Just wondering why only a few years ago after the announcement that the camaro/firebird would be discontinued and even a few years before that the true sports car market seemed dead. What made manufacturers decide they could start selling powerful RW Drive cars again? (some I guess are AWD.)

(350 Z, RX8, Crossfire, GTO, Lancer Evo, WRX STi, etc. and many more that seem to be on the way...SS, solstice, etc.)

I remember a few years ago the talk was that the market was maturing and all people wanted anymore was SUV's.

Don't get me wrong, I'm excited about how things are going, but why the new musclecar era???

i dunno about musclecar era, but i understand what you mean. Regarding jap car makers, i see this new slew of cars as an effort to raise brand image. This comes after that horrible economic time that killed many of our beloved cars (supra, rx8 etc), a revival if you will. And when your competition is rising, you better get off your ass and do the same - thats what ford and them are doing with redesigned mustang (about time! :mad: ) , etc.

anyways, thats my take

Unfortunately, anytime there is an emergence of a gaggle of sports cars the economy seems to have tanked a year earlier and stays in the tank for enough years to force the auto makers to withdraw their sports cars from the market.

Basically huge organizations, like car companies, move at a glacial pace. After the economy was kicking butt for about six years they all said; "hey we are doing good and the public is flush with cash/credit, we can make money on sports cars". By the time they studied, had a billion meetings, designed and built the cars the economy is on a down cycle. This cycle has repeated itself three times.

Originally posted by ohhno15
What made manufacturers decide they could start selling powerful RW Drive cars again?

"Stabilty Control", otherwise known as 'yaw' control. Gives the inept driver a set of automagic 'fast hands' to catch a drifting rear end.