Anyone else think this is ridiculous?

[Cap'n Morgatz]

Okay, so Nissan recently announced the cancellation of the new 240SX due to the recession. Does this strike anyone else as just about the worst thing they could've done? I mean, really. A crappy economy means that people are more likely to buy luxuries when they can (the reason why movie theatres always make a killing during recessions). In other words, cheap sports cars are the way to go, not the expensive ones like the Z and GT-R. People who can afford the GT-R might be unaffected, sure, but most people who'd be buying Zs are more likely to buy less expensive cars or just hold onto their money. Wouldn't a cheap car like the Silvia be just about the best thing for the market right now?

Think about it, an appealing 240 could be made for relatively cheap and sold at a good profit. Seriously, for the chassis Nissan could just recycle one of the S designs. Either slightly redesign the S14a/Kouki with some of the better s15 changes and call it the S15a, or go a slightly more expensive route and redesign the S13 and call it the S16. I think either would please fans and bring in new customers, but the first is likely more cost-effective (plus the Kouki is hot and not many people have seen them stateside). For the engine they could just give us the SR20DE(T) that was so amazing in the European and Asian markets--finally making SR swaps legal, maybe? ^_^ Or they could really be awesome and put in the SR20VE(T) that's so far only available in the Nissan X-Trail. Other (more expensive) options include RB and VQ engines, but I think the SR would be just as awesome. Apart from that, keep everything from the s14 and s15 and call it a day. I think it's marketable, any other suggestions/agreement/flames I can look forward to?

[s14derrick]

with the popularity of drifting and the s chassis in general it seems like now would be a great time.

the only downfall is if the redesign is ugly and fat and slow and aimed at making money and not a low buck sports car

[leesredgt]

with the popularity of drifting and the s chassis in general it seems like now would be a great time.

the only downfall is if the redesign is ugly and fat and slow and aimed at making money and not a low buck sports car

Thats the thing.Thats what the 240sx was at its time.

It wasnt a sports car.Def. wasnt the fastest.Def.wasnt the best looking either.

It was an econo car.

[hpmachine]

Hyundai beat them to the punch. Plus a used 350z would be far better than that pseudo 240 they were gonna make. Fail.

[OMSIN]

I know its not what you want to hear but, smart move for Nissan. there's not a a big demand for new cars right now. yeah people are still buying cars but a lot of people are pinching pennies right now. Nissan is not going to fuel/supply a market with no demand. they could gamble put out a cheap sports car but if it doesn't sell they'll loose money and now is a bad time to loose money.

if Nissan made motorcycles that would help their sales. its too late now with research, product development, production and export costs.
Modified by OMSIN at 11:14 PM 4/27/2009

[S13_love]

^ Yep.

[visser003]

A crappy economy means that people are more likely to buy luxuries when they can (the reason why movie theatres always make a killing during recessions).

HAHA. Makes sense...people are making less money so they are buying more expensive things i.e "luxury goods" I bet a lot of economists as well as anyone with common sense would disagree.

For the engine they could just give us the SR20DE(T) that was so amazing in the European and Asian markets--finally making SR swaps legal, maybe? ^_^ Or they could really be awesome and put in the SR20VE(T) that's so far only available in the Nissan X-Trail. Other (more expensive) options include RB and VQ engines, but I think the SR would be just as awesome.

So you want them to put in a SR20det, only problem with that is it would not be AT ALL cost effective to make the engine US legal. There is a reason sr swaps are illegal...they wont pass US emissions standards.

Also, the reason they are dropping the program is because in a recession people are trying to save money, and a gas guzzling sports car does not fit in that model.

[impact240sx]

I really don't believe that the sr would be hard to pass emissions with, becauseA: There already is the sr20de in sentras.B: Variable valve timing helps alotC: The 4g63, 4b11, srt4 motor, and the gtr's motor all pass.

Also the sr20det does not guzzle gas AT ALL! My sr gets atleast 5pg better then my ka did.

[mattblancarte]

there's not a a big demand for new cars right now. yeah people are still buying cars but a lot of people are pinching pennies right now. Modified by OMSIN at 11:14 PM 4/27/2009

Not only that, but financing cars for consumers is a huuuuuuuge biatch right now.

