jackjflash:but it was very cramped for anyone over 6 feet (same as the MX5). The car could have done well if they refined it,
You've hit two of the three nails on the head there. The interior was cramped, I got neck pain after 10 minutes (I'm 6' 1"), I have no doubt just a bit of intelligence with the chair runners or platform - a minor change - could have sorted that out.
"Refined" - the car was 90% there. It had all the makings of a great car - a lovely engine, fully independent suspension, weight wasn't too bad. Yet they could have done with some Lotus input on refining the suspension as well, the back would break away far more quickly and with less warning than even an early S2000! It was under-damped and something else made it quite skittish.
jackjflash:Your right about the interior theonlydt, it was pretty horrific
The third nail... It had no class, no design, nothing. Appalling.
Apparently reliability wasn't great, but I have no doubt that any company other than DMC taking this over could make a reasonable go at improving the weak areas (cooling seems to be a sticky thermostat issue, the differential was unreliable as well) and re-release this as a decent car. Then again - some of us thought it would happen with the Smart Roadster! (I still maintain it was a shame it didn't)