Seeing that Mooney still holds the speed records for the Acclaim (fastest SEP) and both the Ovation and acclaim still outclass any other offering in their classes, I reckon to call them outdated does not really reflect reality. There are no other planes available which offer the same range/speed.
However, I agree they need a new product philosophy to regain the entry level folks. And they need to get back to Al Mooneys original philosophy. max efficiency with the fastest plane in each class.
We need a valid successor to the J series. A 200hp plane.with 160-170 kt cruise on 5gph…. bet that would rise anfew eyebrowss…. especcially if they can get it out at a competitive price of maybe 400k or so..
I agree Mooney Driver – a Mooney, like a Porsche, is best when it is an efficient and simple as well as being slightly eccentric.
My theory is that the relative saleabilty of bloated and conformist vehicles (look at what Porsche built to increase sales, yuck) reflects aging demographics, and sadly I think aging demographics are going to dominate the market for the rest of my life. You’d have to be under 40 (unlike me) to see a light at the end of the demographic tunnel… and I think perhaps that is the biggest problem for a four cylinder Mooney in the here and now.
5GPH, yeah right.
A slightly modernized M20J with an IO-390 would cost north of 500.000$. Nobody would spend more than half a million in order to squeeze into a tube just to save a few litres of Avgas an hour. Private flying is not about saving money; it’s about spending money and having a blast doing do.
It just doesn’t compute, people who spend half a million on an aircraft are not after the very last few percent of fuel economy. They want modern designs, comfort, gadgets and modern safety features.
It’s the market that has spoken so over the last 15 years.
The market spoke and RVs are the real future, based on production numbers. You can go fast, travel thousands of miles and have a blast for $70K, outside the reach of socialist dominated, risk averse European law and the class systems it tends to create.
Actually, on that basis I should retract my comment about bloated vehicles dominating the aging boomer vehicle market, including aircraft. RVs are simple and pretty efficient: an O-360 can be throttled to 6 GPH and still pull an RV7 along nicely. Still highly conformist though 
I want 200 KTAS at 2.5 GPH!
The airplanes we fly are 95 percent used for FUN. Getting somewhere the fastest way possible is NOT the criteria.
With my NA SR22 I flew from the Munich area to Split in Croatia in 2 hours an 10 minutes – never using more than 65 percent power, and with a fuel consumption of around 12.5 GPH. At FL 110 I had an average TAS of 170 kt
Do I need to get there faster? Would I trade the very comfortable and big cabin for another 25 knots?
DEFINITELY not!
Roger on ‘fun’ but sometimes the final destination is further away… 2 hrs 10 minutes at 12.5 gph from Munich to Split is bitchen, but that might say more about the central location of Munich!
Time for a Skype appointment. ‘Somebody I know’ ist immer püntlich and can reach out across an ocean at light speed. 
For those who want to save some money
12.5 GPH says something about the location of Munich?
Well, the calculated flight time from Munich to Crete is under 5 hours, so I guess it’s fast enough … How much would I gain with the fastest Mooney if I forced my kids to wear oxygen masks at FL250? 20 minutes? I prefer the comfort of the cabin, the CAPS system and the modern aerodynamics.
boscomantico: What do you think the engine OH will cost? 35 K €? More?
This one might be a good deal too, and I am sure the price could be reduced by 10 K: 550 hours total time! And the glass cockpit too …
