[TastyBake]

Originally Posted by Number 3

Well two issues in the same question.

Is this the best crop of cars for enthusiasts ever? Likely yes. Technology has certainly improved the breed. Modern cars are far safer, stop better, are far more reliable, better performance by far all around. Compare any car available now that was available 15, 25 even 50 years ago. 63 Corvette vs. 2014? Yes there are people that would still pick the 63 (a split window would be very sweet to own) but the C7 is far more car in every respect except styling and nostalgia. A 73 Camaro or a C5? Not much of a question there.

The big issue in past vs. present was back then you could get a big block in a Corvette, a Camaro, a Monte Carlo, a Chevelle on and on and that was just the Chevy choices. Buick GS, Pontiac LeMans and GTO, Trans Am, Oldsmobile on and on.

Today you are far more limited. A real performance car from Chevy is Corvette, Camaro or SS. From Buick? Best you can get has a 2.0L Turbo. Corvette on the other hand has provided far better choices today than through out it's history. V and now V-sport are awesome performance cars.

Now for the more important part of the discussion, at least for me, is this the best generation of car enthusiasts? And I have to say NO, it is not. Kids today are far less into cars as a performance entity than when I was in High School. Yes, a car still provides status, but there are far fewer in their teens and twenties that are truly into cars as a performance tool, to be lusted for, objectified and driven.

I know this site has a huge younger following and many will say I'm not seeing this clearly, but as always, your audience here are all car enthusiasts. That's why you come here. I do keep up with a few family and friends kids on FB and I can't recall any of them posting a picture of a car or their car in any way shape or form. A very low sample size mind you but it's just not what I see younger folks being into.

Great discussion.

High gas prices and insurance cost migrated the concept of horsepower to the looks of cars. Also racing in the street is less popular as due to more culture awareness of safety.

Clothes and tech are more the "in" than cars. Some want basic transportation. (Which is good for us!!)