Do you think the 2012 C7 Corvette or the next-gen Viper will be producing 600+HP?

Do think the “Laws of Diminishing returns” will start to become more evident as increased HP starts to provide only minor performance increases?

Will HP keep on increasing on each next generation car or is HP-levels starting to reach levels of absurdity?

If HP is starting to reach levels of absurdity is absurdity such a bad thing?

 

No. Sooner or later somethings bound to happen to yank things back.

In the begining of the1960s, everyone was downsizing & pulling out of racing. In begining of the 1970s, performance stopped selling BEFORE the energy crisis & tough emissions (a often forgotten fact!). Performance was yanked back once again at the start of the 1980s (Mustang, F-bodies, Corvettes, and Chrysler's F-bodies...Volare & Aspen, all way slower in 1980 than just 2 years before!).

We have actually had a pretty historic run of performance since 1982. Besides progressively quicker Camaros, Mustangs, and Corvettes, you could pick almost any car from family sedans to luxury cars, and they all have evolved in horsepower.

But things always get yanked back after things get really fun and the market gets saturated. Looking at the performance boom of the late 50's, 60s, 70s, and the next few years, better start grabbing these cars soon!

 

I guess a person has to ask themselves what would pull things back?

1. Rocketing insurance rates?
2. Rocketing gas prices?
3. Rocketing car pices?
4. A longterm economic recession/depression?
5. The market changes- People will no longer pay a premium for extra HP or performance since it does not provide any advantage when driving in traffic?
6. All the above?

 

Insurance is a car by car deal. The younger the buyer and higher the incidence of loss statistics rule this, not HP. As an example, my insurance dropped when going from a Z28 to a Corvette hardtop, and didn't change when going to a Z06.. Value of the vehicle replacement is a small factor as is HP, the type of person, such as age and marital status, combined with statistics of how likely it is they will screw up in a particular type car is what runs rates up.

Gas prices? Nope Availability? Yep.
Don't think so. However, price always runs some folks off. Fast cars have never been "cheap" though some are particular bargains when compared to others.
Nope..we're in one now... see any "slowdown"?
Never been the case and never will.

A possible stopper is something you haven't mentioned. Legislation... with folks bringing suits against fat in hamburgers and other silly stuff, don't be shocked if the lawyers or the government decides you shouldn't be able to spend your money on the kind of car you'd like. Were the government inclined to legislate power to weight that would be all she wrote.

 

I've heard a 600HP V10 Hemi is in development for the Viper.

I don't think gas prices are a problem, over 50% ove the new vehicles sold in the US are trucks/SUVs/vans all of which use more gas than a LS1 Camaro or Z06.

I think the move to hybrid will probably hurt performance for a short time

 

I doubt people who could afford 60-90+k cars would be too worried about gas prices and insurance costs. They've got some very deep pockets if you know what i mean. Those cars are also produced in limited #'s. We aren't talking about your grandmothers camry/sable here.

Ferrari's been making 500+ hp car for atleast the last decade, and i doubt that's going to stop or change anytime soon. Gas crunch or not, they'll still make em and sell them.

I expect the low volume sem-exotics and exotics to keep their higher #'s, the lower high volume performance cars like mustang and camaro would be affected though.

 

1. In a way. But some of the highest insurence rates are paid by 18 year olds driving anything with a turbo on it, and that hasn't stopped them.
2. If that were an issue, SUV sales would have dropped like bricks last winter.
3. Again, using SUVs as an example, don't think so.
4. I feel something like that would affect all car purchases.
5. This is where I'd put my money, since it's happened before.

 

While any of the 1-4 doomsday scenerios could happen it very unlikely to effect car purchases significantly unless they all happened together.

I would think that HP levels could peak for while after the baby boomers have exhausted their purchases of trophy cars and trophy homes as they are doing now. Many baby boomers are in their peak earning years right now and many will begin retiring over the next 10 years and their income will decrease as well.

Gen-X (my generation) is much smaller in size then the baby boomers and therefore we will not be able to drive the market-place to the degree as the baby boomer that proceeeded us. This shift in age/population in conjunction with a reductions of incomes could be the factor that could cause significant changes.

On a postive note Gen-Y is not only much larger then gen-x but it appears that gen-y will be even larger in population then the babyboomers and this is why so many car corps are creating youth-brands (Scion anyone?) in the attempt grab market share in what could be the largest economic driving force in US history.


Age/population/income shifts often have way more influence on economic or social changes then most think.

 

I'd fall within the Gen-Y category, and can't help but notice how ugly these "supposed" Youth cars are. That's an insult to our tastes. Then again, we are the generation that has popularized rice. The funny thing is...only the oldies are buying these so called "youthful Gen-Y" cars.

 

Its funny how gen-xers and baby boomers are the ones buying these gen-y youth cars. Many of these gen-y youth cars have become the mid-life crisis cars for those who cant afford corvettes and other expensive cars but want to be young again.

These age/population shifts dictate automotive trends more then advertising or government legislation. All too often advertisers and especially government legislators are behind the bell-curve when it comes dictating what people want to buy. Often people (the consumer) have already chosen what they want and advertisers and legislators just try to play catch-up and pretend they are actually infuencing the market-place more then they really are.

 

Just recently I believe it was Bob Lutz who was asked in an interview what power level he thought was the maximum for a "street car", and he said 700hp if I remember correctly. The quote was posted on this board a little while ago.

 

I think the new Ferrari Enzo is producing around 650 HP.

 

the Cadillac Cien's XV12 was rated at 750hp and we all know the Cadillac Sixteen's V16 was rated at 1000hp