1. driving
Performance Car Revival
Driving InstructorDriving Instructor48
MORE THAN
WHAT MEETS
THE EYE
THE DETROIT MOTOR SHOW HERALDED THE POSSIBLY RE-
BIRTH OF THE NEGLECTED SPORTS CAR MARKET TO AID CAR
DEVELOPMENT ACCORDING TO FROST & SULLIVAN CONSULTANTS
BENNY DANIEL AND NATALIE SAUBER

2. Driving Instructor 49
Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are reviving this segment
by using it as a flagship model and halo to communicate new concepts
through an exciting sports car bringing back focus on things that really
matter. At this year’s Detroit Motor Show, there was an exemplary
showcase of opposing approaches taken by two OEMs showcasing
their new sports cars; the Honda Acura NSX and the Ford Mustang.
The Honda Acura NSX was developed under the public eye with two
sporadic concept versions since 2012, the successor to the original
NSX showcased 25 years ago. To cut to the chase, the NSX is a sure
attempt to revive the Acura brand by using the NSX as a technology
testbed for the remaining Acura models.
On the other hand, the Ford GT rose like a Dark Knight, secretly
created in a basement of the company and its possible existence denied
by many OEMS; albeit not coming as a complete surprise. Both models
were displayed almost next to each other in Detroit, and it was the GT
that managed to steal the NSX’s spotlight somehow.
Both the NSX and the GT debuts followed a year of fascinating high-
performance and supercar launches, such as; Chevrolet Corvette Z06,
Porsche 918 Spyder, Ferrari LaFerrari, and the McLaren P1. Some of
you might remember the rather sombre speech which Ian Robertson,
BMW’s head of sales, delivered only last November stating that “post-
2008, it [sports car segment] just collapsed. I’m not so sure it’ll ever fully
recover”. Now why would BMW admit to such defeat when in reality
even the premium brand itself is eagerly working to revive its own sports
car segment, the Z line-up?
Amongst the most prominent reason for decline in sports cars are the
changes in buyer’s taste, with North America and European consumers
now favouring SUVs and crossovers. US SUV sales for the year 2014,
has exceeded 1.5 million for the first time since the 2007. Sales of US
crossovers for the same year exceeded 3.8 million. In China, number
plates are limited (one per household) and thus the public is left to either
raffle or attain their plates via auctions. If you only get to own one car,
you’d be wanting to go for the prevalent and most versatile model out
there; which, incidentally is why China has become the largest market for
the Mercedes GL.
Lastly, the market sees more niche products (e.g. BMW X4, Audi A3)
made available for the “young‚ urban upwardly mobile professionals”
to choose from. These are only a few factors that contribute to the
diminishing role of the car being seen as a pure status symbol. This
leaves little room for sports cars and makes their come back a tough
business to be in. From a traditional view point that is. But what
if we were to look at this doomed segment in a new and different
light? Perhaps it then becomes clear that OEMs have no intention of
leaving this lucrative segment alone but are utilising the core elements
(advanced technologies, innovative materials, alternative powertrains)
and introducing them to other segments and creating up sale
opportunities for special models.
RADITIONALLY, MOTOR SHOWS are platforms to showcase new product models, innovative technologies, materials,
alternative powertrains, and, lately, even new concept measures addressing environmental regulations. It is a boredom cliché so
to speak where lately electronic shows; such as, the CES, are leveraged to announce more exciting initiatives such as human
machine interface, autonomous driving technologies, etc. However, what was eye catching at the Detroit Motor Show was the
premium sports car segment making those old cliché announcements exciting once again. Was there more that the sports car of
today was trying to communicate?
T
Segment revival Setting the scene:
Changing car role
The NSX has two additional electric motors attacehd to its front wheels
The Chevrolet Volt had a
redesign
Chevy claims the Volt can
average more than 900 miles

