there has been NEGATIVE inflation in this market segment.

 

Using an inflation calculator:

An F40 in 1987 cost approx $400K

That would be $672,421 in todays dollars (actually calculated for 2005)

That's pretty close to list price for the Enzo. Yes I know the enzo wasn't a 2005 car but considering the technology in the enzo, and ~399 cars vs. 1311 for the F40 I would say the enzo was a bargain...

 

With inflation exotics are cheaper now than ever. But, with longer financing/lease options a lot more people are now willing to buy an exotic even if it is at the limit of their financial ability...

 

I'm in that camp. I've never driven an Enzo etc. But I have driven a Mondial, Esprit turbo, a few others... and while those are great cars, my little Europa is the most fun because you can scare yourself silly at really reasonable speeds! It goes around a 30 MPH turn at 60-70 MPH with nary a complaint. It makes all the right sounds and is a quick car when you use the gears right.

Of course, if I had an Enzo budget.....

Ken

 

I think another good study would be to see how much more you got out of an exotic back in the 80s vs a normal 80s sports car VS how much more you get out of an exotic today vs a normal sports car today. Today you can buy a Chevy (Z06) that's faster than a F-!