Call me crazy, but i just walt lego to produce a minifigure scaled 8 stud wide minicooper or volkswagen golf, and a 8 to 9 stud wide van like the golfwagen transporter or mercedes sprinter, that can be converted from a 5 or 7 seater into a camping van, along with a dodge ram 1500 or ford f150 car and maybe an 8 stud wide luxury sedan like the volkswagen phaeton or mercedes s classe or audi a8
as for to how to fit 5 lego figures together on 9 studs, it is quite doable by using 2x1 plates with 1 knob and using panels on the sides. 1 figure in center, the 2 other figures each on 2 2x1 plates with one knob, so they are both raised a bit and also take in less space, and then just a plate on each side
sure for something as blocky as a van this should not be much trouble
heck, want it even easier, just have the middle figure just sit one stud more in front then the other 2 on the back row, then they will only take up less then 8 studs, and not 8
what i would find equally important though, would be to have more interior detail instead.
I would like a dashboard, i would like a center console, i maybe would like a steering wheel that can move a bit, i would like sliding doors on my van, maybe even regular doors on the other cars, i would like a center console in my audi a8 at the back for the passenger, i would like a trunk, i would like a hood that opens up to reveal an engine that is prefferably 3 dimensional, also good as a print, still awsome enough to be a sticker on a 2x2 tile.
and in fact no, i do not need them to be racers per se at all, but i want to see about the same quality the current new line of speed champions got, while still not being like made up lego city vehicles.
edit: and neither i want more actual scaled up models that are not minifigure scaled either