Another five year run???
 

I know the Z33 only stuck around for five years. I have to wonder if the Z34 will do the same?? I won't be able to buy a Z34 til at least '13, which would be a year before the production run is out if they stay on the current schedule. Personally, I think cars should have longer life cycles of 8 to 10 years to save money and make consumers realize its better to keep a car over a longer period of time to recuperate the cost through a longer period of use during ownership. Automakers may not have a choice if the current financial crisis is anything to go by, considering higher taxes and loan restrictions to consumers.

I think, with a few exceptions, that a given body style gets old or tired after about 5 or 6 years - hence the 5-6 year model life. There is only so much refreshening you can do.

The Germans manage to keep a generation on the market for 7 years. It use to be much longer in the early 90's and prior. Then, all of the sudden you start marketing more heavily to fickle minded consumers that push for more frequent updates and heavy revisions more frequently on cars. However (like I've said) the current financial crisis may put people in the position where they may not be able to get into a new car as frequently as they have during the past decade or so. I don't see the 5-7 year life cycle sticking around for too much longer.

5-7 years for a model seems about right to me, at least through 2020 or whenever the 35mpg gov't mandate comes into effect. BMW is an excellent example of this ethos. The E36 3 series was on the market from '92-'99, 8 years (including '92). By the time BMW retired that model, Audi's B5 platform was on the market and even though it wasn't as focused a chassis as the Bimmer, it looked bang up to date for the late '90's. So BMW releases the E46 chassis, which stays on the market, in one iteration or another through '06, or 7 years. Again, Audi comes with the B6/B7 chassis, and by '06 with the possible exception of the M3, the E46 chassis (and I'm including the exterior in the 'chassis' definition, even though I know it's not technically accurate) begins to look a little dated. So then we get the Bangle-ized E9X 3 series and even though it's a love it/hate it look, you put an E46 next to it and it just looks kind of old. Not bad, by any means, just old. You can tell it isn't a new model. It's all about competition. Audi and BMW stagger their chassis updates so they can see what the other competitor is going to bring to market. All direct competition car companies do that, and they've seemed to settle on a 5-7 year model run as the number that makes sense. If the new Z runs until 2014/15, then it'll have time for one more model roll out before it has to become part of Nissan's fuel milage strategy. Long post I know, but it's an interesting subject! :tup:

good question

I think 8 years is about the max. After that, new designes, etc. will push the consumer to buy from a company with a more up-to-date design.

Just think if the mustang had run from 1999-2009. Who the heck would have bought a 1999 spec mustang in 2009 when Nissan's V6 is laying down 50whp more?

I would say 5 yrs. Japanese automakers tend to change styles more then others.

While I can't imagine the next major revision of the Z won't include a different engine, it is always possible (although maybe not probable?) that it could still be a 370Z. Linking the model name with the engine would make it tough, unlike car models that don't (for example, the new Mazda3 looks very different from the first line 2004-2009, but is still badged as a Mazda3).

True, think of how many versions of something like the Camaro have existed

Well technically it is the Fairlady Z in Japan and always has been but with different styles and engines.
Will the current 370z engine and style be around in 2013? Maybe, Nissan might do some slight body changes and just up the HP.

Since the 2011 doesn't seem to be getting a "refresh" in terms of looks, perhaps this will be bypassed by Nissan, saving changes for the 2014 or 2015 model.

Re: HP, can't they unleash more if they mess with the VVL?

true?

According to the video I watched about the VQ37 (which I did not completely understand), the height or angle of the valves can be changed to increase HP. The link for the video is someplace on this forum.

Probably so

Here is the video: YouTube - Nissan 370Z / G37 VQ37 VVEL camless intake valve system
I understood a little bit of the discussion. Made me feel stupid. Then I watched some Stooges and felt real smart like!