North Star

I'm really giving them the benefit of the doubt and hoping they don't drop the ball on this.

Yeah, what was Toyota thinking with the MR-S? The least they could have done was use Celica motor in the MR-S, that would have made a very agile competitor!

It better not get the MR-S treatment!

suzukawoods

I would love to see another small and affordable mid-engine sports cars from Toyota!

Mr.E.G.

i may be all alone here, but i would much rather have an ideal chassis than an ideal engine/ power output.

if this thing weighs 2600 lbs and is rwd with four wheel independent suspension (mac struts are good enough) they can give it a freaking 1.3 liter engine for all i care.

a weak sauce engine has never been a handicap i couldnt work around.

however, let's say they go the other way and make a rwd mazda speed 3, (heavy big car that has a bunch of power) i wont be interested.

give me light, rwd, and nimble and i will worry about the power.

Mr.E.G.

although the mrs would have been awesome with the 2zz, i think the mrs had enough positives that i can forget about the lack of power. that's just me though.

protokultur

I'm not sure if it would be any different the other way 'round. But does Subie know how to make a small, light RWD car?

fusionchickenleg

subies know how to make lighter cars as the GC chassis testifies. yeah today's standards are completely different though.

i'm hoping the chassis and tranny developed by toyota mated to an EJ turbo motor. WRX (new 265hp version ) power in a 2600 lbs car will be freaking sweet. i'd imagine it to feel like my car (05 sti 300hp in a 2800 lbs chassis) but with a much nicer interior and solid build

TheDonEffect

Based on your criteria, the 240sx is perfect for you. It ways just a few ticks over 2600lbs, independent suspension, rwd, and a buttload of ways to make it go and turn faster, and you won't even need to spend over 4 grand for a fastback or 7 grand for a s14.
The Mazdaspeed3 weighs <3200lbs with five doors and full interior, which compared to cars like the EG is very heavy but in today's terms is considered ok. I think subayota's goal for weight should be get it at or under the SI's weight (<2900). The SI has a great, rock solid chassis, spacious interior, and all the options I care about. Granted, they will have to factor in a rwd drivetrain so the interior volume won't be as huge; which is what I hope because I don't want them to make the car dimensionally bigger just so that mr. I cant put my fork down (like me) will be comfortable when he bums a ride from me.
It may be possible, current gen WRX weighs just under 3200lbs with five doors and awd. Take off the doors, take out the fwd stuff and they should be around 3000-3100. But then again, the 93-01 imprezas' weight difference between the sedan and coupe were neligible.
A person can only hope, <sigh>.

EP Heart

I think one of the big reasons why the FG Si is such a relative bargain compared to the EP3 at MSRP is because they had to import all EP3s from the UK. Yes, you get a lot more standard equipment with the FG but the EP3 probably would've been around the EM Si's MSRP of $17k if it were built domestically (like the EM and FG), which wouldn't have been as bad.

Also, the lack of sales were also partly due to most people disliking the way the EP3 looked. That plus the high MSRP for lackluster content allowed the both of us and many more to buy them at a heavy discount.

So, I would agree that Honda learned their lesson and cut us off from a Civic hatch again and make the Si a coupe (and sedan). I think that they were listening to enthusiast demand for a Si hatch when the EM was selling, though, so who knows what they're really learning...

Mr.E.G.

well, i don't need a 240 because i have a boosted miata which is better in every way known to man.

but, yes you are correct. i would like to see this car more along the lines of a modernized version of the 240 more so than another gigantic (both dimensionally and in terms of mass) sport compact.

i totally see what you are saying and i dont wish to sound like i am disputing it, but people are always quick to play the "new cars are heavier" card whilst chalking it all up to safety standards and equipment. certainly the extra airbags and just extra standard equipment in general makes modern cars heavier than cars of the 90's but i would say that the main reason for the extra weight is that they just keep getting bigger and bigger and bigger.

i dont think they should waste their time selling something as small as an mr-s but i dont think it needs to be as big as the modern civic, mazda 3, etc.

it would be so much easier to make the car lighter if it just wasnt so huge.

also, iirc, i thought the mazda speed 3 was over 3300 lbs. i dont care how you slice it, that is a ton of weight for a fwd car.

im surprised that the 5 door wrx weighs so little. that gives me hope. lol

North Star

[QUOTE=Mr.E.G.,Aug 28 2008, 05:22 AM] well, i don't need a 240 because i have a boosted miata which is better in every way known to man.