Saint_Spinner

I was just wondering since Honda have often announced that S2ks didn't make up much of Honda's profit (along with the NSX), hence dropping it from their line would hurt reputation more than sales. But what about Nissan? How do they view Sports cars? I know F1 is important to Honda, but it seems that Nissan's sports cars make a huge profit for the company (including G35). Which is strange because it seems that Nissan has never participated in any sports events....opinions?

silversprint

Nissan=Assembly line vs honda=hand assembled

g35 and 350z share many parts so they can be made easier and more profitable.

Saint_Spinner

But they sell for roughly the same price, yet in their first year, Nissan has sold more 350z than Honda's S2k in all the years (or atleast the first 3). I understand that torque, navigation, creature comforts mean alot here, but it seems that Nissan is one of the only large companies that actually gets alot of profit from their sports cars (as opposed to Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi).

yet from all the other Japanese brands, I don't see Nissan competing in F1, rally, le mans or anything. Mazda, Honda and Mitsubishi are all respected for their racing histories (rally, f1, lemans etc.)

vvtli78k

nissan has the same 3.5 v6 in their altima, maxima, Z, g35, fx35, i35. g35 sedan, m35, murano, not sure about frontier, neways i guess that is how they save money. very few hondas and acuras share the same engine

CBeyond

Don't forget that Nissan has previously been thought of as occupying the "second tier" among japanese automakers, below Honda and Toyota. Perhaps they are ascending to the first tier now.

It was only a few years ago that Nissan brought in Carlos Ghosn as CEO to save the company from the brink of destruction. I'm not surprised that they haven't had the money to spend on an factory team in international motorsport. Nor am I surprised that they don't consider this a worthwhile investment now. It's probably not a rational choice for ANY mass market carmaker.

Nissan does compete in the JGTC, which I believe they dominate... If I'm not mistaken?

Saint_Spinner

true..but I don't think cross platforms and using the same motor has anything to do with the sheer number of 350z sold. I understand that this will equal a much much bigger profit. But I don't think the general consumer cares about the fact that nissan share's motors....

Planets

nissan sells probably 1 350z for every third person on the planet per year (or so it seems anyway), compared to the s2000 which sells way less than that each year. so it's not really a legitimate comparison.

and nissan has and does compete in motorsports.

mav

Of course... Only a limited number of S2000's are produced a year, roughly 10,000 compared to roughly 5 times the number of 350Z's. The 350Z probably outsold the S2000 in one model year than all model years combined for the S2000.

rai

The Z can cost $6K less than a S2000. At $26K you can step up from an RSX or a Neon or WRX to a base Z. Also Mustange $19K sell a lot b/c they are cheap.

Plus as mentioned the Z can sell cheap or expensive. S2000 is one type take it or leave it.

Cheaper cars genrally have a larger group to buy. Thus 3-series >> 5-series > 7-series.

I know the Vette costs more than the 350Z and sells just as well, but to a much older group thus richer.

ellisnc

Nissan has made no secret of the fact that the 350, G35 (2 and 4 door), FX, and the M35 and 45 to some extent are all remotely based off the same underpinnings. When you add in 350Z to the mix there's not really much more "development" other than the normal easy things such as body, interior, etc...