Last I read on some Nissan boards, the Skyline could be closer to $70k. Your point is made though, it is not going to be cheap. Interesting to read that Nissan still has not came to a final conclusion on whether the car will be a Nissan or an Infiniti over here. I hope they badge it as a Nissan, because it has been a symbol of Nissan's engineering for many years, and since the rest of the world has no Infiniti brand, the car has been associated with Nissan over the years. I still think they would sell as a Nissan. Chevy manages to have no problem selling Corvettes (I know they have been in the states for MUCH longer, but I doubt Nissan would plan to sell as many Skylines as Chevy does Vettes).

Sorry for sidetracking the thread aliittle. I hope Nissan comes out with this 450z.

 

On a side note there's a very good chance Lexus will be putting out a 400hp 5.0L V8 version of its current IS250/350, called, suitably, the IS500. There's also rumors of an IC (coupe) version of the IS coming out. Let's see an IC500 come out and I'd be all over that sucker.

Actually I might prefer the IS500... one side of me likes coupes but the other side knows over the long term I'd be better off with 4 doors.

 

We've been discussing this for some time over at the import boards. It's still not official.

Some mag article that covered it a couple of months back. Basically says that Nissan doesn't want to stop with the success of the 350z, and wants to launch a super Z. They think it'll have 430hp mated to a 6spd and AWD system. It also says that it is supposed to be a direct competitor to the 911 carrerra and Maserati 4.2 GT.


Having read that, i now question the price and performance range of the Skyline GTR. If this will compete with the Carrerra, the GTR must be competing with the turbo...which would hint at a 6 figure price for the GTR.

 

I never quite got that. I havent been in a C6 to compare material quality, but of all the import and domestic cars and trucks Ive been in, a C5 corvette has by far the best look and feel for me. I dont know how anyone didnt like it. Not to mention that it looks 1000x better than the c6 interior when compared in pictures (being mostly black helps too - where did car makers get that fall-asleep gray from anyway)

 

If it's going to be that expensive, wouldn't it be losing it's Z-ness? I thought that the whole point of the Z cars was to be a cheap sportscar. $45,000 is not cheap.

 

I thought I remember reading that the Skyline was using the 911 GT2 as the benchmark? I am pretty sure of that. I don't know about 6 figure price tag, but it isn't going to be cheap. I doubt they will sell them near the 911 Turbo's pricepoint though. I don't think that woudl be a wise move on Nissan's part.

I do remember that for awhile there was talk of the 4.5 v8 powering the new Skyline, but it was later dropped. I would think this 450z could be utilizing all of the R&D they might have put into the car before the v8 idea was scrapped.

 

The new Automobile Magazine has an article on the GT-R and they said that Nissan is hoping for a 0-60 of around 3.6 seconds. So that would put it in the Porsche Turbo range for acceleration, but I think if they price it like a 911 Turbo, that will hurt its sales prospects, don't you? Yes, the GT-R has a rabid following in the import crowd, but how many could actually afford a brand new one at that price range? I don't see people shopping for a 911 Turbo saying "Well, I could buy this Porsche, but man that Nissan is sweet!" I could be wrong, though. It will probably be a fairly rare car.

 

I think people here are overestimating one certain aspect, this car will not be marketed to 25 year olds. All of the baby boomers retiring, with a ton of money, actually 18trillion dollars over the next few years, the people who buy 911's can afford them, and the corvette is reallly not bankrupting porsce, much like a trailblazer SS will not make the porshe cayane a failure.

If you come out with a skyline gtr, here, people will buy it, much like they do the dodge vipers, ford gt's, and 911's.

 

Nissan getting a bit arrogant... now that they are making good money? I guess there will be a point where the existing 350Z's sales will start to dip and Nissan is looking to keep people interested.

But if Nissan are getting into V8 sportscar territory, then it's a gamble. I don't believe Nissan's reputation for building sportscars (e.g. GTR) will provide them with an easy ticket to V8 performance. Why would anybody want a Nissan 4.5L V8 when they can have a Chevy Camaro with 6.2L V8 which would blow the Nissan away at a set of lights while using less fuel.

 

Or disappear again , only come back and re-invent the Z-car again . Nissan , and with talks of the Supra coming back I'll include Toyota too , need to once and for all define their uplevel sports cars . Its one reason brands like Porshe and the Corvette , both well defined in their mission's , will still be going strong and still be as popular as they ever were no matter how many times the asian competition tries to re-invent itself .

I think Nissian has a pair of fantastic cars in the current 350z and more so with the G35 coupe . But once you venture off into the price-point these cars are seemingly gonna play in , I think the people who are most gonna want these pricey versions are gonna be people that cant afford them . In the end , going the way of the old TT300zx , Supra and NSX . It will even be interesting to see when both the Camaro and Charger are in production , how the combo of those 2 , plus the Mustang will cut into the lesser 350 Z's and G35's sales . All 3 will no longer just be a stellar engine in a mediocre package . Nissan now , maybe more than ever needs to have a rock solid game plan for the current version of the Z-car .

My thoughts are probably un-popular ones , but ah well . I just dont see a expensive AWD 430+ hp 450Z being thaaaaaat appealing . Given whats already on the market , and whats gonna be coming to market .