[94_240sx]

Nissan will make a ton of money if they do this. Make s15 available in the U.S. with sr20det. They have no idea how many they could sell. I'll sell my other cars and buy one in a heart beat.

[Cap'n Morgatz]

It's a psychology thing, it's happened in every recession to date. If you release an affordable item and market it as something a little on the exensive side (although it's not) people who can still afford it will be scrambling to buy it. People buy things they don't NEED in a recession just to prove to themselves that they still CAN. It's not logical, but it's true. What they SHOULD have done was cancel the 370Z, the mid-range luxury vehicles are going to tank because the people who can buy GT-Rs will still buy them and the people who could normally afford Zs will be looking for something cheaper. Seriously, making a tuner's dream Ascar available again with tons of aftermarket parts creates new jobs and makes everyone more money. long as they don't screw with the tried-and-true classic S chassis and (classic JDM) SR engine, I'd predict a boost in sales, not a drop.

[S14toRPS13]

Nissan will make a ton of money if they do this. Make s15 available in the U.S. with sr20det. They have no idea how many they could sell. I'll sell my other cars and buy one in a heart beat.

I could careless if Nissan makes a dime off of it, but I know I'd jump on a US legal LHD SR20DET S15 in a heartbeat. Screw the S16. It'll be ugly and and look like a cross between a Z and a Sentra.

[Cap'n Morgatz]

You really think a "redesigned" s13 or s14a would be ugly? Hell, they do't even have to do that much to it, just slap on a few of the better s15 updates and call it a day. Though recycling the s15 chassis would work too.

[babohyungjin]

hmm i recently smogged my sr20det for s***s and giggles... and it passed just fine. soo.. technically wouldn't it pass emissions? except for the visual part :P

[visser003]

hmm i recently smogged my sr20det for s***s and giggles... and it passed just fine. soo.. technically wouldn't it pass emissions? except for the visual part :P

Really? From what I heard they wouldn't even be close. I guess my sources are full of s***.

Oh and I remember seeing the japanese mpg rating of the SR and its slightly lower than the KA. You probably notice worse gas milage because you were romping on it all the time because the KA is so weak :P

[JSDEVILDOG29]

The SR20det was never rated by the EPA so there could be a big difference in how they test the average mileae in japan. In fact the EPA changed the rules a while back to reflect a more real world average. They now have to have two people in the vehicle and have to drive in a way that people will actually be driving them. But along with the topic. If it was done right Id def buy a new 240. Esp if it did come with some version of an SR turbo. I think they will reconsider it once the economy recovers. Because it would fill a huge hole in their product line. They dont have anything below the 370z which is to expensive for many people. And the sentra doesnt even matter enough to be mentioned. haha

[Onizuka]

Really? From what I heard they wouldn't even be close. I guess my sources are full of s***.

Oh and I remember seeing the japanese mpg rating of the SR and its slightly lower than the KA. You probably notice worse gas milage because you were romping on it all the time because the KA is so weak :P

The sr20det gets much better gas milage than the ka24 (as long as it doesnt have a massive turbo on it..), it's a fact of life. I got 30mpg on mine all day long. Of course, you take a hit because you have to put premium in it

[JSDEVILDOG29]

The KAs are supposed to get premium as well. Although they do ok on the regular.

[Ghast]

I personally could care less about most of the new cars.

I am very content with Power Windows and a CD Player....

All the new stuff they are adding to cars (mandatory and optional) i honestly don't care about. I am speaking from a sports car perspective not daily driver.

Nissan is playing the game quite well if you ask me.

I would type more but I just don't care for so much of the new stuff that i am going to stop.

One Love,

Ghasty

[gregfarz78]

While it sucks that there will be no s16 it was a smart move there's really no demand for a car like this on the market right now. Oh and the Z is not an expensive sports car that would be considered relatively cheap. People are buying more used cars then new right now.

[Cap'n Morgatz]

The point is that they shouldn't be considering it "once the economy recovers." They should have scrapped either the Altima coupe (an utter piece of crap as a coupe, great as a sedan) and possibly put the 370z on hold, reviving the 240 now would make them more money in this economy than both of those cars put together.

