Of some interest to this thread is that the 35th anniversary Z and all '05 6-speed G35s (coupe and sedan) will have 298hp (lets say 300hp).

The current Skyline in Japan is what we know as the G35 over here, and they will be coming out with a hotted up version. Exactly what form that will take I do not know, other than it will be an Infiniti, be visually separated from the 'regular' Gs and be quite a bit of $$. As I understand it, one of the biggest question marks lies in whether it will get some version of the VK series V8 or a turboed VQ.

Personally I can't wait to see this happen, the world is always a better place with more fast cars

 

Also, Toyota needs to get on the ball. With the Celica and MR2 Spyder discontinued, they have only the Lexus IS300 to be their "sports car" Of course it was debatble if the Celica was a sports car. The MR2 definetly had the light weigh and agile handling, but was in desperate need of more power. And you think we as GM enthusiasts have something to cry about, try being a Toyota enthusiast, when Toyota's two best sports cars went out of production many years ago(the previous turbo MR2 and Supra)

 

Japanese companies lost their cars in the 90's and I also really hope they come back to stir the market and get us in the right direction.

S2000 base - $32,950
350Z Roadster (Enthusiast is the cheapest you can get) - $34,150

Also up here in Upstate NY, the 350Z isnt selling very well. The G35 though out-sells it by far. Stupid Rich People... The S2000 also does very well. The $1200 price tag difference is even worse up here - I can get an equally loaded S2000 for $3000-$4000 less then a 350Z roadster (gotta compare apples to apples here)

Yes, they can call it a Skyline. Yes they can put a v8 into it and restyle it - but look at what Nissan has done in the past few years. The GTR nameplate did mean something special, and I'd hate to see them ruin it. The Skyline was never a very "pretty" car, but it sure stood out, espicially the R34.

The R34 I think on the outside was as close to looking like an Aston as Japan has ever done. It looked brutal. Just sitting there it looks fast and mean IMO. If they call the G35 the Skyline in Japan, will they give us a totally seperate model to call the skyline? Doubt it. We'll probably be on the same lines. And then the GTR? A G35 that's hopped up. It'd be nice, but I dont think it'd stand out as much. Whether that'd a blessing or a curse, I couldnt tell you - but from the Import Crowd around here - knowing that the GTR is going to come from Infinity... they would not be happy...

350Z Base Coupe - $26,500
G35 Base Coupe - $32,990
2005 Acura NSX - $89,000 (Holy!!!)

But lets look at the Skyline and Supra and Corvette...

1997 GTR V-Spec - 5,290,000 YEN
1997 Toyota Supra - $3,880,000 YEN

1997 Turbo Supra was $39,900 - a full $10,000 more then the non-turbo!
Skyline GTR V-Spec - $54,000 (converted guess)
1997 Chevrolet Corvette - $37,495 msrp

It's no wonder why the Supra didnt do well in the states. It was MORE then the newly re-designed vette, which as we remember, sold absurdly fast.

But a $38,240 G35 loaded with the better suspension is a decent deal in the end. We know going from 2wd to awd adds $2000-$3000 to the price, and going from a v6 to a v8 will probably add another $3000 to the price. That could put a v8 AWD G35 at $44,240 (give or take) just about at the price of a 2005 Corvette. That isnt that bad!

If they called it a "Skyline" that might do. But that puts it in Vette Territory. And as Ford Found out when they got too close to the Camry pricetag, the Vette in the States is a force to recon with. It has the Status that just wont die. Could it do well? Sure. But it'd be hard to try to sell a Skyline for $45,000... It'd be heavier then it is now (v8 and awd) and need boost to even think of keeping up with the C6's LS2.
Lets throw in the supercharger $3000 more. Now we've got a $48,000 AWD G35 that MIGHT be as fast as a C6 at a little bit more in price...

It'd be tight. Very tight. I dont think US Buyers will warm up to the price though...

EDIT: And yeah. It really sucks for Toyota fans. They traded a Supra and an Awesome MR2 for a Scion Xa and a Scion Tc. It's just not the same... Atleast us Chevy guys still have a Monaro and a Vette to keep us warm at night.

 

Just a note, NSX does not have twin turbos. It has naturally aspirated V6 with 270 or 290 HP.

 

Yeah, and an all aluminum body to shove that 3.2L v6 into. Nice cars, dont get me wrong - but because of the aluminum and that they're hand built - I'd rather spend $90,000 on something else.

I think it was Jeremy Clarkson who said the NSX wasnt a Supercar because it was "Over Engineered". They did such a good job making the thing that it was too easy and to tame to really call a supercar... The aftermarket boosted kits though I hear make the car rediculously fun to drive. The NSX is quick because of its weight, but with 450hp and 350lb/ft it'd probably be scary quick.

I wonder who owns the fastest, most-modded NSX?

 

Somebody on the net has 12 psi NSX that ran 11.8 @ 126 mph. I wonder how well those engines handle boost, I thought they come from the factory with rather high compression ratio... Unless, of course, they lower it when boosting.

 

1. The Celica and MR2 Spyder were mindbendingly ugly, cramped and not especially cheap. The Celica deserved to "pass away." In any case, the Scion tC is just a rediscovery of the original Celica formula and a far better car on most counts.

2. The MR2 Spyder was also mindbendingly ugly, cramped and not especially cheap. Worse yet, it was pointless in a market where roadsters - especially the ones without a prestige or performance pedigree - are dying...again.

3. The IS300 was too small to compete with the 3-series, and probably sold because of the Lexus badge more than the car itself. Toyata seems to have learned from the Infiniti G35 (bigger + more power = better), so all of the talk about a V8 in the next Lexus IS might just be true.

4. The Supra and MR2 Turbo died in the '90s because of the weakness of the dollar. Both cars lived on in Japan long after they disappeared from the USA. Oddly enough, the Lexus SC300/400 (on the same platform as the Supra) suffered the same sort of yen induced price escalation, but survived in the U.S. because of the Lexus badge. I wonder if anyone sees a pattern.