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    最近两款新跑车斯巴鲁（Subaru）BRZ和Scion FR-S（上图）的面世，让所有车迷都稍感心跳加速。这两款车实质上一模一样，它们都是由斯巴鲁和丰田（Toyota）的子公司Scion联合研发的，采用的全新后驱底盘以及发动机来自斯巴鲁，设计和其他部分则由丰田（Toyota）完成。两公司强强联合的成果就好比当年绿箭口香糖曾打出的广告：“快乐加倍，乐趣加倍”。

    这两款新车的问世具有重要意义：低价跑车近年来一直呈供应不足的状态。这类车以年轻人为目标市场，但年轻人手头并不宽裕，跑车的保险成本又很高，而且跑车的上架时间很短，容易迅速过气。跑车不仅带来驾驶乐趣，也是时尚的代名词，因此它们往往上市18个月后就闲置在销售展厅里无人问津了。即便是经久不衰的马自达MX-5 Miata跑车（今年已迈入第23个年头），如今也已成为市场上的稀有品种，2011年的销量仅为5,672辆。

    以下谨为大家介绍几款在汽车史上占有一席之地的平价跑车，纪念它们远去，同时也庆祝平价跑车在2012年的复兴。

Starting on a dime

    The hearts of auto enthusiasts everywhere beat a little faster recently with the introduction of two new sports cars: the Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S (above). The two autos are essentially identical because they were developed jointly by the two companies. The all-new, rear-drive chassis is from Subaru, as is the engine; Toyota did the design and extra bits for the motor. As they used to say in the old Doublemint chewing gum commercials: Double your pleasure, double your fun.

    The appearance of the two is notable: Affordable sports cars have been in short supply in recent years. The target market of young men isn't exactly flush with cash, insurance costs weigh heavily, and sports cars have a short shelf life. As much about fashion as they are about driving, they tend to wilt in showrooms after 18 months. Even the durable Mazda MX-5 Miata, starting its 23rd year on the market, has become a specialty item -- 2011 sales totaled 5,672 cars.

    Herewith, some reasons to lament the eclipse of the affordable sports car and to applaud its renaissance in 2012.

MG-B

    这一辆是我的私人藏品。在我得到第一份工作后不到几个小时，我就拿出相当于三分之一薪水的钱买了一辆1965年的MG-B跑车。不过当时我还不知道，维修这辆车的钱还会再花掉我三分之一的薪水。这辆MG-B安装的是手摇式车窗，它的帆布软顶需要通过一个可拆卸式的支架才能安装起来，一旦天降暴雨便令人抓狂。它从静止加速到60公里需要11秒多的时间，可见加速并不犀利，不过操控感还是令人满意的，而且它多少让我与名爵（MG）这个后来很快走向消亡的英国经典品牌建立了一点联系。

MG-B

    This one is personal: Within hours after getting my first job, I agreed to lay out about a third of my take-home salary on a 1965 MG-B. Little did I know that repairs would soon lay claim to another third. The B came with roll-up windows but the canvas top still had to be assembled over a removable frame, which was no fun in a downpour. With a zero-to-60 mph time of more than 11 seconds, the B was no speed demon, but it handled sweetly and allowed me to make a connection -- however distantly -- to the great -- and soon to disappear -- British motoring marques.