Not sure if it would be as bad as you think, with the other layers behind it.. plus the texture effect and speed.. but I know what you mean. If we applied a sliding expansion, such as the other sprites are behind.. then you avoid the instant pop up.. which if Im not mistaken, is essentially what a mesh kind of does automatically.
Also, note that the original Out Run game uses several sprites for a single image, when scaling. The scaling detail would never be good enough on a low-res screen, to scale from small to large.. so they had to redraw the images at various points, to make the details look more appropriate at those distances.
When looking at a game like Outrunners.. one thing that kind of ruins the game, is that the graphics are a bit too clean. You see, with the original Outrun, there were limits on details, as well as more distortions.. and the monitor was smaller, with most likely a larger dot pitch... thus the shadow mask cause even more distortions. This helped to create texture in sprites and backgrounds, and simulated a more natural shading effect.. as well as Hid a lot of graphical issues, such as scaling details, jagged edges, etc.
With Outrunners, these things jump out at you. The longer field of road, and the lack of texture and shading.. means a more photographic look.. but without the shading to match it.. it looks flat and unrealistic. About 10x more unrealistic than the original. Add to that the cartoon like cars.. and the cartoon like reaction of the cars (riding on two wheels.. sliding at 45 degrees on every turn.. even though skidding via loss of grip isnt supposed to be a full on power-slide.. )
and you have a clash of graphics, and clash of concepts. IE: Original outrun is meant to represent realism... where as Outrunners cant make up its mind... and tries to mix realistic captures, with cartoony graphics...
I think its very possible to make a non cartoony sprite racing game, with enhanced graphics.. but a lot more details have to be artistically worked out. Its never going to be 100% realistic.. but thats the Charm of a sprite racer. Its scaling look and un-natural speed, make it more fun and artistically interpretive.
In many ways, the Original Outrun has outlasted many of the 3d modeled games.. not just because of the higher difficulty challenge.. and speed.. but because its interpretive look holds up better than low polygon counts, poor shading (low number of rays), and other graphical errors associated with poorly done 3d modeled technology.
This is why something like an Oil painting cant be Out-Dated. It is what it is. There is no resolution. There no need for perfection. And its why oil paintings done well, are far more valued than mere photographs. Most especially, if the artist has a very unique way of expression in his painting.
I feel this is very relative, because your version is much more hi-res.. and can have the same kinds of issues of Outrunners.. if certain steps are not put in place. Such as the noise filter, shading on hills, color shift and bluring in distant images...etc.
Anyways, I hope to see you try something like a scaling mountain, as well as curving bridge. See how well it can be done.
Im also wondering if instead of scaling in parts.. simply draw the mountain in a psudo-3d.. such as using 1 small image in front, then two or three images next, then maybe 8 behind that.. until its the full length and size. Again, not completely realistic.. but interesting, and probably would do the trick well enough to be fun and convincing, especially for an 80s racer level of technological capability. (if cost were no option back then)
Edit: Found this on the net. Notice, not just horizontal lines, but vetical as well.. which help make the texture. Distant images are much more effected by these distortions, helping out the lack of shading and details. Also, note that lines are smoother, like road lines.. as well as colors are more blended. This was further enhanced, as the arcade monitors tended to get slightly out of focus.. as well as blurry from dust on the screen, trapped behind the monitor glass. Ive often wondered if some Devs actually glued the monitor focus to be slightly blurry on purpose, at the factory, to help smooth the images. Also note, that this is probably a replacement monitor. While the resolution is the same on the newwer models.. the dot pitch often was higher.. and so the shadowmask lines were thinner.. making a more clearner picture with less distortion than may have originally shipped out with.