krash wrote:s13drifter88 wrote:For what you get for the dollar amount, its a joke. I could get a d*mn nice Z06 for the price of a 370. Yes Ive driven one and it drives great but if I was going to buy a brand new car in or around that dollar range it would be an STI
You can't compare new car prices to used cars.
Krash beat me to it. If you're building a sports car, and you're trying to make it competitive against a 6 year old car, you're not thinking forward, you're thinking backwards and that is what most of the problems with the auto industry are stemming from. Not innovative.
I will admit that the Z is a tad overpriced for what you get, but then again, that is even relative. The suspension setup in the Z is worlds above the new GT500 Mustang if you're a road course/curvy track driver. Obviously the Mustang will decimate the Z in a straight line, but in a tightly packed road course, I will be willing to bet that the power advantage would be largely negated by its live rear axle solid rear suspension setup.
The 370 is also a lot lighter than its competition (nearly A THOUSAND POUNDS lighter than the SRT8 Challenger) so comparing HP to HP makes it look like the Z is sorely behind. If you DRIVE (not in a straight line) the Z is still a pretty good performance purchase compared to its competition per 2012 new car standards in an economy where the price of goods is making everything expensive.
Which brings me back to the point of this topic - Nissan needs to meet Subarota/Toyobaru with a car. Given the current economy, it makes perfect sense for the image of your brand. Get something EXCITING on the road that is affordable and it will attract buyers to your BRAND. You pump out a competitor to this Toyobaru deal that is in the low 20s and people looking for a fun car that isn't $40,000 will come out in droves (as evidenced by the success for the FRS/BRZ already). I drive a 370z and my GF's parents just bought a 2013 Altima when they had never even considered Nissan for a purchase in their lives. Case in point.
I personally think the Z, GT-R, and the Xterra are the best cars Nissan is making right now with respect to bold, sporty options that represent the potential of the brand.