Where’s my car?

Back in 2001 the Toyota Altezza arrived in the U.S. as the Lexus with a price in the low 30s. The interior didn’t seem worthy of a Lexus, and the price was beyond the reach of many who would otherwise buy a small rear-drive sedan.

Ever since then I’ve been waiting for a manufacture to fill an obvious hole in the market by offering a compact, affordable rear-drive sedan. Better yet, for me, a compact rear-drive foor-door hatch or wagon. I’d like to see a curb weight around 3,000 pounds, 225 horsepower, and a reasonably equipped price in the mid-twenties.

With gas prices up and people suddenly interested in compact cars and far less interested in brute power, the time is ripe. Just because gas is pricey, doesn’t mean cars have to become boring. They just have to become smarter.  

A compact, relatively light rear-drive sedan wouldn’t only be more affordable and economical than the 3-Series wannabes that have attracted so much attention in recent years. It would also handle better than these cars. It would be the family car of choice for driving enthusiasts in the age of $4+ gas.

Now who’ll deliver such a car first?