sport car walpepaer, green matalie 2013
The term was
originally introduced in the 1930s and applied to lighter, more
streamlined closed body coachwork fitted by car makers. Rover, for
example, had Sports Saloon versions of several of their models.
In
North America, most luxury import sedans are often considered "sport
sedans" because of their higher performance, handling, and expensive
available amenities relative to that of mass market cars. There is some
price overlapping, for instance as an entry-level BMW 328i has a similar
(manufacturer's) suggested retail price to a Toyota Camry XLE V6.
The
term "sport sedan" also came into being, when comparing luxury import
sedans (i.e. BMW, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz), which were smaller cars
popular with young buyers that focused on performance and handling, to
domestic luxury marques such as Cadillac and Lincoln, for older
customers and which emphasized size and comfort. In the 1980s and 1990s,
the change in consumer demographics towards smaller and sportier luxury
cars, along with Japanese luxury brands, led to a decline in the
prestige of domestic luxury marques, whose chief offerings were the
Cadillac DeVille and Lincoln Town Car. However, since the 2000s,
Cadillac and Lincoln have begun producing competitive models such as the
Cadillac CTS and Lincoln LS. Buick was retained as General Motors's
traditional luxury brand and emphasized comfort and amenities instead of
driving experience.
Luxury
performance sedans sold in North American have a smaller range of
engines, tending towards the high-powered side, compared to their
European lineups. For instance Mercedes-Benz advertises all of the 2009
US/Canadian models of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class as a "sport sedan", not
just the high-performance C63 AMG.
In
the midsize sedan category in North America, the 2008 Nissan Altima has
been described as the sportiest in its classification, compared to the
Honda Accord or Toyota Camry. The first-generation Mazda6 and Mazda3
were also known as sport sedans as well, when tested against other
vehicles in their size class.