3. driving
Driving InstructorDriving Instructor50
Frost & Sullivan believes BMW is looking
to reinvent its Z line-up creating a new
standard of avant-garde and seductive
models. Models which are currently being
hotly debated are the Z1, Z3 Z5 and the
Z7. The Z line-up will benefit from the
materials showcased in the ibrand such as
carbon fibre mixed with high strength steel,
magnesium, aluminium and thermoplastic.
End element 17 Start element 18
BMW’s sombre outlook on the falling
sports car segment, accounts as a key
contributing factor considering shared
development costs on a new mid-size
sports car and thus teaming up with Toyota
Motor Corporation to do exactly that. Both
confirmed that the project ‘Silk I and Silk
II’ has moved to the concept stage after
completing a feasibility study. The project
is within a broader partnership that also
includes co-operation on fuel cells and
lightweight technology.
Premium
Sports Car –
BMW ibrand
Acura launched the new NSX earlier this year, a three-motor
hybrid with a mid mounted twin-turbo V-6 engine. Unlike
traditional hybrids, the NSX has two additional electric motors
attached to its front wheels, adding additional power and
control. A third electric motor is sat between the engine and
transmission, supplying even more power. A possible power
output of 500bhp is anticipated, which outstrips its closest
modern equivalent, the BMW i8. This makes the NSX target
the Ferrari 458 Italia in terms of performance.
The body and frame are composed of aluminium, carbon
fibre and sheet moulding composites. Although the price
hasn’t officially been confirmed until it goes on sale later this
year, it is likely to fall in the $120,000 to $180,000 range.
Head of Acura Mike Accavitti says: “We’ll use the NSX to
sell Acura. In time, we’ll have to market NSXs to sell NSXs.
Evidentially, the NSX will be used to revive the Acura brand
and serve as a ‘halo’ vehicle that invites the customer to
buy into the brand whilst instilling the entire brand with a
rejuvenated performance image.” Sounds familiar? If only
there wasn’t a German premium OEM having done the exact
same thing but a year sooner.
From a design perspective however, the NSX does stand
out against all competitors as for the first time in the sports
car history, a supercar’s design can be accredited to a
woman. Michelle Christensen, an Art Centre College of
Design graduate, got scooped up by Honda immediately after
graduation. She was given clear instructions on how the NSX
was to look; the aim was to keep an “emotional, 3-D kind of
feeling” and the NSX is exactly that.
We have heard it again and again; the traditional
automotive industry is evolving. One of the contributing
factors is a steady trend of more and more women crossing
over into design and engineering roles, previously dominated
by their male counterparts. The NSX’s new design is an
exemplary showcase of more women entering senior
management levels in the automotive industry.
Honda Acura NSX (2015)
The left-hand Ford Mustang is winging its way to the UK
The Acura was designed by
Michelle Christensen

4. Driving Instructor 51
Potential outcomes for both BMW and Toyota are as follows. The
newly developed platform is radically accommodating and flexible for
both OEMs. Allowing for the development of a mid-engine, mainstream
two-seater disguised as a plug-in hybrid sports car with a six-cylinder
engine. Rear-end and all-wheel drive platform capable of supporting
four-cylinder, six-cylinder and V8 engines, both for front and midsize
placement. From a design stand point there are multiple versions to be
made from all able to support a two-seater, drop top or coupe. BMW
will take the lead by replacing the Z4 with the new Z5 with a possible
Hybrid eDrive. Furthermore, the 6 Series Coupe will reap its benefits
from this joint venture as it is deemed to become a direct competitor to
the Porsche 911.
Joint Venture of BMW and Toyota
There is a paradigm shift in the purpose of the sports car and as such,
many premium OEMs are now using the image of the sports car to
revive their own flagship image. This has already been seen in practice
and is soon to be replicated by other OEMs in an attempt to close the
gap. There will be no more traditional sedans and sport cars will act
as the main testbed for innovation technologies especially for material,
intelligent design and powertrain. The halo created by innovative light
weighting philosophy and the associated technology is used by some
of the leading OEMs to span across entire model line-ups. Greener
technologies will become the norm, as evident from the latest Detroit
Motor Show where a number of greener sport cars were showcased,
with the Chevrolet showing a redesigned Volt plug-in hybrid, Hyundai
unveiled both hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the Sonata and
Mercedes-Benz launched the 2016 C350 plug-in hybrid. Innovative
and forward thinking technologies are finally coming around to the
performance car segment, developing cars painted with a slighter
‘greener’ brush. The sports car of the future is destined to become the
flagship model and technology testbed by creating a halo that takes
expensive niche propositions to mass market them across their
traditional model line up in a phased manner.
Ford revealed the GT’s 3.5-litre, twin-turbocharged
EcoBoost V-6 engine in Detroit earlier this year.
Following a more traditional route, Ford had located
the engine in the middle powering the rear wheels
through an automatic gearbox. Although not officially
confirmed, the GT is said to produce more than
600 horsepower and is likely to be priced in the
$200,000-and-above range. Ford goes on and
promises: “The GT will exhibit one of the best
power-to-weight ratios of any production car.” It
goes without saying that materials play a paramount
role in the development of this car with carbon
fibre, aluminium and other lightweight materials only
supporting Ford’s statement of being at the cutting
edge of performance and innovation. The GT is the
flagship model of the new Ford Performance division;
all in line with plans of releasing 12 new models
by 2020, including the F-150 Raptor and Mustang
Shelby GT 350R.
The GT rides on new lightweight materials, which
ultimately brings us to think about BMW and their sub
brand BMW i. The ibrand exemplifies the motto of
Efficient Dynamics made sustainable to comply with
BMW’s Strategy ONE. BMW’s i8 is purposely placed
as the flagship model not only for the entire ibrand
but more so used as a halo vehicle with carbon fibre
reinforced plastic technologies already trickling down
to other core models including the MINI and X brand.
American Muscle –
Ford GT (2015)
On a concluding note
Ford GT emerged from the
design shafdows
It has one of the best production
power-to-weight ratios