Norm I agree fully with your 'despair' relating to the way cars are going. For 'sports cars' manufacturers are focused on figures. Modern cars are insanely fast and full of gadgets and computers that means the average joe can claim they hit 0-60 in 4.5 secs and go it up to well over 160mph. A BMW 1 Series (M140) has performance that would put many a (possibly pre-2010) Ferrari and Lambo to shame.
What I find interesting is a spate of videos appearing on youtube.
The current cop of 'tubers are courted by the big brands and spend their days driving round in supercars supplied my manufacturers as they are seen as the new 'journalists'. They are spoiled and get to drive cars most people can only dream of driving. However an increasing number of them are doing videos in older cars and the interesting thing is how they rave about the involvement. Even they are starting to realise that you can't use the performance of modern cars on the road. They are starting to see the attraction of a simple car, with a manual box and no driver aids. They say you can enjoy the performance and use all of it. It's about having fun driving rather than being in a missile that will bend your mind with speed but is ultimately very clinical and detached.
But having said this people who like driving as an activity for fun are disappearing. Cars are now a utility that you pay for like gas/elec/internet/phone etc. They are functional items that allow you to be mobile. We have friends with 3 kids, all over 18 and none of them have passed their tests or show any interest in it. What was a rite of passage in my day now seems to be something that's not needed, especially if you live in a city.
As someone who has always been into cars it's all a bit depressing.....
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