BMW says SUVs killed the sports car market
 

<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/convertibles/" rel="tag">Convertible</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/sports/" rel="tag">Performance</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/bmw/" rel="tag">BMW</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/earnings-financials/" rel="tag">Earnings/Financials</a></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2014-bmw-z4-sdrive35is-quick-spin/"><img alt="2014 BMW Z4" data-credit="AOL" data-credit-link-back="undefined" data-mep="557041" src="http://o.aolcdn.com/dims-shared/dims3/GLOB/crop/1249x829+20+0/resize/628x417!/format/jpg/quality/85/http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/midas/d383b59824df78f3bfbf0fa09 43a7842/201076805/001-2014-bmw-z4-quick-spin.jpg" /></a><br />
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In many ways, we're living in a golden age of automotive performance. After all, it's possible to show up at a <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/dodge/">Dodge</a> dealer, hand over about $60,000 and storm away with a 707-horsepower <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/dodge+challenger+srt+hell cat/">Challenger Hellcat</a>. Or for those who prefer a touch more luxury, the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/bmw/m4/">BMW M4</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/mercedes-amg+c63/">Mercedes-AMG C63</a> and latest <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2014/11/11/2016-cadillac-ats-v-450-hp-pics-leak/">Cadillac ATS-V</a> offer between 425 and 503 horsepower, depending on your pick, with a bit more poshness. However, none of these powerful vehicles fit the classic definition of a two-place, droptop sports car, and according <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/bmw/">BMW</a> head of sales Ian Robertson, that's because the segment is very much in the doldrums.<br />
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According to Robertson, two factors seriously wounded the classic sports car market. First, <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-11/bmw-sees-sports-car-heyday-over-as-super-rich-eyes-wander.html">the global economic crisis of a few years ago put a serious hurt on sales</a>, according to <em>Bloomberg</em>. Further worsening the situation, the boom in popularity of luxury SUVs and crossovers in the past few years hasn't allowed for much recovery. Even car-hungry China hasn't helped much because of the smog in many cities and preference among some of the very rich there to be chauffeured.<br />
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Combined, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/audi/tt/">Audi TT</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/bmw/z4/">BMW Z4</a> and <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/mercedes-benz/slk-class/">Mercedes-Benz SLK</a> sales peaked around 114,000 units a year in 2007, but they are only expected to reach 72,000 annually by the end of the decade. Robertson is pretty pessimistic about the market's comeback too. "Post-2008, it just collapsed. I'm not so sure it'll ever fully recover," he said to <em>Bloomberg</em>.<br />
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Despite the downturn, there's no reason to start eulogizing the sports car. The ones that are available or are coming make for some fantastic offerings. They range from the V8 power of the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/chevrolet/corvette+stingray/">Chevy Corvette</a> to the more lithe styling of the upcoming <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/mazda/mx-5+miata/">2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata</a>. Plus, a new <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/audi/tt/">Audi TT</a> droptop is <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2014/10/02/2016-audi-tts-roadster-paris-2014/">on the way</a>. There's no reason to write the segment off yet.<p style="padding:5px;backgr ound:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2014/11/13/bmw-says-suvs-killed-sports-car-market/">BMW says SUVs killed the sports car market</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblo g</a> on Thu, 13 Nov 2014 08:45:00 EST. Please see our <a href="/rss-term-of-use/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2014/11/13/bmw-says-suvs-killed-sports-car-market/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/20992460/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2014/11/13/bmw-says-suvs-killed-sports-car-market/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>

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