kudryavchik:
For me it is very difficult to judge, but I believe that lightweight EV cars or hybrids with 4-6 cylinder engines can also be very emotional. Simply look on Porsche racing 919. 1350 hp and only v4 engine))) Of course, it is racing car, but it is the concept we will see in production for sure.
This comparison is not really a good one. Have you heard a 4-cyl. F1 engine and how it sounds? 
You'll never get that for a street car. Comparing apples with oranges...actually apples with...hmm...avocados.
V12,V10 and V8 are not so efficient, they are very large and heavyweight. If the customer will see 800 hp cayenne hybrid with 4 cylinder engine I am sure the car will sell like hotcakes. Torque will also increase significantly. What I see in this forum, when people start to discuss the amount of cylinders is the old approach and view when people think that amount of cylinders means power. Future 4-6 cylinder engines will be much more efficient and powerful. Hybrid systems will increase the torque drammatically.
You don't seem to understand. Emotions are not about technology. Have you driven a Tesla S? The P85D is an amazing piece of technology but the only fun I had in this car was playing with the features and setups. The drive itself gets boring soon.
About emotions - for majority of people the car is the tool of transportation or the thing to show everyone the personal level of wealth. Emotions of driving is nothing for 90% of consumers. I am quite sure that 90% of ferraris and lambos are sold to people who are looking to show themselves with car but not to feel the real emotion during the drivivng.
Whoever pays 100k or more for a car wants a certain quantity of emotions. Many people are indeed happy with the "superiority" feel, they know they drive something expensive and that other people notice that. I am not that type of person, I drive the cars because I love how they feel and sound. Yes, a certain percentage of customers will accept the new development but especially in the more expensive category, car manufacturers will have difficulties to sell the new tech. I guess manufacturers know this well, the is why they start with the cars for the lower income classes. 
About postindustrial epoch. I don't think that cars are the major pollutant of air. Factories and industries pollute much more than all cars in the world. To lower the pollution the factories, industries should change the source of energy. It is wrong to think that buying EV car you same the planet because to produce the energy factories burn coal, oil and gas.
EVs are pretty much the future, I am pretty sure about it. Especially once we find a source for cheap, infinite or easy to get energy. Maybe all three. Battery technology will have a breakthrough at some point and I am waiting for this moment because it won't only have an influence on cars and their development.
Cars go next after factories in terms of pollution, EV and hybrids is the way here. But I believe it is much more important in the evolution to move from inefficient systems (V12,V10,V8) to much more efficient ones. Having more sourcing less. Its like with processors (new processors consume the same amount of energy calculating the things 20 times faster than P4 processors f.e.), storage (HDD - SSD). Also, lets not forget that combustion engine being a mechanism is an old thing itself. Normal evolution, so be ready:)
Large, noisy, inefficient tools will go into history and its right.
I still think that sportscars with combustion engines will die a slow death, a much slower death than cheaper/more ordinary cars. Combustion engines and their sound(s) offer way too much emotions to be wiped out soon. It will happen but slowly. Maybe not over the next 30 years but I am pretty sure than in 20 years max, combustion engines in regular cars will be a thing of the past. The revolution will start with a new battery tech and cheaper production solutions.
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RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet, Porsche Macan Turbo, Ford Mustang GT500 Shelby SVT (2014), Mini JCW (2015), Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT (2014)
As far as I know, Porsche plans to offer some new turbo charged downsized 8-cyl. models in the Cayenne and the Panamera, which are very fuel efficient, even compared to the current turbo charged V6s. Yes, there is also a lot going on in the EV department and hybrid department.
