What cars, in your view, are pointless?

[Sage Ages]

The G80 is a completely different price range (and presumably a different target audience) altogether.

 

[Turbo]

The G80 is a completely different price range (and presumably a different target audience) altogether.

Still, wouldn't it make more sense to buy the highest trim Sonata instead of the Azera?

 

[ProjectWHaT]

Still, wouldn't it make more sense to buy the highest trim Sonata instead of the Azera?

It's the same reason people buy an Infiniti instead of a Nissan or a Lexus instead of a Toyota.

 

[Turbo]

But... it's still a Hyundai. People don't buy Hyundais to show off their status. I get what you're saying about Nissan/Infiniti and Toyota/Lexus, people will buy an entry-level ES instead of a fully-optioned Camry because of the brand name, even if the Camry is a much better bargain.

 

[Sage Ages]

From what I can tell, the Azera is better equipped than the Sonata, even with options. So again, different price bracket.

 

[Turbo]

From what I can tell, the Azera is better equipped than the Sonata, even with options. So again, different price bracket.

Fair enough.

 

[MedigoFlame]

I would say the Azera and it's Kia twin, the Cadenza are meant to compete with the Toyota Avalon and Nissan Maxima lineup. Not entirely pointless.

 

[Murcie_LP640]

if they sell in the great abundance with which they do

Which is generally because the people buying them want something that appears to be all things to all (wo)men. They want something that looks sporty and fast that also sits higher off the ground so they can peer over the peasants in regular sedans, even though a) those things are polar opposites and b) there's so many SUVs on the road these days that you're looking directly at the next SUVs roofline rather than above a sedan.

That and keeping up with the Joneses is srs bsns.

 

[Inferno251]

You add another axle to it on the back.

To be fair the 6x6 does have purpose...as a military vehicle

 

[McLaren]

To be fair the 6x6 does have purpose...as a military vehicle

The 6x6 I posted, is not the same as the Aussie variant. It was not even offered there.

https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-news/mercedes-benz-g63-amg-6x6-not-for-us-22824

Despite its resemblance to the 6X6 G-wagon used by the Australian Army, the Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG 6X6 isn't coming here.

And it shares almost no drivetrain components with any of the other G-Class vehicles. "It has a very complicated drivetrain and chassis," Stamoulis says. "It has absolutely no relation to the other G-Class vehicles including the 6X6 G-wagon used by the Australian Army. The G63 is a complex, super-articulated machine designed for extreme off-road conditions."

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

The Ford GT's 'hidden' cage is certified legal for tracks. Harnesses are available for the car through the Ford Racing catalog; the mounts are already installed in the car from the factory. Fire extinguishers can be purchased in the aftermarket (SafeCraft is popular with the GT crowd) and are easy to remove for the street (I don't know whether those are street-legal).

What you're talking about and what Dodge would need to be NHRA legal are two very different things.

But... it's still a Hyundai. People don't buy Hyundais to show off their status. I get what you're saying about Nissan/Infiniti and Toyota/Lexus, people will buy an entry-level ES instead of a fully-optioned Camry because of the brand name, even if the Camry is a much better bargain.

Sure they do...or the Genesis branding wouldn't be up and coming challenger to the Lexus and Infiniti of the world. There is no reason to buy a Genesis when you can get a perfectly good Sonata for 20-30k less. That's why there is a car inbetween the highest trim Sonata and Genesis...for people who want a car of that size but don't have the ability to spend Genesis money.

 

[ProjectWHaT]

But... it's still a Hyundai. People don't buy Hyundais to show off their status. I get what you're saying about Nissan/Infiniti and Toyota/Lexus, people will buy an entry-level ES instead of a fully-optioned Camry because of the brand name, even if the Camry is a much better bargain.

Well from this article, Genesis has already gotten 15,000 sales in their first ten months. Most of them are from Lexus so there's definitely a large market of high end Asian luxury cars. I'm okay with it. More competition is always better.

 

[Inferno251]

The 6x6 I posted, is not the same as the Aussie variant. It was not even offered there.

https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-news/mercedes-benz-g63-amg-6x6-not-for-us-22824

Then fair enough, that one you chose is pointless :/

 

[MedigoFlame]

Cadillac ELR. There was one that sat at my local dealer for 2 years.

 

[EngieDiesel]

The Chevrolet SSR is a pretty pointless thing. For the first two years it existed (2003-2004), it was only available with a 4-speed automatic. Despite looking like a pickup it has no actual bed since that area is used to stow the hardtop, and they were priced over $40,000 which was pretty ridiculous since you could get a Corvette for only about $10k more.

In 2005 they gave it an LS2 engine and a 6-speed manual as options, but by that point nobody cared, and GM killed it off by shutting down the factory where they were being built at. To this day I'm still not sure who the target demographic was.

