Nissan goes Porsche Hunting...
11-28-2005, 09:56 AM
#21
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Originally Posted by My R2,Nov 28 2005, 12:46 PM
With 450 hp plus
No more than 100 lbs difference
Weight distribution changes of no more than 5%
and with a price south of 43K they MAY have a serious contender to the Vette
No more than 100 lbs difference
Weight distribution changes of no more than 5%
and with a price south of 43K they MAY have a serious contender to the Vette
11-28-2005, 10:44 AM
#22
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Interesting, but I don't see it. As stated, putting a V8 in the 350 would hurt Skyline sales. The only time I can think of when a maker gave a lesser car more cylinders than it other more expensive bretheren, was when Porsche put a V8 in the 928/968, and the 911 still had the F6.
In that case the 968 did not fair well and was killed after 10-15 years of life, nice though it was.
In Nissan's case I think the Skyline would suffer, because why buy a twin turbo V6 with more horsepower, when you can get a 450Z for less with a V8 that will likely be tweakable beyond the capabilities of the V6 Skyline?
The only scenario I see is the Z getting the TTV6, and the Skyline getting the V8 and AWD. That's the only configuration that would make sense to me.
In that case the 968 did not fair well and was killed after 10-15 years of life, nice though it was.
In Nissan's case I think the Skyline would suffer, because why buy a twin turbo V6 with more horsepower, when you can get a 450Z for less with a V8 that will likely be tweakable beyond the capabilities of the V6 Skyline?
The only scenario I see is the Z getting the TTV6, and the Skyline getting the V8 and AWD. That's the only configuration that would make sense to me.
11-28-2005, 11:14 AM
#23
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Originally Posted by Slamnasty,Nov 28 2005, 12:44 PM
The only time I can think of when a maker gave a lesser car more cylinders than it other more expensive bretheren, was when Porsche put a V8 in the 928/968, and the 911 still had the F6.
In that case the 968 did not fair well and was killed after 10-15 years of life, nice though it was.
In that case the 968 did not fair well and was killed after 10-15 years of life, nice though it was.
The 928 had more cylinders than the 911, but it was also more expensive than, and intended as the replacement for, the earlier car. So this wasn't an example of a lesser car having more cylinders. The 968 was the successor to the 944 and the least expensive car in Porsche's lineup, but it had only four cylinders.
One example of a lesser car having more cylinders I can think of was the 1991 Ford Probe lineup -- the Probe LX had a V6, whereas the Probe GT had a turbocharged inline four. The '91 Probe wasn't exactly the pinnacle of sports car development, though.
11-28-2005, 12:15 PM
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Originally Posted by PsychoBen,Nov 28 2005, 07:02 AM
Want to really improve the car?
1. Get that pig on a diet - loose 350 lbs.
1. Get that pig on a diet - loose 350 lbs.
why do people insist on calling it a fat pig???
11-28-2005, 01:03 PM
#25
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Originally Posted by cfusionpm,Nov 28 2005, 01:15 PM
you do realize the 350Z is only about 50 lbs heavier than an NSX....
why do people insist on calling it a fat pig???
why do people insist on calling it a fat pig???
11-28-2005, 01:17 PM
#26
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Originally Posted by cfusionpm,Nov 28 2005, 02:15 PM
why do people insist on calling it a fat pig???
It's a cool and relatively quick fat pig, but a fat pig nonetheless.
11-28-2005, 01:31 PM
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[QUOTE=PedalFaster,Nov 28 2005, 12:14 PM] Actually, you're getting your Porsches confused, but the actual information supports your argument better than your understanding does.
11-28-2005, 04:11 PM
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According to a Nissan insider at FreshAlloy.com's 350Z forum, the situation is:
-Nissan USA and Infiniti fought over who would get the GT-R. Infiniti won.
-In exchange Nissan USA will get a twin turbo version of the Z, called the "Fairlady Edition".
-Spec: widebody, VQ32DETT, 550hp, not sure on drive train (awd or rwd?).
-There's no way Nissan would let the Z beat the GT-R, so the Z was not allowed to undercut the GTrR's pricing. As a result, the Fairlady Edition (or whatever the final name is) will come in around $75k. Presumably the GTR comes in at $55K or so, maintaining a gap between the two cars.
-Smaller turbo 4cylinder version of the Z will also be introduced, obviously at below the $30K threshold of the current Z. Specs unknown, but i'd guess around 220hp, above the current Sentra SE-R and below the current base model, pre-"Rev-Up" VQ powered 350Z.
www.freshalloy.com, 350Z forum. Take it as you will.
personal speculation:
Hopefully the GT-R also gets the twin turbo VQ rather than the v8, assuming the turbo engine is sufficiently overbuilt to allow easy modifications in the vein of the RB26DETT.
-Nissan USA and Infiniti fought over who would get the GT-R. Infiniti won.
-In exchange Nissan USA will get a twin turbo version of the Z, called the "Fairlady Edition".
-Spec: widebody, VQ32DETT, 550hp, not sure on drive train (awd or rwd?).
-There's no way Nissan would let the Z beat the GT-R, so the Z was not allowed to undercut the GTrR's pricing. As a result, the Fairlady Edition (or whatever the final name is) will come in around $75k. Presumably the GTR comes in at $55K or so, maintaining a gap between the two cars.
-Smaller turbo 4cylinder version of the Z will also be introduced, obviously at below the $30K threshold of the current Z. Specs unknown, but i'd guess around 220hp, above the current Sentra SE-R and below the current base model, pre-"Rev-Up" VQ powered 350Z.
www.freshalloy.com, 350Z forum. Take it as you will.
personal speculation:
Hopefully the GT-R also gets the twin turbo VQ rather than the v8, assuming the turbo engine is sufficiently overbuilt to allow easy modifications in the vein of the RB26DETT.
11-28-2005, 04:42 PM
#30
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"nissan insider" sounds like "14 year old speculating wildly from his computer chair" to me. Come on, 550 bhp? Widebody? more expensive than the GT-R? uh-huh... I don't see any credibility to that "freshalloy.com nissan insider" aside from the possible fight between Nissan and Infinity over naming rights...
I'd just be content to see Nissan work on the quality of its interiors and reliability, Honda has proven that one need not have the most horsepower or best handling in a class to be a winner, it's about balance of all aspects. The 350Z has the power and handling aspects reasonably well sorted, and now development money ought to be spent on other aspects of vehicle dynamics.
Nissan would be stupid to try to fight for Corvette or 911 customers...most(at least many) who buy those cars have been waiting since they were in grade school to get their hands on one, and aren't going to pass that up to buy a Nissan, even if it has a billion horsepower and weighs as much as a paperclip. Just not a fair fight, so stay out of it Nissan.
Quick2k
I'd just be content to see Nissan work on the quality of its interiors and reliability, Honda has proven that one need not have the most horsepower or best handling in a class to be a winner, it's about balance of all aspects. The 350Z has the power and handling aspects reasonably well sorted, and now development money ought to be spent on other aspects of vehicle dynamics.
Nissan would be stupid to try to fight for Corvette or 911 customers...most(at least many) who buy those cars have been waiting since they were in grade school to get their hands on one, and aren't going to pass that up to buy a Nissan, even if it has a billion horsepower and weighs as much as a paperclip. Just not a fair fight, so stay out of it Nissan.
Quick2k