What do you think is the next trend will be after Import Tuner FWD 4 cycl. cars?

I think the rally-car-look will the hot trend for the next couple of years but Im perplexed on what will follow it. While affordablity is key for a youth based trend to emerge, but the current Import racing scene was actually getting started way back in the early 90's. Back in 1990-1991 I was really into moding my Eagle Talon which nothing more then a rebadged Mitsu Eclipse. Back then parts for imports were hard to find and there were very few shops here in southern Calif that carried performance stuff for Mitsu's, Honda's, and etc (believe it or not).

The current import trend is really reaching its peak with all the mass-marketing from NOPI & APC and the over saturation of movies like the Fast and Furious movies is a sign that the end is near for the current trend. The new breed of hot-rodders will want to be unique and different from those who proceeded them and they will rebel against the over-glamorizing of the current import-scene as being fake.

The new breed of rodders will rebel to whatever the car manufactures try to push on them. The current import-scene was founded on an earlier underground racing scene of tuning cheap import car like Hondas, which ironically had no corporate backing or sponsoring (only until recently). The current import scene was founded on cheap imports but now those same imports are becoming expensive and now that insurance companies know what import cars will most likely get modified the insurance on those is becoming more and more expensive. You definately know when a scene is almost over when GM finally catches on ;-D

The next-breed scene is starting now and its most likely underground.

What do you think the next trend will be:

1. Japanese speed bikes (people are sick of the whole -import car scene and will get into fast bikes instead because they are cheaper)

2. The Racing is over and the new kids will buy used cheap-o land-yahts like 70's. 80's and early 90's Caddies and Lincolns and put huge 22inch wheels on the and just go cruising.

3. Small trucks will become the rage with their RWD and low insurance

4. The new breed will get back into old American muscle and 60's,70's,80's, and early 90's Camaros and Mustangs since they can be bought cheap and their are tons of cheap after market parts for those cars

5. The new-breed will not be able to afford real cars and instead they will just play online racing video games for real money

 

I'm thinking...new versions of old Muscle cars (and old ones too) and import bikes. You can see this formulating pretty well right in front of us...

 

Well, since the main criteria is that it has to be a slow, ugly, turd that they will want to polish......


It will probably revert back to 78 Mavericks, Pintos, Chevettes. With underbody lava lamp kits and 100 spoke Daytons.

 

The thing that made the current import scene popular was that the cars were cheap and they could make there cars look unique and different. Now all import tuner-cars are starting to look alike and you can get import performance parts at Pep-boys too. The next step is that you will be able to buy import performance parts at your local Texaco Gas-station for $99 and have it installed in 15 minutes and get a free sticker (im joking of course).

The stuff that makes modding a car fun is hunting for parts and doing something to your car that no one else has done.

People at least want to think they are unique even though most of them follow the mantra "Be different just like me!" which ironically isnt being different at all.

 

Every car line will converge into one company-wide crossover car/truck/SUV/van.

 

I'm hoping its custom vans! I've got some great ideas for how I want to do mine.

 

The thing about the trends of what young people like is that they aren't receptive to what auto companies say they should like. This is why, besides being butt-ugly, the Scion brand will fail miserably IMO. This is why the average age of a Honda Element buyer is somewhere around 40. Kids don't like to be told what's cool. Keeping that in mind, the next trend (if modding little Hondas really is coming to an end) will most likely be another very unpredictable one.

 

Rally cars.

 

#4. Its already happening, where I am anyway thats for sure. The whole ricer thing is going away here more and more, you see some, you just don't see many. ( ) Its getting so that you see a new musclecar here everyday that you never saw before from any years or Gen just driving around cruising or looking for some fun, and it is young dudes too. They seem to "get it" more now and there are just too many real fast cars here to make them see whats really up. Muscle/sportscars get all the attention, and they should. There's so many cruise nights here and there is and I mean this, no imports at them. Once in a while there will be 1 or 2 but its rare and doesn't really go over that.

Like you said, these are trends, (imports) but musclecars and true performance never go away. Even if there is some ridiculous BS going on at the same time.

 

I think its evident that the import scene is running through its phases. It started with underground racing, turned very mainstream and the "elite" moved on. In my eye the real racers have moved from the street to the track.

Now you have underground 'drifting' becoming the non-sport of choice. (yes I classify drifting with darts,pool and bowling) It's only a matter of time before drifting gets the lime light and people move on.

I almost wonder if the next trend will be cruisers. So many import guys are already more interested in their system and apperance of the car, it may be just a matter of time before they stop buying civics and start buying used audi's lexus's and caddy's.

 

My sister just graduated from High School...we have 9 years between us.

I was looking in her yearbook and it did have a pic of one "souped up" import. However, to my surprise, they had prominent pics of two F-bodies. 97 Trans-Am and a 3rd gen Camaro IROC.

I must say, I was surprised to say the least.

 

no, no, no.......cmon guys, you have it all wrong. you should have seen this comming. The next big thing will look like this.........


http://homepage2.nifty.com/ztath/starthp/subpage07.html

 

Hmmm .... jack up the rear of my Montana .... add some mags .... add a tear drop window in .... build a bed in the back (shagalishious) ... add the **** carpet (purple or other bright colours).... some great graphics ....

Wait a second ... that was high school ... sorry.

I could ensure by doing this that none of my teenage kids ever talk to me again (Insert evil laugh here)

Next trend ... I live on the wrong side of North America and too far north to postulate on this ... look down and to the left.

Ted

 

Those are transformers aren't they ....

Ted

 

Its a misconception that younger people don't like Camaros or Mustangs. I know from experiance that in HS, a Z28 was godlike because it whooped everyone else's rides and people would literially bow down when one pulled up at a late night gathering.
The trend will go towards whatever young people can afford to buy. If they can afford american muscle, then it'll be american muscle. If its still hondas/ect. then it'll be imports.