Is The Supercar Dead? Its Demise Could Be Sooner Than We Think!

In today's video, James & Ant go for a drive in the Ferrari 430 Scuderia, and look at the state of play in the world of supercars. Whether your favourite brand is Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Porsche and Audi – the end could be nigh! If it is, there's only one thing we can do... Enjoy them while we can!

Clip from @seenthroughglass used with permission.

On camera today: James & Ant
Behind Camera: James & Ant
Editing: Zany Media + Ant
JayEmm & Friends was borne of two other YouTube channels, @JayEmmOnCars and @sportzntouring - check them out if you want more motoring content!

#supercars #ferrari #ferrari430scuderia

Chapter Listing:
00:00 Could James Be Buying A Ferrari 296
00:29 Intro – What We Aren't Talking About
02:42 What Is Our Definition Of A Supercar?
07:22 Sound Of A Supercar!
11:32 Supercar Prices Are Getting INSANE!
13:11 Where's The Drama!
16:02 The Fun Factor Is Getting Lost!
18:25 Accessibility Of Modern Supercars
20:24 Are Regulations Going Too Far?
22:11 Mileage-phobia Of Supercar Owners?
24:00 Are Hypercars Killing The Supercar?
25:25 Aspirational vs Unreachable
27:40 Supercar Slayers Are Now Supercar Money!
29:36 One Last Blast!!

[neblolthecarnerd]

For me as a 17 year old affordability hasn't been a problem since ever since I can remember I've thought i would never afford one.

For me the thing is they're not special anymore. And i think this is due to a variety of factors.

1.) Ive got older. Simple reality of life a kid will get more exited at things usually. I doubt this is the whole thing though.

2.) Supercars are no longer a special thing to see anymore. They've been trivialised by videogames and social media for me. If im constantly seeing new supercars in the news and all over social media on top of owning and being able to drive near on 100s in videogames. This kinda normalises them id assume. Wheras back in the day when i was a child supercars were much more special to me because the only chance i would get to see them is on top gear. I would be wowed because i didn't know they existed. Seeing one in real life would be a shocking moment I would remember instead of nowadays when its just "ooo a Ferrari" and then i move on. In terms of videogames i didn't play as many of them and I couldn't even unlock them in a lot of cases so they felt rarer and more unattainable which added to the cool factor.

3.) The cars themselves simply aren't special anymore. It feels like everyone and their mum is making supercars or high tier sports cars. Power numbers are gradually becoming more inflated for seemingly no reason which just feels stupid and pointless (especially in the ev market). Fast cars have been trivialised and no longer special nowadays since they're all fast.
Also i feel like the whole industry has fallen into what i would call the McLaren problem. McLaren have a habit of releasing about 900 special editions of the 720s each year. When you make so many things and claim they are "special" nothing is special anymore. And i feel like this mentality has hit me across the whole market nowadays. There's so many "special" cars being released none feel special anymore. Ive been more exited about a GR Corrola than any recent supercar I can think of. The Mustang GTD is probably the most exiting new supercar because it feels special and different in a world where everything feels the same.

Anyway thats my way too long essay on my mentality around supercars

[tubejorrit]

Not the same but still a problem, obtaining a fast/dream car is also getting harder and harder. For example when the C63 launched I was 20 years old and thought "if I work hard I can one day own this". I could buy one today, but actually own one is much harder with todays fuel prices (2, 20 in euro for a liter!) together with road taxes and road speeds going down, increased traffic and speed bumps its just not fun to drive a car you care about anymore.

[darrenwaller]

My 1972 lotus Europa special with 130hp feels like a super car. Ok a very old one. But I feel like I’m back in the 70, s driving down our A &B roads between 30 - 70 mph.

[bwdrives]

I’ve always struggled to put my finger on what makes a great car for me but in recent years it has become crystal clear.

The sound. People tend to dismiss it as an afterthought “oh yeah sounds nice but it’s slow” but the sound is what creates soul in a car, as well as the feeling of being connected to it.

For this reason I’d choose my 2011 Boxster S which cost me less than a new golf over any new supercar available right now. It’s about as fast as an average hot hatch these days but delivers so much drama and excitement even below the speed limit.

A Mazda MX5 might be even better within the speed limits but the flat 6 engine feels so much more characterful than any inline 4 could

[lkearney]

Perhaps it's the term 'supercar' that's dead. There are just so may capable cars now and it's simply down to how much feedback a driver gets - all about feeling, rather than the figures.

[Gregsheppo]

A supercar is a magnetite grey 2022 Subaru WRX with type R rear wing & an STI & D-spec body kit. It’s parked downstairs in the basement car park. In 6 & 1/2 hours I’ll push that starter button & my supercar will roar into life & take me home then sit in my garage until I go back to work tomorrow. 👍

[markbellinger]

I’m not sure what the correct definition of a supercar is but for me, my 2014 DB9 looks super, sounds super and makes me feel super when driving it. 😂

[jonwarshawsky]

I’m old enough to remember when the Countach, 512 BB, and 930 were the three masters of the car universe. Countach was frighteningly expensive at $105K, the Boxer was unavailable in the US, and the 911 Turbo was the race car for the road. Today, I think the “supercar” designation is pointless. There are many sub-4-second 0-60 cars, some of which carry groceries. All recent McLarens, Lotuses, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and even the Corvette C8 look similar — at first glance the C8 and LaFerrari share a basic shape and configuration. A Tesla Plaid is quicker, and a GT3 RS is the master of the Nurburgring — neither falls into your “supercar” definition. Maybe call them “boutique” cars due to rarity. There aren’t many, so performance stats aren’t all that relevant: Koenigsegg, et al.

