Consider the products that Nissan has introduced within the last 12-18 months, as well as the products that are premiering at Detroit.

Does anyone think that the Cadilac CTS is really competing with the Infiniti G35 sedan and coupe? For that matter, does GM have a single FWD sedan that can go up against the Altima V6? How about comparing a Nissan Murano SUV with a Buick Rendevous? Try the Infinity FX45 against the upcoming Cadillac SRX.

I guess my point is that the former "sick man" of the Japanese automotive industry is coming on strong and General Motors doesn't seem to be planning beyond 0% financing and incentives galore. I look at a product like the Nissan Titan (standard 300+
32-valve V8), and it makes me sick that Chevy can't come up with anything better than the weak 5-cylinder Colorado.

When I see $28,000 Z-cars coming from a company that was nearly bankrupt a few years ago, it makes me wonder why GM couldn't pull off an F5 Camaro.

It took Renault management to turn Nissan around - talk about irony, the French teaching the Japanese how to design and build exciting cars. I can only hope that the elderly Mr. Lutz can accomplish the same at GM.

 

I think the CTS can hold its own, especially when the V car comes next year.

I guess that would be a GTP Grand Prix or the upcoming Impala SS...but that's just performance-wise. The Altima is viewed as a world class sedan, something that GM doesn't have. Point taken.

The Rendezvous actually sells quite well for Buick, and I don't know much about the Murano except to say it's a bit sleeker-looking but just about as ugly.

These things are a bit too new for me to really compare. For what they both are I would think the sigma-based SRX will also be able to hold its own. This isn't the Cadillac of the 80's, they are the one brand at GM that is really starting to put out some well-rounded, exciting product.

EDIT--I also forgot to mention that the Nissan Titan is their full sized pickup truck entry, so it would be compared to the Silverado line...the Japanese have never been able to get their full size trucks to catch on and I don't expect this one to be much different. I think the statistic I saw was that Silverado currently outsells the Toyota Tundra 10 to 1!

 

Even just sports cars.

I look at Nissan...

Hey, they have the sporty Sentra SE-R that has great HP for a sport compact (among the best in it's class) and is optioned well and decent looking. Comes in at a decent price!

Oh, but maybe I want to step up a notch...we have the V6 Altima, with, what now, 245 hp? And doesn't look half bad.

Then if I want something bigger to haul the family, I could get a Maxima, with 255hp. That's getting close the Mustang GT has stock.

But then if I want something that's truly sporty, I can get the 350Z. Sexy looking coupe, with 287hp.


So let's see, if I want to compete with that at GM, I could buy:

A Cavalier to compete with the Sentra. Wow.

A Monte Carlo SS to compete with the Altima...with only a 45 horsepower deficit! And 100 lbs extra weight for my troubles!

Get the Maxima and you're getting 55 extra hp and 200 less lbs...and similar fuel economy compared to the Impala. Has similar passenger room, too!

And the 350Z...well that'd be a great car for the F-Body to compete with. Unfortunately, the General doesn't seem to think there's a market for such things.

So yeah, Nissan pretty handily whips up on GM, especially Chevrolet. If you want anything sporty, or hell, anything that's not BLAND, then you're not going with GM, that's for god damned sure.

I hear the Nissans have a bad rep for fit and finish. But then GM doesn't exactly have a good one.

I'd drive past the Chevy dealer to the Nissan dealer if I was looking for a new car. It'd probably be my first stop after Ford and Mazda.

 

So if Nissan is making all the right cars for you, why are you complaining on here? Go buy a Nissan and be happy with it

 

Of course, this is just about word-for-word what I planned to type in a response... so I'll just quote it.

 

Maybe we should change this to the "GM bashing Forum".......Geeezz, come on guys, GM is not that bad.....yes Nissan is bringing some cool stuff to the market, but they arn't blowing GM out of the water.

 

Agreed... PLUS... think of the state of Nissan just a few years ago!!!!

They were in much worse shape, both economically, and product-wise than GM is today... and now people are beginning to say how great Nissan is...

Give GM those same few years, and I really think you'll see the same type of turnaround, only 10 times better!

 

Best thing about Nissan is the wide spread availbilty of manual transmissions---somethings you annot get in a mid-sized GM 4 door (except CTS---or a 4cly GA 5spd--woohoo)

That Titan could do some damage in the form of sales. Unlike the Tundra--it is 100% full--sized
and has a much more powerful V8. 5.6 DOHC 32 valve. Now if Dodge can get a pushrod 5.7 to 345--
I expect minimum 360hp from the Titan.

GM 5.3 285hp
Ford 5.4 3valve 300hp
Dodge 5.7 HEMI 345hp
Nissan 5.6 360hp

This could very well be how the hp will look in
the fall of the full sized trucks (1/2 ton)
My, how the mighty (GM) have fallen.

I've seen a few 350Z's on the street--gogeous car--now if only they'd drop the 340hp 4.5 V8 from the Q45.....

 

Who cares about HP in trucks anyway. Ask my Grandfather, the biggest truck guy I know. He drives a 7.3 turbo diesel F250. That hauls!
IT'S ALL ABOUT THE TORQUE!

