Agent55

I think a better question is, "Who isn't getting soft?". Hell, even Lotus (arguably the hardest of hardcore) is replacing the Elise with a model that weighs some 500 pounds more than the current design. Since the vast majority of drivers (99% or more percent?) are not driving enthusiasts, it's no wonder nearly every model from every manufacturer is bigger, cushier and less "hard" than the one that came before it.

So Audi misses their own previous-gen A4's and decided to reintroduce it as an A3? Works for me, the current A4 is big & odd-looking to me, I always double-take thinking it's an A6.

Stunning, kudos to the boys in red for doing something unique.

Looking forward to Suzuki eventually bringing something like this to market, if they could only bring together their fantastic motorcycle rep and automobile division into a singular identity they could have real presence in the market. Even the current SX4 Crossover is about 50hp and some chassis tweaks away from greatness in the hot hatch market.

Hopefully this is the "Too Fast, Too Furious" version, and not the more basic standard model.

Ford's design studio(s) has really been generating some nice work lately.

Funny, everyone can down vote, but no one has anything constructive to add...

Pretty sure FEDs aren't experienced with anything beyond a Crown Vic.

Wow, it takes a lot to beat an M3 apparently; a higher horsepower figure, substantially wider rubber and... noisy paint/graphics?

Seriously though, I understand Ford's goal of matching the outright performance of one of the best daily drivers in the world, but the reasoning behind direct comparison everyone else is making eludes me.

Understated 'bahn-burner vs. retro-muscle throwback does not compute. They might as well be from different planets from a buyers perspective.

The KTM pulverized the Atom around VIR during a C&D "Lightning Lap"... over 5 seconds faster.