[thatsentertainment]

For most people these are dream cars. A person can have just as much fun in older, more affordable sports and sports sedan cars lik the Alfa Romeo 156, Saab 93 Aero, BMW M3, MGTF etc

[JJWoods]

The cost of entry and ownership is a big part of the demise. They used to be a dream for everyone who was interested in cars, for me it was the Countach. My parents drove me about 40 miles away to see one that was given away by Alpine stereo in the 80s. At the time it was an 80k new car. I could wrap my head around that number and dream about buying one. To buy that same car today would cost 750k? I just can’t imagine a life where that is obtainable. I’ve seen conflicting reports on the driving experience of Countach’s, but I’m positive the buy in and upkeep would never be worth it to me, when I’m positive there are infinitely better vehicles for a fraction of the cost. The posters and dreams of a child’s mind were legendary though.

[AntoniusTyas]

Back when I was young (well, 20 years old back in 2013), I always thought "If I work hard in the college and found work in aerospace engineering and earn good money, maybe one day I can have a second-hand 911 GT3 or SLS".

Nowadays both cars have been priced out of contention and all I dream of is having a normal life and... I don't know, a GBP1000 Honda Civic?

[ZondaF]

Im learning as I progress throughout this automotive journey that performance stats mean very little for a true enthusiast. I personally have found that a specific power/weight ratio is more important for me. My 1996 Viper is still by far the most engaging driving experience that I can find in that realm, manual, analog etc. I love my F355 but it is almost too easy to drive and lacks involvement compared to Viper. These things are all relative as well. The feeling you get in Viper is just legendary and I think it boils down to a few things. The car weighs near 3000 lbs and has an 8.0L engine with 500 ft. Lbs of torque. It has a stiff, tube frame chassis, and as importantly the Viper has an amazing hydraulic steering rack that is very precise. This gives the driver a high level of body control at all times and at all speeds. This ability to give the driver that ability and feeling of controlling the car in every way from the sharp steering to the super sharp throttle response. This overall response from chassis, engine and suspension are where the really special cars rise to the top. Few cars can match all of those areas in response, weight etc. like the Gen 2 Viper. Every true car enthusiast should own an early Viper that is properly sorted. Nothing like them if an unforgettable driving experience is what you are looking for.

[PaulMason-tr]

Great video, thank you chaps.
I’m 100% with you on this. When you consider what is available for 100k it makes the current crop of super cars a step that is hard to justify. I personally put my money into a 2015 Vanquish. Not a supercar but a car that feels and sounds really special. If I didn’t need a small amount of practicality then I’d be looking at 430’s, F12’s etc

[CraigMcB]

What a great Adult ( petrolhead) conversation. So many great points and airing our worries and concerns. I really enjoyed this convo!

[hhharada]

INTIMIDATING: this is what supercars have to be. Maybe for the speed, power, price or difficulty to drive it. They can't allow the driver to feel 100% comfortable with it like a cheap and practical car would do

[BAC_Mono]

The trouble is that regular petrol cars have caught up with the performance of supercars, let alone EVs. Add in noise regs making modern supercars sound bland and ever more stringent speed restrictions and I think that sadly you are right, the day of the super car has passed.

The most enjoyable performance cars I think are older cars, I had a 997.1 and it was perfect for today’s roads. You really don’t need more performance than that and you can actually push it on the road unlike, say a McLaren 720s.

Beyond that you need to turn to trackdays for fun, that’s what I did and don’t regret it.

But Anthony is spot on about motivation, a stack of car mags and encyclopaedic knowledge of 0-60 times kept me going through medical school😁

[JayzStuff]

Nice video guys! I think the main issue is we still compare petrol cars to electric with the same stats. Yes, we know most of these electric cars have 1000hp but if you use all that power (in a blast down the autobahn) your range drops ridiculously. We need a new way to compare cars. Hopefully the biofuels will be here soon, and save the ICE.

[quacktac]

We've definitely passed the golden age of the supercar. There seems to be a push for more and more horsepower and speed, which is kind of pointless when the roads aren't getting any wider and 1000cc bikes exist.

[Jack_Connan]

I'm sitting here listening to your conversation and the fun factor is a very big thing for me ! I am not in any kind of position to buy a supercar of any kind, but i absolutely hate the fact that almost nobody is still doing proper 3 pedal manual cars and for me it is a very important part of the fun of driving ! Of all the cars i have had in my life, the one i missed the most is my old 1974 MINI 1275 GTS (granted it was very very modified) It was bloody noisy, it was not a smooth ride, it was very comfortable for the driver, but it was superbly quick and incredibly tactile . You could feel the road surface through all the controls and your rear end !

[XennialGuy]

It's a combination of things, I think. The McLaren Artura is not being talked about because it was just too late to the game. The Ferrari 296 is just impossible to get because it was sold out for the entire production run, so a person in that position to buy one is not going to be talking about it if he can't attain it. It's hard to get excited for something you can't have. Lamborghini's platforms go for too long, 10 years, it's been yesterday's news no matter how many iterations they come out with. The McLaren 750S is just an updated 720S. So we are sort of in a Supercar funk right now.