Question Of The Day: What Is The Biggest Unfulfilled Hole In The Market?

Jonny Lieberman
by Jonny Lieberman

While perusing the comments on the capsule SRT8 review, our own Karesh’s stood out, Specifically this part, “During media days at NAIAS I told every manufacturer who cared to listen (and a few who did not) that the largest unfilled hole in the market is a 3,000-pound RWD compact sedan with a base price in the mid-twenties.”There’s been talk for a while now about the joint Subaru-Toyota RWD Coupe (basically an AE86 replacement) that would sell for around $21,000 and have the drift kids pooping their pants with excitement. Sadly for them (and Hanes), it’s looking more and more like Toyota will be shelving that particular cheapie coupe until at least 2012, if not scrapping it altogether. So that particular hole in the market remains. Especially as the BMW 1-series is a joke in base trim and the twin-turbo edition is over $40,000. So yeah, I agree with Michael that right now a cheap, rear-driver coupe is the market’s gaping hole. You?

Jonny Lieberman
Jonny Lieberman

Cleanup driver for Team Black Metal V8olvo.

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  • T-truck T-truck on Jan 20, 2009

    Small wagon, small pickup and a diesel options for every size class.

  • Richmond Richmond on Jan 20, 2009

    [quote]flomulgator : January 20th, 2009 at 1:49 am Some great suggestions, but everyone is thinking of old cars (except the guy with the minivan comment). What about something completely different? Here’s my shot in the dark. FWD compact pickup. Straight vertical cab keeps it very short, city worthy, and all the weight on the front. FWD adds traction, efficiency. Obviously not intended for heavy loads, but that market is already well served. This gets the meat to the butcher at 40mpg (gas, diesel, hybrid and all electric powertrains, duh). What do the B&B think? [/quote] ford.com.mx (mexico)ford courier http://ford.com.mx/vehicles /homevehicle.asp?idModel=COU chevy tornado http://www.chevrolet.com.mx/content_data/LAAM/MX/es/GMMGM/showroom/chevrolet/modelos/tornado/diseno.html

  • Driver23 Driver23 on Jan 20, 2009

    AWD diesel wagon. Passat TDI maybe. However, I'd rather take Subaru or Honda.

  • Flomulgator Flomulgator on Jan 21, 2009

    Richmond, those are suprisingly close! I had no idea about the mexican market (go figure). I would still like a vertical cab and the engine choices, but still surprising what sort of good domestic cars you can find everywhere but the domestic market. What's the definition of irony again?

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