in.the.dark

Something to consider in the positioning of new Nissan products.

We are all concerned about the price point on the 370Z. I wanted to take a second and get away from the over-reacting of some of the members and talk about the current lineup and the lineup that Nissan is talking about in the near future.

The G37.
Currently out, this is a very large luxury coupe. Starting price is $34,900. This is the top of the line for the FM coupes on this platform (I'm going to consider the GT-R as completely separate even if it is based on a similar platform).

The 350Z.
A fairly large sports coupe. Due to become the 370Z at the end of the 2008 fiscal year (according to Nissan). Starting price is $28,510. Positioned below the G series so as not to compete with their luxury brand. The question remains if this trend will continue or if it somehow makes sense all of a sudden to price them the same. I will make the case that they will continue with the trend of putting the Z's price in a non-competitive area to the G.

That's where we are currently sitting.

According to reoccurring rumors, there are two more RWD coupes likely joining the mix. Both will appear in 2010. One will be a Nissan to compete with the Toybaru twins and Hyundai Genesis Coupe, slotted below the Z (250SX?). The Infiniti will be slotted below the G and compete with the likes of the 1 Series (some other letter series, like S25).

If this is true, we can now try and put together a picture of the 2010-2011 coupe offering coming out of Nissan and try and figure out the plausibility of the various scenarios regarding self-competition and price strategies.

I would imagine that the smaller Infiniti, being priced below the G37 will put it starting at around $30,000. I think that we will find the Z at a similar starting price. The overlap would be justified by Nissan due to the difference in size. Even though the Z is supposed to be shrinking a bit, these new twins are likely to be even smaller. And slated below the Z, and entering anywhere from $20,000-$30,000 would be the new 250SX.

Here's a list from cheapest to most expensive showing an overlap:

250SX (starting in the low $20Ks)
Z and New compact Infiniti (Right around $30K)
G37 (remaining around $35K)

If you disagree with this, feel free to add your speculation and reasoning to the discussion.

areyouin729

i agree with you 10000000000000%

zpeedDemon

found this article at autospies.com I hope they build it looks very promising.



Infiniti Throws Its Hat In The Ring With Baby G37 Coupe Geared To Thwart BMW 1-Series
Click Here
At the Infiniti 360 event recently in Portugal, a rendering was shown at one of the press presentations hinting they would launch a baby G37 coupe that would compete with the 1-Series BMW.

The rendering looks hot in our opinion and should become a worthy competitor when it launches as a 2010 model.

NISMO_558

iTrader: (1)

250sx bullcrap

350zsunshinefl

iTrader: (1)

What about the altima coupe - i disagree on the 250SX release, the altima coupe is pretty much the "entry level" 350z is "middle" - I seriously doubt they will add in another rwd platform in the mix.

280z/300zx

Either way the next gen Z and base model infinity won't be true competition unless they really increase performance. For the 35k base price and roughly 40k for a nicely equipped next gen Z it better have near 400hp. Nissan needs to think outside of Japan. I mean true, from Japan Nissan right now is the clear leader in sports cars considering toyota has none, Honda only has the S2000, Mazda has the crappy RX-8. Subaru and Mitsu have decent cars but they are too high priced and really aren't selling considering the meger 300hp they have. When you start to reach that 40k price range you better have something that can compete with the Vette, the new camaro, challenger, etc. I know hp isn't everything but for the average consumer it's a big thing. As for the infinity, the BMW 135i is a killer car that right now kicks the every lasting crap out of the G37, so I don't know how they intend to bring a "baby G37" out to compete with the 1-series when the regular G37 can't.

The fact is that in the price range that they are aiming for there are better cars out there. Now if you are right and they keep the price of the Z more or less where it's at then I think thats a good thing but considering what other companies have done from Japan recently with price and what we've heard already about the Z it doesn't look good

phatz33

iTrader: (11)

Altimas are FWD that compete with cars liek accord coupe,solara and G6 coupe

davidv

iTrader: (2)

Of course the Z-trend will continue: bigger motor, more gizmos, maybe a turbo. Its a natural progression (been done before).

