Where is the automotive market heading?

Looking at the current automobile market and its eco-trends, we can wonder how the automotive world is going to evolve in the upcoming years.

The past few years have already seen a shift in trends and tendencies on the automobile manufacturers’ side, where more and more hybrid concepts are featured in auto shows and steadily making their way to production. Some models, such as the Honda CR-Z don't even offer the option of having a regular gasoline only power plant, and tuning companies are now working on developing new options for modifying hybrids.

These tendencies are not just a temporary fashion trend, but a real industry shift, and while Honda's Prius endured a lot of teasing when it was first launched, the recent decision by Mitsubishi about putting an end to the Evolution version of the Lancer in order to be more in line with their new eco-friendly image is taken as a grim forecast of things to come for petrol heads around the world.

Taking a step back from this very recent news, it was actually a decision that we could have seen coming: in 2005, Mitsubishi had opted out of the WRC Rally Championship, which lead to last year’s decision to put an end to Ralliart (in April 2010). The next logical step was indeed to kill the Evo.

It's not just about the loss of an iconic sports car model, it's the hard reality kick in the face fact that the Japanese manufacturer is ready to drop its spearhead product in the motorsports industry in favor of eco-friendliness, disregarding all the motor heads out there. Now this is just one model and one brand, but what if others follow?

Well, the trend has already started, with Honda for example, who never came up with a successor to the NSX after ending this mythical car in 2005, and that decided to end the production of the S2000 in 2009, without offering a new model to replace it. There are rumors of a next generation S2000 out there, but nothing has ever been confirmed by the manufacturer.

Imagine the end of the Nissan Z, Impreza STI, Focus RS, who knows, even BMW M series, etc. Where will that leave us enthusiasts?

That's where the manufacturers pop their heads in the room with a big smile while waving a big "performance hybrid" flag.

Really? How can that even be possible?

Try whacking a hybrid vehicle around a track and you'll notice that the electric engine doesn't kick in once, and the gas consumption will be as bad if not worse than a normal gasoline car for much lower performance.

Some will argue by citing Tesla's all electric Roadster. Point given that the performance of this ride is quite impressive: doing 0-100kph in 3.7 seconds, but as much as 393km on a single charge is remarkable considering it's a performance electric vehicle, the recharging times are just plain scary. Imagine a future electric version of the 24 hours of le Mans, starring 8 hours of driving and 16 hours of recharging, or the next Formula 1 championship, in silence with barely the sound of the tyres on the asphalt, with Duracell stickers replacing Shell's and batteries replacing the fuel in the pits.

What a funny future we're heading in, and as much as we want to prevent the sweet sound of a V8, a blow off valve, the adrenaline rush increasing along with the melody of the exhaust as the RPM dance to the red line from disappearing, there is unfortunately nothing we can do against this trend but accept it and try to find a way to keep our passion alive in the new generation green vehicles.

What do you guys think? Feel free to comment on this post and share your thoughts about the current and future automobile market around the World!