[Hammer]

fuel economy, insurance costs, or any form of practicality at all is invariably ridiculed

Practicality isn't what's being ridiculed. It's just that fuel economy and insurance costs have nothing to do with performance...

..........the import is immediately discredited and the, "it costs twenty gazillion dollars to do" or "i'd put down twice the horses for that money" is countered

In general (there are exceptions), the above quote is true about small 4 cylinder cars made to haul groceries. It DOES cost more money to make them fast.

Just because some don't like the statement doesn't make it irrelevant.

Also, Most of us realize that not all imports are low-powered grocery-getters. There ARE fast imports out there, but they usually don't have "dancing" lights or triplane wings.... which are the ones we put down. Of course, we've already explained this to you in an earlier thread.... So I'll shut up now....