Nissan killing 60 nameplates across their brands

ZCanadian

The problem with trying to please the masses (and it doesn't matter if we are talking sports cars, vehicles in general, or the last season of Game of Thrones), is that whereas a large number can agree that they want something changed, only a very small proportion of those will ever agree on a certain set of parameters to change to.

So companies take the safe route and try to come up with something that appeals to as many segments as possible while alienating as few as they can.

Hence, the target seems to be a crossover with lots of storage space, room for the soccer team, comfy seats that fold down for luggage space, a fancy exterior and a "sport mode" to make neutered men think it's still sporty, and a drive train that sips fuel while giving a gentle ride and uncomplicated driving experience. If it could exhaust only butterflies for not much extra investment, they'd do that too. Fill it with enough tech, and perhaps nobody will notice how dystopian the future really is!

Move any of these dials more than a few points either way and the mass-appeal starts to wane. So, we wind up with this homogenous fleet of bland people movers. The outliers are mainly expensive, low volume anomalies anymore. So sing the praises of people who occasionally think outside the (bland, vanilla) box.

UNKNOWN_370

I believed this up to about a decade ago. Now I just believe they push what works for them. Nissan ignored calls for improvements after the first year on the Z. We all said we desperately need a cooler. Z's lived in limp mode on a track. They hesitated an extra 3 yrs then put a substandard oil cooler. New buyers of the Z talk like they dont have an oil cooler.
The other forums used to troll about CSC and oil consumption issues... Nisssn still hasn't addressed it. At the refresh we wanted the Nismo to be more track focused. They softened the suspension. We wanted more nismo colors. They took away a couple colors.
They sabotage themselves. Ok now forget sports cars. They asked for a AWD maxima. The Altima got it. They asked for at minimum a traditional auto in the maxima... nope. Then they wonder why they struggle. And I'm not picking on Nissan.
Chevy
Buick
Volkswagen
Subaru
Honda
Are all guilty. Toyota at minimum is trying to redeem themselves. Going with what the masses want didnt work for toyota. Now going back to performance is.
You think Kia would be doing well without the stinger. The press tells us one thing. But you read all the forums... there are thousands of enthusiasts of all types of cars being disappointed.

I really dont see it as what the people want. It's their BRAINWASHED FOCUSED advertising force feeding people the options they choose for us by neglecting what we like to the point that we wont pay 30k for an underdeveloped basic sports car.
And I dont remember sports cars being built for max profit. They've always been the break even bragging rights car to keep up brand image.

Maybe the problem is they dont view the sports car that way anymore?

__________________
Favorite Quote.
"I'm not gonna kill you... I'm just gonna Bash Your Face In" Jack Nicholson-"The Shining". 1980

FL 4Motion

If tech features are what sell cars now, and to the masses, esp under 40 demographic, they are, then a sports car isn’t a halo car, the level 4 or level 5 autonomous car is, the latest battery powered electric car is, bc if it powers your iPhone, then it must be better than petrol right?

The best selling Audi is the q5, has been for a long time, they killed the tt line after the current mk III ends in 2020, the r8 is most likely gone. Best selling sporty vehicle they sell...the sq5. People think a quick straight line run from a stoplight, all any gussied up cuv is really good for, equals sports car.

Same problem different details in the Jeep/suv world, the suv is dead/dying. By suv, I mean a truck based body on frame 4x4 with a two speed transfer case. Everyone wants their suv to ride like a sedan, hence cuvs. Only real options left are wrangler and 4Runner. Same reason the solid axle has been killed off everywhere even though it’s better in 99% of cases under a truck or suv but the ride isn’t going to be Cadillac smooth. Latest JL wrangler just came out, most refined yet capable ever, it’s awesome, wife loves her’s, bunch of late drinking dipshits buy them cause it looks cool, then bitch about how it rides rough and the steering is vague, some dickless wonder actually complained that he didn’t feel safe bc of the steering when going 80 mph on the highway. Everyone who was a true jeeper astutely pointed out if that was his goal for his vehicle, then a Jeep is not for him, shoulda got a rav4.

Rant over.

Oh, one more thing fvck everyone who values comfort and safety and complacency over excitement and adventure and *** kicking. If our cars/trucks are a reflection of ourselves, and more than anything I think they are, then we are a shadow of what we once were as a nation.