Sport SUV's, Love Em or Hate Em?

[ScottyB]

i'm not sure what they bring to the table that a regular wagon doesn't already. they don't really tow and without low range, you're not going through any off-road situation a car with reasonable ride height can't handle...and if you are, frequently, than wtf are you doing in one of these things anyway? for most buyers, its really 80% image, 20% function over a car equivalent because they look more butch and give a commanding view of the road that appeals to egos. dealing with all the top heavy, high aero profile, high consumable crap of an actual SUV without the nimble efficiency and true performance of a car seems counterproductive to me.

the 'phoon works because its focused almost completely on performance and is basically a giant middle finger to sports cars - it doesn't take itself seriously which means we don't have to either, and that's endearing. same with the lightning, except its actually functional as a towing rig as well. i can even give a pass to the AMG g-wagons, because they still kick-ass offroad.

but these things...they're just another knife in the back of once-great internal tuning divisions. M doesn't mean anything anymore, and RS is going the same way. profits can do that i guess.