Jimmies

It's not the power I'm talking about, it's the visceral appeal. To me half the fun of performance cars is the sounds, the smells, and the vibrations. Sure, that electric dragster is quick, but I'd rather ride in a slower 9 second 572" 13:1 compression Chevelle that both deafens you and rattles your teeth loose at idle.

You can't honestly tell me you'd find a Ferrari as thrilling if it were silent, right?

I'm a petrol head through and through, but I understand the need to move on to the next energy source. I'm just saddened by it is all.

bjohnston

32 here. I don't have huge plans for car purchases in the future. Before I am 40, though, I would like to order a new 911S (I think I would buy new and live with the horrible depreciation so that I can take advantage of the mile-long options list and end up with a 911 that doesn't look like every other silver, grey, or black one on the road) and keep it forever. I have always like Corvettes too, so maybe someday I would add a Corvette (used since there are limited options and tons of garage queens available) and keep it forever too. For the daily driver, I'll probably just lease nice near-lux or mid-lux sedans (my next car will likely be a G37S). So, I am guessing I may be driving a 30 year-old 911S and somewhat old Corvette and leased sedan of some description when I am 65.

amik

You're right. I love the sound of a nice engine. An original AC cobra with a 427 side oiler at WOT being my favorite personal experience. That said I'll still probably take the fastest car around a track in just about any given situation, though you have a very good point and there would probably be exceptions.

I think my love of those sounds, smells, etc. are due to their association with high performance. When I hear a big ass diesel with a 5" exhaust get going I don't really get that same excitement (despite the copious power and fuel consumption) because I make no mental association with exciting performance. I think electric cars will give us some new sensory experiences to associate with high performance and I bet many of us will grow to enjoy those as well.

Instead of nice headers, or dual carbs causing me too oooh and ahhh when someone pops the hood, maybe in the future I'll have the same reaction to beefy windings and permanent magnets. Instead of petrol heads maybe we'll have kilowatt jockeys.

I'll be sad to see us move away from oil as well. Mostly because of the wonderful pieces of art that we'll be leaving behind. The good news is that gas will be around for those of us willing to bear the price. I'll be happy to pay $20 a gallon to drive my high performance internal combustion cars once in a while, those cars just won't be economically viable as daily drivers.

QUIKAG

amik, very good thoughts. Since we associate performance with the awesome sounds of a Ferrari, Corvette, Lambo, etc. at full shriek, I think we will all come to love the unique sounds of very powerful electric motors and the gears whining away as we rocket off into the sunset. Internal combustion engines will suddenly sound old school and archaic.

That said, I plan to enjoy the roar of my inefficient screaming LS3 for as long as possible.

tof

Probably a low mileage '10 or '11 GTR. That will be in six years. I doubt I'll be able to afford to keep the S and get a GTR as well.

LittleBluePill

Hopefully my trophy wife.

rwheelz

I saw a new black LS600hL today, and I was actually thinking to myself "if I were 30 years older I'd probably be driving one of those"... I was in my STI.

Jacques79

40 years from now is impossible for me to predict...

Diablo99V

I will be driven around. Hard to say we will be legally able to drive then.

cbehney

I can state for a fact that I'll still be driving a MY08 triple black 997 cabriolet 6M, since I'm only a few years from 65.