So when the $40,000 390Z turbo prices me out of the market, what will Nissan offer which may appeal to me? A SX-something.

zsport1

Here is the entire article:

CASCAIS, Portugal — At a drive session in Portugal in May, Nissan showed journalists the ultimate teaser. As we entered a design presentation and reception, two full-size side profile motifs protruding out of opposite walls in the auditorium, and hidden behind white sheets, pointed to not just one, but two new sport coupes — the new Z car, but also a baby Infiniti coupe based on the Z.

As we probed one Nissan source for answers, we learned that while the new Z will land in showrooms in 2009, the Infiniti coupe will "turn up in concept car form at a motor show within the next year." And this new Infiniti will sit on the same platform as that employed by the Z. That's all Nissan would give away.

Whether the new coupe will debut at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show or the Geneva show in March, given that Infiniti has just launched in Europe, is unknown. But one thing we did confirm is that we will see the coupe on North American streets by late 2010, and in European showrooms soon after that.

From what we could gather, the new baby Infiniti two-door will rival the BMW Z4 and Porsche Cayman for size and will be a rear-wheel drive two-seater hardtop. But unlike its hard-core Nissan Z brother, the Infiniti will lean more toward the luxury end of the scale, with a softer ride and more leather.

Expect a 2.5-liter V6 for this coupe, which will be the smallest model in the Infiniti range.


The new Z Car will do just fine in the sports car world. I expect the price to be slightly higher though.

Endgame

MMMMMMM. I like... But, I am still more hard core, thus will want the Z.

brooke

iTrader: (4)

Nissan if your watching and listening it's time to step-it-up and put some HP in the new or else.... Any less than 350hp and I will be force to pay a little more and buy a car with some @ss...

j.arnaldo

You folks at the continental U.S. are blessed! Down here, the same line-up
costs anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000 more, depending on the model (from
the Versa to the M45, mixing in Nissan with infinity)!
I buy used, NEVER new. Local politicians' duties, tariffs, excise taxes, levies or whatever you may wanna call them, are murderous down here!!!

in.the.dark

Ahem. http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/06/n...-sports-coupe/

I stated 250SX because of the QR25. It very well could be the 160SX or something similar.

ZZtopp

iTrader: (1)

Interesting thread. The only thing I might add is that I doubt the starting base price of the new Z will be more than $30K. Well-optioned we're talking mid to high 30's, right? Unless the new car has 400 HP, it will be smoked by similarly priced performance vehicles. The new Camaro will have a 400HP LS3 for $35K, and you can buy brand new '09 base Corvettes (436 HP LS3) all day long for $40K.

I just don't see the 370Z being competitive long term if they significantly raise the prices from what they are now, especially after the "newness" factor wears off. Even at the current pricing it will be a struggle to compete, performance-wise.

NISMO_558

iTrader: (1)

that would kinda be taking a step backwards, do you actually beleive nissan would come out with a 160sx, or something similar to that? not going to happen.

Hey, maybe they'll come out with a new S16 silvia while their at it

gocart

What's your point? The OP presented a well-thought-out analysis and made some intelligent guesses based on the available information and trends. I don't see anything wrong or remotely funny about a 160sx or a 250sx (which would likely be called an S16 silvia in Japan).

There's a good market for ~20K lightweight RWD coupes. I know I'd buy one.

in.the.dark

Actually, that is the point.

NISMO_558

iTrader: (1)

I'll beleive it when I see it

and since their elegidly remaking older cars, why not remake the 300zx? or in your case a 310zx

ZZtopp

iTrader: (1)

"Eligibly"??

westpak

iTrader: (19)

are you kidding what do you think the 350Z is????

some people are just morons, it is not remaking but bringing out a new model