Nissan=Styling that will last and age well?

[Asheth]

Well I guess I wanted to get other peoples thoughts. When you are gone away from the civilized world for more than a year and you come back you look at things different. Since I have been back I have looked at the 370z and seen the Maxima and I have to say they are definitely sexy. I knew the Z was been in person its so much better.

Shocker for me was the Maxima I didnt really like the pics but after seeing it in person and on the road it is a very stunning car. The thing about these designs is I think Nissan has found there place as a company that designs cars that will age well over time and 15 years from now I will still think the Z is stunning. I still think the 350z is stunning just as the 300z is. IMO this is where american car companies fail besides GM with the Corvette. Infinity line needs some work though. G35 still gorgeous but the g37 is kinda not sure about and sedan isnt. M35 is nice though.

[edeeZee]

American cars have their unique styling. It's funny because the economy is bad (for the past year or so), the "big 3" is starting to emulate Japanese cars in styling because I guess their marketing efforts are to plant a seed in people's heads that they're just as good as Toyotas and Hondas reliability-wise; and the most obvious impression is physical appearance a la the cliche "first impressions count"...Well, this is more of a reinvention of the big 3's image. Malibu's, Tauruses and the likes are starting to have contours and lines that look more Japanese rather than American.

The "bigger is better" motto doesn't work in today's economy. This motto equated to big displacement motors with lots of HP and torque in the hopes of winning over customers. Maybe the hardnosed people who are nationalistic and will never "buy Jap-junk" or "won't forget Pearl Harbor," but pragmatic people overlook such emotional ploys. That's why the big 3 are downsizing in displacement and doing the "twin turbo" thing in 6's to "replace the waste" from 8's.


Yes, Nissan's 370 IMO is a classic a la the FD3S and Supra MKIV. 10-15 yrs. down the road it'll still look fresh a la the Z32 TT's, or like Phoebe Cates walking topless near the pool in "Fast times at Ridgemont High," but not the 350 (sorry 350 drivers). But a lot of Japanese cars are stale and generic too these days.

Sorry about my digressions.

[spearfish25]

I think the next Z iteration should follow the mustang footsteps...

Looking back at pics, the 240Z looks awesome. Perhaps the 390Z (maybe a 3.9L V8???) would be sweet if it took the 370Zs lines but incorporated the retro-aggressive 240Z grille. Love the 240Z grille!

[edeeZee]

^I think the 370 is the 240 incarnate for the 21st century. The exterior silohuette echos the 240's, the 3 pods on the dash, etc.

[spearfish25]

Originally Posted by edeeZee

^I think the 370 is the 240 incarnate for the 21st century. The exterior silohuette echos the 240's, the 3 pods on the dash, etc.

Yep, the body lines of the 370 follow the 240's really closely. I'm all amped up about the 240 now. I think I may make it a restoration project...considering they sell for $2,000 to $10,000. What an awesome old car. It would look great in my garage right next to my 370.

[Gaiiden]

What about the Altima? It looks great from the rear at least

[bradz]

Originally Posted by Gaiiden

What about the Altima? It looks great from the rear at least

yeah, how about altima coupes?

[edeeZee]

Originally Posted by spearfish25

Yep, the body lines of the 370 follow the 240's really closely. I'm all amped up about the 240 now. I think I may make it a restoration project...considering they sell for $2,000 to $10,000. What an awesome old car. It would look great in my garage right next to my 370.

I saw a gorgeous, white 240Z unmolested, no mods, no nothing--completely stock this past Saturday in awesome shape, for a car nearly 40 yrs. old. The guy, who's my cousin's boyfriend's friend (sorry about the confusion), is the owner. I asked him "how much?" He said--NOT FOR SALE.

The 240Z is so gorgeous--ahead of its time.

[Asheth]

Well the i saw my first altima coupe when i went to test drive a Z and I thought it was a nice looking car. My mom and cousin agreed. Don't know if I would say the altima is a car that will stand the tests of time. Current Maxima i would say yes. Nissan has refreshed the cosmetics of the altima alot recently like they are trying to figure out where to place it in there lineup. Currently though very clean lines i like the styling.

[FricFrac]

The Z32 is the perfect example of a timeless car. Even at almost 20 years old it could easily pass as an 2009 model and still with outstanding looks. I doubt there has been a car as timeless as it has proven to be.

