I liked that Nissan Idx ( somewhere that was a cryptic reference to the 510).
If they'd made it, and didn't ugly it up too much, I'd have bought that.
If Mazda keeps the new 180 horse car starting in the 25k range, I might pop for that. I'm thinking about the 86, too.
Anything light weight 2 doors without all the safety nannies in that price range I would buy, even though (or maybe because) I'm loving the snot out of the NB.
I drove a brz not long after it came out, but go pedal wise it was a Camry. I've seen a lot of comments here where some would have bought but for that.
Make it fun to drive, people will buy it, but it should be fun to drive as a base car too, not just the hot rod version. I think Ford had the idea with the focus, I used to see a lot of them with the 18s and such, but they put that horrible auto/dct in it, hosing themselves.
Most of the mfgs focus on bland and too safe, too practical, etc.
But everybody likes the hot rod Camaros, Challengers, etc.
I guess my point is there are a couple out there I may buy, but I think they could sell more (i.e. generate a little more enthusiast market in younger buyers) if they built and marketed for it.
I guess if it were as easy as all that I'd be a car company exec....