 

[Inferno251]

Last weeks GTP cool wall entry is pretty pointless to me:

2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon nominated by @Turbo

Body Style: 2-door coupé
Engine: 6.2L V8, equipped with 2.7L supercharger
Power: 808 - 840 hp
Torque: 770 lb-ft
Weight: 1930 kg
Transmission: 8-speed semi-automatic
Drivetrain: Front-engine, rear-wheel drive
Additional Info: World's most powerful and quickest production muscle car to date. Has a 0-60 time of 2.3 seconds. Has the fastest 0-60 time for any non-electric powered production vehicle. Price will be under $100,000, and only 3,300 will be produced, all of which will be sold in North America. The Demon is banned from participating in any NHRA event.​

What exactly is the point of having a drag car that is banned from NHRA events?
And why the obsession with power?

 

[Northstar]

And why the obsession with power?

There isn't much else you can do to a 9 year old brick that will make it seem fresh.

 

[Inferno251]

There isn't much else you can do to a 9 year old brick that will make it seem fresh.

True that. I think your quote from that thread pretty much sums it up

 

[homeforsummer]

Cadillac ELR. There was one that sat at my local dealer for 2 years.

The ELR wasn't pointless, just misguided.

The idea of something as broadly talented as a Chevy Volt but with more interesting styling, more luxury and a little more performance is quite a good one. Cadillac's problem was trying to sell it at $75k new, which was double what a Volt cost (when you definitely weren't getting double the car), and well into Tesla territory.

Had Cadillac managed to get it out the door for maybe $50k they could have been onto something.

 

[RandomCarGuy17]

These things:

 

[Tornado]

What exactly is the point of having a drag car that is banned from NHRA events?

Because it isn't banned from NHRA events, nor are NHRA events on NHRA drag strips the only thing you can take the Hellcat to in the first place. This was already explained in the thread you are coming from, and the conversation in this thread when someone said something similar was also linked in that thread.

 

[Cowboy]

I don't really see the point of these

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

I don't really see the point of these

View attachment 657622

I'm more confused on how a C-max is pointless, or those in the same range. Why is it pointless to you to begin with?

 

[Joey D]

I don't really see the point of these

View attachment 657622

I always though putting a hybrid drive train in a Focus made more sense than building an entirely new vehicle on the Focus platform that was slightly taller, especially when the Escape exists.

 

[Cowboy]

I'm more confused on how a C-max is pointless, or those in the same range. Why is it pointless to you to begin with?

Like what cars can it compete with? I've never seen one anywhere near where I live, nor have I ever really seen it advertised anywhere.

I dunno, it just seems pointless to me.

 

[Tornado]

Like what cars can it compete with?

Prius V.

 

[Turbo]

I don't really see the point of these

View attachment 657622

To suggest that those are pointless is quite frankly, borderline silly. Some buyers want a hybrid crossover/family vehicle, but a regular Prius is too small for their needs and they don't have the money to spend on a Highlander Hybrid. The C-Max and Prius-V are the vehicles that appeal to that niche.

 

[MedigoFlame]

The ELR wasn't pointless, just misguided.

The idea of something as broadly talented as a Chevy Volt but with more interesting styling, more luxury and a little more performance is quite a good one. Cadillac's problem was trying to sell it at $75k new, which was double what a Volt cost (when you definitely weren't getting double the car), and well into Tesla territory.

Had Cadillac managed to get it out the door for maybe $50k they could have been onto something.

I never really found it that attractive, considering that Cadillac coupes were iffy at that time. Like the CTS coupe. But considering that most luxury brands do the same sort of 'take a mainstream model and add a bit to it' formula, it works. I've just never really liked the fact that it's a less practical Chevrolet Volt that's trying to be a green luxury statement.

 

[homeforsummer]

I always though putting a hybrid drive train in a Focus made more sense than building an entirely new vehicle on the Focus platform that was slightly taller, especially when the Escape exists.

It wasn't really an entirely new vehicle - the C-Max had existed in other markets for quite a while before it arrived in the States. The choice between Focus and C-Max was probably based on the latter having more underfloor space for batteries without harming interior volume.

I've just never really liked the fact that it's a less practical Chevrolet Volt that's trying to be a green luxury statement.

Which isn't the same as it being pointless - since clearly, some people are able to cope with less practicality, may want more luxury, and there's almost certainly a Venn diagram out there that includes both those things plus a desire to either not spend a fortune on gas or reduce the environmental impact of their driving.

 

[MedigoFlame]

Which isn't the same as it being pointless - since clearly, some people are able to cope with less practicality, may want more luxury, and there's almost certainly a Venn diagram out there that includes both those things plus a desire to either not spend a fortune on gas or reduce the environmental impact of their driving.

I'll accept it then. But as you said, it was probably the price that made it hard to swallow for many.