You're also 21. You don't have the mentality of the majority of the market, nor do you have the buying power.
Most people have families and other concerns that override the "superhot stunna looks" and fall into the "needs to be practical" family.
You're 23, big difference? No, I don't have the mentality of the majority, but I actually talk to people. I've always worked with people that are at least 10 years older than me(35-60yr olds with families) minus the time I worked at a fast food restaurant when i was 16-17. I always talk to them about their cars and what you here a lot is "I don't need all of that". I mean, if someone does not want something, they don't want to pay for it. And as far as my mentality, you think I
want a stripped down compact? Nope, what I want is a Cadillac CTS with cloth seats. Something smooth, quiet, comfortable, and decent acceleration. But guess what, I can't afford it nor would I drive it everywhere(gas). Also, people <21 yrs old lack buying power? Build something they can buy or their parents will buy! Most people in that age range, especially in high school, want cars for more freedom.
That is not my argument. What gets the consumer's initial attention is looks. Say you have a stripped down Geo Metro, and then you have a CRX and NX2000 with similar amenities, and assume they all have similar performance(ignoring aftermarket)....which would you pick? Why do small compacts even exists? A stripped-down TL will stock cost a lot, but still much less than a regular TL(which is pretty damn sweet).
If you want to talk about family cars, what about those automatic sliding rear doors in vans? Those things are slow and not everyone needs them. Should it be standard? What about a GPS system? Keyless entry/starting? Stuff like that stopped my mom from buying a Versa. Some of the things she wanted was in a higher-priced package, but include lots of things she did not want. Main goal of the salesmen is to put you in a car and for you to drive that car away; but that's not going to happen if the consumer believes they're overpaying for what they want. Like for me, my biggest peeve is sunroofs. I hate them, no use for them, so I don't want to pay for them.
Also, performance does not mean fast or best handling thing out there; it means good brakes, decent power output, etc. A M3 is a high-end car...it's not all luxury; it's designed to accelerate, brake, and out handle most cars on the road....and even that, there's already stripped down versions(GTR, CSL).
These small luxuries may not seem that expensive, but they sure do drive the cost up. Remember when the "Civic base model" existed? People bought that, many people....but why would they do that if there was an EX available? No one really caters to the "lower market" anymore. You can still get rich by selling cheaper cars in high volume.
