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With continuous news about the inevitable onslaught of autonomous cars and tough emissions regulations looking to make big engines all but illegal, it’s easy, as a car enthusiast, to feel a little resentful, or marginalized. Being a gearhead just isn’t very cool these days.

But let’s take a step back for a moment. Some perspective is needed. These “threats” might be the best thing to happen to sports cars in, well, ever. I’ll explain, but first, let’s look at the latest crop of fast machines on display at the New York auto show this week.

Auto makers launched more sports cars than hybrids and electric vehicles combined. There are sports cars for all budgets, in all shapes and sizes, from the little Mazda MX-5 RF, to a new 640 horsepower Camaro, right up to the $1.5-million (U.S.) Jaguar XKSS.

And for all those gearheads who think cars don’t sound as good as they once did, I drove a supercharged Jaguar F-Type SVR through a closed-off Manhattan tunnel, and let me say: You have nothing to fear on the noise front.

Jaguar closed down a tunnel in Midtown Manhattan last week so we could drive the F-Type SVR as fast as we want through it. We added some shots from the last video we posted from this event. You definitely want to hear this.

Posted by Globe Drive on Wednesday, March 30, 2016

The bone-rattling howl coming from the SVR’s four inconel-titanium exhaust pipes could be heard four blocks away, from inside my hotel room. To these ears, it was as glorious and awe-inspiring as anything I’ve heard at the Met. At the SVR’s New York unveiling, an engineer from Jaguar made a point of stating, “This is a car you can drift, if you so choose.” We do choose, Jaguar.

Mazda’s MX-5, which starts at just $31,900, is more fun to drive than some cars that cost quadruple its price. In New York, Mazda caught everyone by surprise when it unveiled a new version of the MX-5 dubbed RF. It has a targa-style folding hardtop and flying-buttress rear end.

AP

“Mazda’s idea is for you to feel the sense of speed, even at fairly low speeds, because it’s an object of recreation. It’s supposed to make you feel good,” said Julien Montousse, design director for Mazda North America.

A little higher up the price ladder is a new Camaro from Chevy. Despite predictions of its demise, the V-8 powered muscle car is healthier than ever, between the Shelby GT350 and the just announced 2017 Chevy Camaro ZL1. This ultimate Camaro was honed at the great race tracks of the world, and fettled so that it’s not just a stop-light hero. It should turn too.

Getty Images

Under the hood is a 6.2-litre supercharged V-8, that puts 640 hp and 640 lb-ft of torque to the wheels through a good ol’ six-speed manual or a 10-speed automatic. We’d guess the price will in the $70,000 range.

If your budget can stretch to six figures, you can get a car that’s as fast as anything on the road when the weather gets bad. Nissan updated its cult-favorite GT-R for 2017, giving it 20 more horsepower and a much needed interior upgrade. The company says the new car should be quieter inside the cabin, and offer a more comfortable ride too.

AFP/Getty Images

Moving even higher up the price ladder, the 2017 Audi R8 Spyder made its international debut in New York. The company claims the chassis is 50 per cent more rigid than the previous model, which should improve handling dramatically. Otherwise, it’s the same as the coupe, including the naturally-aspirated V-10 engine. Expect a price tag of just under $200,000.

Finally, if you are a car enthusiast for whom money is no object, Jaguar would like to offer you a brand new 1957 XKSS for $1.5 million (U.S.). How is that possible you ask? Well, Jaguar has conveniently found nine original XKSS chassis thought to have been destroyed when their factory burnt down. Now, 60 years later, Jaguar will finally get around to building them. They’ll be handmade to period-correct specifications, making them eligible for all kinds of historic motorsport events.

Jaguar Land Rover

So, given all these new sports cars for all budgets unveiled here in New York, should enthusiast still be fearful of what the future holds for them?

Rather than feel threatened by autonomous cars, emissions regulations, urban planning and electrification, why not embrace this new paradigm? We’ve never been excited by cars that are simply appliances to go from A to B. Now that role can be replaced by actual appliances. You’ll have an autonomous German pod or an affordable car share plan for the daily commute. And this will leave sports cars free to become more focused as toys for the weekend thrill-seeker.

Montousse is as dedicated as gearheads get. On the auto show floor, he proudly showed off his scars from years of riding motocross bikes. His father was a printer who worked for the Williams Renault F1 team. He thinks autonomous cars might even encourage more people to get behind the wheel just for fun. We might actually miss driving sometimes.

“You put yourself in that passenger seat of an autonomous car, and you realize you’re removing the fun of being in control of a machine,” he said. “When it’s a nice winding road in front of me where I can engage myself emotionally, I want to be in control.”

What if driving just for fun became cool again? An “authentic” experience, like film cameras or vinyl records.

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