Have you ever noticed how all the men in ads for erectile dysfunction medications are kinda young? I think it’s because no one really wants to accept the fact that age is coming for us all, especially when we’re trying to celebrate life with our favorite activities for one or two people, such as, say, driving a sports car.
There are a lot of criticisms to level against a sports car, but I think the one I inherently and quietly fear the most, is when someone claims that a car is designed for people experiencing their midlife crisis. It’s a devastating burn, but it’s one that is becoming less common, it seems.
As millennials come into some money, automakers are targeting the demographic more and more. That has led to the creation of the likes of the new Supra, the Integra, and other products inspired by the ’90s. Although there are many criticisms can be laid against millennials, being old isn’t really one of the big ones—not yet anyway.
Read: The Manual 2023 Toyota GR Supra Is An Ode To Enthusiasts
And even that bastion of old-mandome, the Chevrolet Corvette, has had its engine moved to the middle. Although I don’t think the mothball stench of age will ever be washed off the Corvette brand, the new layout makes it less desperately old school.
Even the retro design language that was previously designed specifically to attract baby boomers (and the Gen Xers who wish they had boomers’ wealth) feels less old these days. It’s young people who are seen sliding their Mustangs into lampposts and showing up to sideshows in Challengers and Chargers.
So what vehicle has been stained by the mark of age? What sports car should be sold along with a hair dye kit and uncomfortably tight jeans?
I think my answer is the Porsche 911. While it is in almost every regard a spectacular driver’s car, there’s something about the combination of its appeal to history, its high price, and the luxurious comfort of less track-focused examples that means that the majority of people I see driving them are older.
What do you think, though? Are there any other new sports cars on sale today that you associate with age? Let us know in the comments.