As for emulating older vehicles I really think Nissan has done an outstanding job with the 240Z/370Z retro. There are so many lines from the 240Z including the rear end which looks like a tubbed out 240Z. The classic lines are revived yet the car is new and modern unlike the American cars that try to copy the old car including the crappy ancient interior. The Japanese have always been good at taking the good bits from other manufactures and making their own product. Look at the original Z - bits and pieces from some of the best to produce the car that brought Japan to North America.

[Nismo 370z]

Originally Posted by edeeZee

American cars have their unique styling. It's funny because the economy is bad (for the past year or so), the "big 3" is starting to emulate Japanese cars in styling because I guess their marketing efforts are to plant a seed in people's heads that they're just as good as Toyotas and Hondas reliability-wise; and the most obvious impression is physical appearance a la the cliche "first impressions count"...Well, this is more of a reinvention of the big 3's image. Malibu's, Tauruses and the likes are starting to have contours and lines that look more Japanese rather than American.

The "bigger is better" motto doesn't work in today's economy. This motto equated to big displacement motors with lots of HP and torque in the hopes of winning over customers. Maybe the hardnosed people who are nationalistic and will never "buy Jap-junk" or "won't forget Pearl Harbor," but pragmatic people overlook such emotional ploys. That's why the big 3 are downsizing in displacement and doing the "twin turbo" thing in 6's to "replace the waste" from 8's.


Yes, Nissan's 370 IMO is a classic a la the FD3S and Supra MKIV. 10-15 yrs. down the road it'll still look fresh a la the Z32 TT's, or like Phoebe Cates walking topless near the pool in "Fast times at Ridgemont High," but not the 350 (sorry 350 drivers). But a lot of Japanese cars are stale and generic too these days.

Sorry about my digressions.

Agree with u 100% except on the 350z. I think the 350z is one of the nicest looking cars on the road right now. Call me biased if u want since I drive one, but that car was a fresh change from everything else when it came out in 2002. It helped Nissan from their troubling times and has sold very well since. The Z enthusiasts loved the cars sexy lines. Now it didnt have the exotic supercar look of the 300zx or the return to the 240 look of the 370 with the long hood, short deck but the 350 was a revolution when it came out. The 370 is more of an evolution.

[molamann]

I must say the signature boomerang lights should put a lasting impression on the Z34.

[rudi]

Originally Posted by Nismo 370z

Agree with u 100% except on the 350z. I think the 350z is one of the nicest looking cars on the road right now. Call me biased if u want since I drive one, but that car was a fresh change from everything else when it came out in 2002. It helped Nissan from their troubling times and has sold very well since. The Z enthusiasts loved the cars sexy lines. Now it didnt have the exotic supercar look of the 300zx or the return to the 240 look of the 370 with the long hood, short deck but the 350 was a revolution when it came out. The 370 is more of an evolution.

I would have to agree with you on that. When I first saw the 350 concept car about a year before it was released, I thought wow this is different and I loved it. However, I didn't get too excited as many concepts never look anything like final production model. When it was released I was surprised how close it was. Initially, many people didn't like 350 one bit. I believe It was just too far out for most peoples taste, eventually they changed their minds once they got used to seeing them. I think the same will happen to the 370, once people start seeing those boomerang lights on a regular basis.

I owned a 240Z, 300Z and now the 370Z and loved every one of them, they made me take the long way home every day.

[SManZ]

Hi new to the forum, first post, blah blah...

I wish they would do something with this 240 concept drawing;


I also think that Nissan's designs are more time-proof than others. The last gen Maxima, and even the Maxima before that, still look good. The Murano has been around forever but it still looks fresh. My 350Z still gets me thumbs ups 5 years after I bought it. Infiniti G coupe and sedan models, as well as the Q and M lines look modern as well.

The lines of the new FX are wild and I hope that this is the direction that the Infiniti line heads in. It will be especially interesting if it trickles down to the next G coupe.

[Lug]

For me, both the 350Z and the 370Z are those rare designs where I look at them and think that not one thing needs to be done to them to make them look better. Very few cars fall into that category for me. The 350Z is a beauty, the 370Z is a beast.