Originally Posted by kenchan (Post 2116882)

is GTR going backwards? i dont think so.

i think the issue is 20yr olds in japan not buying cars instead buying anime toys to play dressup or something at home (home as in parent's place). the older folks want to spark interest in wat guys use to play with...cars. but ends up in the hands of middle-aged folks.

ok, im just rambling now. back to topic.

Originally Posted by 1st (Post 2118429)

Abort that baby!

Originally Posted by DIGItonium (Post 2118348)

The Z can't move up market. That's what lead to the eventual demise of the Z32. It was exceeding $40k, which was pricey for its time. The Z is supposed to be the budget sports car for the masses. All these new cars nowadays are full of electronic gizmos, and it seems like the unfortunate result of what the market wants nowadays beyond cup holders.

I miss seeing budget pocket rockets in the $15k range. How about a RWD economical pocket rocket with a 1.6L turbo (option)? It serves as an economical starting point for enthusiasts, and is economical for those who want a fun fuel sipping car with a bit of turbo grunt.

If the Z remains in the upper $28k to sub $30k range, it must face stiff competition with the pony cars. Even if it is in a different class, it is already being subjected to such comparos. Look at owners who dropped the Z in favor of Mustangs (no offense, but that's just how it is).

So here's what I think Nissan needs to cover their bases for performance, value, and fuel economy:
Sub $22k FWD: Sentra SE-R (standard 1.6L turbo)
Sub $27k RWD: Silvia (standard 1.6-2.4L turbo)
Sub $34k RWD: Z (3.5-3.8L NA V6 or maybe 2.5-3.0L turbo V6)

Wishful thinking because of inflation.


Do the same, but for curb weight.

Originally Posted by kmkraft12 (Post 2117141)

Was there a 3.7 before the 370, or g37. Was there a 3.5 before the 350, or g35.
Was there a 3.8 before the GTR. All engines start somewhere and nissan has been slowly going up in displacement since the start. Why would they go away from a very successful sports car line up to switch to something new before testing it out.

Originally Posted by UNKNOWN_370 (Post 2118568)

GT-R is a hundred thousand dollar car. We're tslking sub $50 where the bread &butter is. (volume sales)

Originally Posted by cheshirecat (Post 2118689)

I wound't exactly call sub-50 "volume sales". The Z is a niche car as it is.

As long as the car continues to be a value it will sell to the type of buyers who have been into Z's from the beginning.

Once it starts to lose that "bang for the buck" factor, I think you'll see sales decline.

Originally Posted by cheshirecat (Post 2118406)

It's not "inflation" as much as it is a strong yen versus the dollar. Everything being exported out of Japan right now is pretty expensive. This is extremely apparent in the sportbike market, where bikes that were 8.5k 10 years ago now sell for closer to 13.5k.

Because of this, sportbikes coming out of Europe (Germany/Italy) while historically more expensive than their Japanese couterparts, are now in the same price range.

Japan is worried about the strong yen, and they have every right to be.

Here's an article about it.
Strong Yen Threatens Japan

Originally Posted by UNKNOWN_370 (Post 2118584)

fixed ;)

We gotta be realistic when looking at the current market.

Originally Posted by lemon-fresh (Post 2118714)

That is really old news dude. Lets see how the yen is doing now.

USDJPY=X Basic Chart | USD/JPY Stock - Yahoo! Finance

Originally Posted by JungleZ (Post 2119043)

Nissan worries me, Nissan North America is a joke in my opinion. They have horrible customer service and don't know crap about their customers wants and needs