At any rate, I wonder if they'd consider giving us the SR20VE(T) for the new SX once they do decide to get off their asses. ^_^

[simmode1]

In other words, cheap sports cars are the way to go, not the expensive ones like the Z and GT-R. People who can afford the GT-R might be unaffected, sure, but most people who'd be buying Zs are more likely to buy less expensive cars or just hold onto their money. Wouldn't a cheap car like the Silvia be just about the best thing for the market right now?

I disagree. I work service BMW's, Mercedes and a host of other luxo cars. Rich ppl are still buying cars like crazy. It's the poor ppl that Nissan doesn't want to take a bet on. Which is completely understandable, since these are the same poor ppl that are likely to default on their payments due to financial hardship. Why would you spend millions in R&D to cater to that market? Or spend millions retrofitting your factories to rebuild cars designed 12 years ago which are thoroghly outperformed by even the most beat on Z33's?

Carlos Ghosn is a genius in my opinion and he made the right choice. I'm sure they want to bring the Silvia back, but it needs to be at the right so that it will be set up for success... not set up to fail.
Modified by simmode1 at 6:49 PM 4/28/2009

[hbpignosePA]

i hope to God they dont make anything like the s chassis again

cars have went down hill over the past 10 years.

i dont want a car that has its cams run off a computer; or any of that other electrical garbage that automakers have put on cars lately

and what are people so stuck on the SR in a new car, its a dated motor- VQ is nissans new "it" motor, and will probably stay that way since they spent so much on R&D on it.

[S14toRPS13]

You really think a "redesigned" s13 or s14a would be ugly? Hell, they do't even have to do that much to it, just slap on a few of the better s15 updates and call it a day. Though recycling the s15 chassis would work too.

A redesigned S13 is the S14 and the redesigned S14 is the S15. These cars were beautiful. I know Nissan won't go back to redesign another S13 or S14. I do know that if there is a S16, it'll look like the rest of the current Nissans. Spaceshippy and a bit akward looking. It won't be as sporty as the Z, but it can't be a bore like the Sentra. So it'll be something in between, which will be ugly.

Really? From what I heard they wouldn't even be close. I guess my sources are full of s***.

Oh and I remember seeing the japanese mpg rating of the SR and its slightly lower than the KA. You probably notice worse gas milage because you were romping on it all the time because the KA is so weak :P

My fairly stock SR passed the sniffer just fine too. In fact IIRC, it was cleaner than my KA. Why it's illegal to install a more fuel efficient and cleaner burning engine is beyond my me.

Whoever said that the SR consumes more fuel is wrong too. Under normal driving conditions, my KA got 25-26 mpg and my SR got 28-29 mpg.

[pepegurr]

I have to agree on the milage my sohc got around 21-23mpg while my Rb20 gets 30-31 so i would imagine that the sr(if mostly stock) would be around the same area.

[pj]

it would never happen but, i think the impact of a release of s15 models here in the states would be huge. it would be the best competition for the pony car, it has so much aftermarket behind it, it is coveted by all s-chassis lovers, especially here since they are rare and 95% of us will never have one...s*** i would do everything i could to have one if they were to be released her. to hell with an s16.but alas....it'll never happen.

[mRodiek]

Nissan is going down hill, they are on the same path as GM/Ford/Chrystler, and no one in a recession/depression wants to take $20k and go buy a "sports" car. People are concerned with saving money so they arent going to buy a brand new car to toy around with when they cant afford the mortgage.

On top of that many car companies are not being concerned with "image vehicles" anymore because they just cant afford it, so they are sticking with their best sellers. Although GM is doing it more so because of govt pressure.

Nissan is being smart, gas mileage is still key when people NEED to buy new cars, not when they want to. What Nissan could do if they have the time and money is put a turboed 4 cylinder in the Z, make it lose about 1000lbs and sell that for $14k...Just my opinion though.

[xru5tyx]

it fugly

heres a pic i found

[Cap'n Morgatz]

Do you know what "concept art" is? It's when an automotive journalist PHotoshops something out of current pictures of other cars and says "This is what it could look like. Nissan released nothing of the kind and that's just a piece of s*** rehash of the Altima coupe.

[placham]

This information has been out for couple of months, you just found out about it now