By the way did you guys forget about the 8.1L? Can you say 340 horsepower and 455 lb.-ft. of torque. And ummm yeah we also have the DURAMAX 6600 V8 DIESEL ENGINE with 300 horsepower @ 3100 rpm 520 lb.-ft. of torque @ 1800 rpm. Not to mention the 6.0L Vortec still has 300 horsepower and 360 lb.-ft. of torque. I’m not too worried about Nissan trucks. I’m sure Ford isn’t either. I love Ford and Chevy Trucks and American guys buy American trucks. Girls buy Nissan trucks, ask the one I’m dating.

 

As a resident Datsun Zcar guy, I couldn't let this one get away. I'd MUCH sooner buy an '02 Z28 than a 350Z. Nissan saw a way to cash in without actually making a REAL new Z-car. The 350Z is nothing more (nor less) than a 2-seat G35. In other words, a perfectly fine sporty luxury sedan. But with no back seat and that absurd strut brace obstructing the rear cargo area. For the same money you can get the eminently more practical/usable G35s. And for LESS money you can get a not-as-nice, but better-looking (IMO) and more practical '02 z28 that will blow its doors clean off.

Of course that does nothing to explain the utterly baffling (to me) demise of the F-body. Why wouldn't people line up to buy a $24,000, mid-13s/105+mph in the quarter machine that HANDLES WELL (despite public perception). Anybody see the T2 race at the '02 SCCA runoffs? LS1 F-body beats BMW M-coupe, on a handling track.

What Nissan SHOULDA done (they didn't ask me) was build a Miata coupe with S2000 styling and the VQ35 engine, and then gone C5 hunting.

As it is, I can't WAIT to meet a 350Z at the track. My '71 has the same rwhp, and weighs ONE THOUSAND POUNDS LESS!!!

Don't bother telling me it couldn't have been done. If Mazda can build a 2400 lb. Miata, Nissan could've built a 2600 lb. or lighter new Z.

Dan Baldwin
'95 Z28 M6 convertible
'71 240Z 3.1

 

Sure we got them beat in the 2500 to 3500 but for halftons--the Chevy 5.3 will have the lowest hp and TORQUE ratings.

I don't expect the Titan is going after the really HD trucks--at least for now.

Sure you can get the 6.0 in the HD1500 crew cab--but who wants a crew cab? besides at 300hp for 6.0--that sucks. Should be minimum 325 like the Deali---and make avabile across the whole 1500
range.

I wouldn't confuse the new Titan with a Frontier--or what ever your gf drives--whole new ball game.

 

Nissan in a full size will never get away with sales. The stat is correct. 10 silverados alone per 1 Tundra. Then if you add the stats, 10 rams, 11 fords, and 10 silverados... all for one tundra. No thanks.

245hp for an altima. I drove one with a 5spd. Nice *** car. The 97+ GTP grand prix with an automatic is good competition if not victor depending on traction. Why? A LOT more Tq. Someone keeps forgetting to mention Tq...

The maxima vs the SSEI Bonneville... Okay, the Maxima wins, but not by much.

And the Sigma Chassis cars will rule the world. Comon. You'd think otherwise?

And if you read GM's comments, they KNOW they arent the highest in the rack on numbers. But look at the Silverado SS's interior. For a quick truck that's not the fastest, it's sure got a nice interior. Maybe I'd get a lightning... but you get regular cabs only with those. The interior of the silverado is not a work truck anymore, it's pretty luxurious.

I love Nissans. They're great cars, but in no way has nissan toppled GM. Are you smoking something? And the 350Z is a nice looking car that handles and turns and goes. But it looks faster then it is. They should have stuck the q45 engine in if they wouldnt have more fun. But then what about the skyline, which may hit shores in a year or two? But even then, Gm would have to kick itself REALLY REALLY hard and ignore everything for 10 years before nissan will come close to taking over.

 

No, Nissan has not toppled GM and likely never will. Just don't go comparing the Titan to the Tundra--there are significant points of difference--which should lead to greater sales for Nissan--I don't think it will be No. 1, or 2, or 3
in truck sales.

I mean to really be in the top 3--you need a heavy duty 3/4--1 ton work truck. 4th sounds right--ahead of Toyota.

At least Nissan offers manual transmisioned cars--in fact you have a chioce of that in every Nissan product. Thats something I admire.
Last time I drove a fwd GM 5spd---they suck!
Now Honda can build a good 5spd.

 

Well..... not really.
The Lightning - by name... you are correct.
But if you want the supercharged 5.4 with "Manny or Otto", AND 4-doors, you can get the 2003 Harley Davidson F-150. here's alink to the 2002 model too. And another.

In reality, you could get reg cab, extend cab, or quad cab versions of the F-150 with the supercharged 5.4 for the last 18 months or so now. Talk about truck selection...

 

Are you sure you never had a twin brother that was seperated at birth? . Even i get some of your posts mixed up since both are fairly close as far as wording, message, and content goes.

The new Nissan truck is alright. I'll stick to my Rams, F-series, and Silverado's just as i'll stick to f-bods and mustangs. But i'd like to see a 3.5L maxima with a manual tranny in my driveway.