Where is the next generation of direct drive?

You can't really compare the current direct drive high end models to the old Denons, etc. It's a whole different league and they have to be evaluated separately. I've only heard the Grand Prix Monoco extensively and I wouldn't say there's a belt drive turntable in it's price range that sounds better just because it's belt drive. I think at that level the difference is blurred.

I took on the TTWeights line of tables for this very reason. You can switch back between ultra quiet rim drive or tri belt drive. It offers something for everyone, no matter what your design preference. I only have the belt drive up right now, but in a week or two I'll be able to switch over to the rim drive, and I can post back my impressions. I think having 3 belts is paying dividends in terms of PRAT. Before hearing this table I thought high res digital offered the best sonics on a consistent basis. Now it's the table that makes more recordings sound realistic.

I wouldn't say belt drive designs are bad, I've owned and enjoyed several during my decades in this hobby.

But I do find good DD and rim drive designs to be more accurate and musically satisfying. The most obvious example came from a friend recently when he installed a Teres rim drive to replace the belt system on his VPI Scout. Some would consider this an unusual modification since the Teres cost as much as the Scout table and arm package. However, just a couple of minutes listening to a solo piano recording revealed the significantly improved accuracy and musicality which far better resembled a live piano. Other instruments and voices benefitted as well but the piano provided an easy and immediate comparison.

Specifically to the OP's question, I agree with everything that Sonofjim said about DDs as it was a better summary of points I was suggesting in my previous post.

I could not agree more on DD table, please do not look down on vintage DD table. They can be extremely good if set up properly. I have own many tt. One of the worse tt I have ever own is a semi suspended BD TT which I do not wish to name. The BD tt I own sounded bass light, lack of music foundation, artificial PRAT and the performance is really far away from my other DD table.

The higher end vintage DD tables rule OK from the 70's, early 80's. This was from an era, especially the Japanese manufacturers made statement tables and sold at a loss, just to show what they could do.
Many of the high end Japanese tables they kept for themselves and did not sell outside of Japan.

Some of the classik DD tables that can and do compete with any table out today are

Kenwood L-07D
Luxman PD-441
Sony PS-X9
Technics SP-10
Pioneer Exclusive P-3 - just superb
Onkyo PX-100
Yamaha GT-2000
Denon DP-100M