7 Things We're Sad To See The Car Industry Killing Off

1. Hydraulic steering

The trend towards making cars easier to drive has meant that over-assisted steering has become the norm. Set-ups devoid of feeling are commonplace, and not just among commuter runabouts, unfortunately. But at least most cars still have a physical connection to the road.

Steer-by-wire is becoming more and more commonplace, and the result is that you have no true idea of what the wheels are doing. This is fine for some, but for people like you and I who enjoy pushing the limits, it takes a lot of the joy out of driving fast.

2. Five-cylinder engines

Five-cylinder engines are really useful, because they generally mean you can fit larger displacement engines into bays that were designed for four-pots, without needing to get clever with a six-pot. Their inherent lack of balance means they’re typically characterful engines that have won many fans.

Volvo, leaders of everything quirky in the automotive world, ran five-cylinder engines for years, and Audi had great success with the odd-cylindered engines in motorsport. But, with the trend towards downsizing, the need for a five-cylinder engine has decreased to the point where manufacturers would rather place a small, turbocharged, cheaper to make four-cylinder engine in their cars. Both Volvo and VW have ditched their fives in recent years.

The Audi RS3 is one of the last cars to resist downsizing, which is a jolly good thing, because its 2.5-litre unit makes 362bhp and 343lb ft and is an absolute beast.

3. Big engines

On the subject of downsizing, let’s take a minute to mourn the delights of a big displacement engine. I don’t really believe in the statement ‘there’s no replacement for displacement’, but even I can appreciate the satisfaction of knowing that bucketloads of fuel and air are being dumped into the engine when I plant my foot.

A big engine just gives you a constant, reassuring feeling that you have an endless surge of power beneath your right foot. And sometimes that’s all you really need in life.

4. Natural aspiration

Initially, turbochargers were the preserve of performance vehicles, but these days they’re helping manufacturers meet stringent emissions test. The great thing from a marketing point of view is that smaller, more efficient engines can be placed in cars without sacrificing headline power figures.

The downside for enthusiasts is that the purity and instant throttle response that comes from a naturally-aspirated engine is sacrificed. Modern turbo setups are extremely clever and do away with a lot of the lag that used to be inherent in turbocharged cars, but they always lack that N/A immediacy.

5. Turbo lag

Okay, so this might sound like we’re contradicting ourselves, but hear us out. There’s something exciting about turbo lag. For the most part, it’s great that manufacturers have worked to remove anything that can be construed as dangerous, but sometimes danger is exciting. Danger is fun.

A couple of years ago I was ludicrously fortunate to drive a Lotus Carlton, which delivers huge dollops of torque at what feels like an eternity after you’ve pressed the throttle. Could be annoying, but I drove it in the wet, and once I came to terms with its behaviour it was an absolute riot! Putting your foot down in a straight line, never really knowing when the back would kick out, keeps you alert, and roundabouts are thrilling at any speed. I wasn’t going fast, but boy was I having fun.

6. Big wings

For the most part, technological advancement are a good thing. But sometimes, when you look at so-called advancements through the eyes of your nine-year-old self, it can feel like you’ve been short-changed.

The dark art of aerodynamics is becoming a lot less dark, and now many performance cars come with beautiful flowing lines that channel air across their surfaces to push the car into the ground. The Aston Martin DB11, for example, has an ‘AeroBlade’ rear spoiler, which channels air from the C-pillars to reduce lift without the need for an unsightly wing.

The thing is, unsightly wings are wicked. The Escort Cosworth’s whale tail is iconic, but that sort of thing has quickly been consigned to the history books.

7. Affordable performance

You’ve always had to pay a premium to go fast, but the days of the working class hero cars is at an end. In 2016, your only really affordable options on the new car market are the Toyota GT86 and Mazda MX-5.

These cars are fairly inexpensive to buy and run, but in an economy in which the average car buyer doesn’t have a lot of disposable income, fun cars feel like an unnecessary excess. It’s a shame, because both those cars offer some of the best driving experiences money can buy.