the Solstice/Sky and the Dodge Demon are coming forth after seeing the "sucess" of the Honda S2000's, Porsche Boxster, BMW Z3, and the recent addtions of the Chrysler Crossfire and BMW Z4, the two seater sportster with luxory
i wouldnt classify the miata in the same group since the car has a HUGE racing background and just recently got into the 2 liter mark. Their previous versions had the 1.6 and the 1.8 which is what most people race on a ameteur level.
i would consider the Elise closer to the miata's ability and factory support except for the huge price difference
Oh I definitely agree, but unfortunately most people lump the Miata in with the Sky/Solstice, even though very few people cross shop the same car. This is an oversimplification, but for the most part, Solstice = pretty roadster, Miata = performance roadster.
As far as the "new" CRX goes, I think it would have a very unique place in the market if Honda actually built it. Look at where the Elise is right now. It is purpose built for performance, and people do not seem to care how stripped down it is. It's brilliant chassis and light weight are its keys to success. The fact that anyone would consider making a CRX with a backseat completely defeats its purpose. We already have a quick Honda with a backseat, it's the Civic Si. But unfortunately, it's no longer a light car. A true reborn CRX would be like a FWD Miata coupe. Or more accurately, like a Japanese Mini Cooper, but even lighter. It would be small on power, maybe 140-160 hp, but very light. Perhaps 2200 lbs or so. Definitely a hatchback, and a much shorter wheelbase than the Civic coupe. This car would be dismissed by most because it lacks trunk space of a full-size Civic, but the enthusiasts would recognize its value. I understand the argument that Honda may not want competition for their own S2000, but no one is going to cross-shop a new CRX and an S2000. A CRX would be about $20,000 to be competitive, and the S2000 focuses on a very different and more pricey segment.
Will Honda build it? Probably not. Would it sell? Most likely, but you couldn't really expect huge production numbers (niche market), and Honda is already doing well, so it's not like they need to build it. And it would not provide the halo effect of a S2000, NSX, Supra, or other sporty car. The Miata and Solstice are some of the only cases I know of where a $20k vehicle has provided a sort of halo effect for an entire brand (not that I'm biased or anything...). Plus, if a new CRX was popular primarily with a younger crowd (like the last CRX), Honda may not be wishing to attract that market. That's why Toyota created Scion... a separate brand helps maintain the individuality of the youthful cars, and their owners. Honda has gone upscale in the past 10 years, and the bean counters at Honda may not favor a car that attracts primarily 16-21 year old males.
