>>12225
>>12226
Realistically an "affordable" new car is about $30,000. Enough that someone with low income could pay it off within five years.
$40,000 to $55,000 is mid-tier, but the lower-end. Notice the 4C is in this category.
Around the $70,000 to $95,000 is your true mid-tier cars. You can get a new flagship vehicle from a quality manufacturer for these prices.
$110,000-$200,000 is your high-end supercar range.
Beyond that, everything is basically hypercars or collectibles for the ultra-wealthy.
That being said, a lot of people in the US absolutely can afford an $80,000 car… even on only $55k a year. For a start, that average is lowered by the middle parts of America, which often make closer to $16,000 in a year. Meanwhile, the average on the coasts is closer to $61,000. In a strange way, by having a higher cost-of-living in some places, you can actually "save" money on some things with fixed prices, like vehicles, because the cost isn't fixed to cost of living, just inflation.
In short, expect to see cars like nicer BMWs or Alfas or Teslas in rich, coastal cities… even by the poor. I've known families to own $30,000 BMWs when they make closer to $10,000 a year.
Especially when these things start being sold used in a couple years, they'll be $10,000-$20,000 cheaper, and that will be enough to knock them down an entire bracket.
Someone on minimum wage isn't buying one of these, but someone with a decent office job could absolutely get one. It's irresponsible, and they'll drown in the debt, especially once repair costs mount… but they could do it. And it's common in America for people to buy flashy cars, or oversized TVs, even when they can barely afford the mortgage on their crappy house, or make rent month-to-month, because keeping up appearances elsewhere is more important than living in a nicer place, or having better financial stability.
I'm guessing none of these idiots learned how to drive stick, either.