> > Toyota recently dipped their feet into this area with the MR2 Spyder,
and
> > other manufacturers have concept cars designed to retail for under
> > US$25,000.
>
> I saw the MR2 Spyder at the auto show-not a bad little car with all it's
150 hp. From the inside, it's comfortable, guages all arranged well-and a
better range of vision than the Miata. In the Miata, the post really blocks
center left vision-sort of annoying.
Wanna know a secret? I was part of the initial customer focus group that had
input on the MR2. As you may guess, I suggested they make it as
Spitfire-like as possible. The 3.2 cubic feet of storage space was *not* my
idea. I bought my wife a 2001 Celica GT while I was checking out the Spyder
at our local Toyota dealer.
> I also checked out the Honda S2000-whoa! That's a little beauty. ($30k
worth of beauty.) But, they wouldn't let anyone sit in it. I did cruise with
one down Pacific Coast Highway the day before-I think they were as curious
about me and Nigel as 'we' were about them!
I saw one in Wisconsin Dells with a Chicago license plate frame. It's nice,
but I can't help thinking it's a gussied-up Civic. (Albeit with a rocketship
engine.)
> The only other spyder I saw at the show for *around* $25,000
> was the Mitsubishi.
Ford, for one, is producing a cheap -I mean cheap, as in $12,000- two-seater
for the European market only. If you're wondering what it looks like,
consider that Audi filed a lawsuit claiming the design was a rip-off of the
TT.
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