Nissan forgot about the Z

"LastFirstMI is my name" (donstone13) 02/18/2019 at 01:49 • Filed to: None

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I took my youngest son to the local manufacturer auto show this weekend. Lots of drooling over the M2, RS5, Cayman GTS, and an R8. Nissan had the prime position by the entrance, and you know what they had?

Crossovers and pickups. Not a single 370z, much less a GTR. Are those models so old they don’t qualify for the auto show any more? They let the Frontier in, and that thing can legally vape now.

Wheelerguy > LastFirstMI is my name 02/18/2019 at 02:23

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The R35 got too complacent (but in the process got weirdly analog?), while the Z was straight-up left to rot. We could have had the 400Z four years ago.

But really, what kind of sane person buys sports cars anyway? Yeah sure, it’s a sign that an automaker can create the world’s best car, but what are cars for if you’re a Generic Consumer, of which there are many, many people being such ? They’re used to commute, or haul stuff, or both, and that’s that. Plus there’s still the lingering stigma of sports cars being a sign of either recklessness or “too much cash to spend”, even if some pickups or SUVs cost about the same as a Cayman when you get a fully-loaded example. A sports car is, by design, a “want” kind of car. It isn’t a “need”.

Only when the sports car becomes a “need” will it b e relevant. But that’s impossible to do, because the design philosophies that make sports cars so good to drive and subsequently desirable is a hard counter to what a basic conveyance machine is. You need the car and you need the options; we’re actively deleting the A/C in that GT3RS we’re fantasy-speccing.

Perception is everything. You look at a Miata and a comparable CX-3 and think “why would I want that Miata? I just need a commuter”. And no amount of slidey car reviews would sell the car to that kind of customer—if anything, I realize it only shows an unrealistic use of such a machine. They’re too precious or too fragile and they’re too fancy or bare-bones. And it has no room for my three kids and all their gear.

No one needs the Z, there are cars better than that. No one needs the cars that are better than the Z, because what’s it for?

My solution is to completely destroy the concept of commuting in cars. There you go, scorched-earth solution. Half the interstates and US numbered highways become high-speed rail, to say nothing of existing rail lines, and metro lines in cities. Your mode of conveyance from suburb to station are Americanized tuk-tuks, which can seat 6 people at most, can run on batteries and cost literally a nickel. One pass can get you the national line, state line, and city metro, about $35 a month. Gene rally the plan is to make sure that the cost of public transport is way, way less than paying for a car, without ever changing current pricing models. Maybe then some crushed soul would look at a dealer and think “you know, that TTRS sure looks appealing...the t rending car review video says it drives well...the guy driving it enjoys it...I’ve accomplished the mortgage...”

Fuck me, I ramble on.

AestheticsInMotion > LastFirstMI is my name 02/18/2019 at 02:25

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I'm honestly surprised that Nissan even remembered to update the model year info online 

My bird IS the word > LastFirstMI is my name 02/18/2019 at 04:14

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Nissan decided that investing in a new z wouldn’t justify the price, which is why they still sell the old one despite it being utterly irrelevent in the face of the turbo four mustang. Do a price/performance comparison on that.

I think if these were dirt cheap people would buy them still. I’d get excited about used values.

CRider > Wheelerguy 02/18/2019 at 06:33

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If you’re looking for an affordable all-in-one, go to Gizmodo. This is Oppo, practicality is like poison  to us.

Wheelerguy > CRider 02/18/2019 at 07:38

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No, no, that’ s what I want. After all, I’m the only guy here who falls head-over-heels over the supercars you lot don’t care about. But this is fundamentalist-radicalist rhetoric I’m employing in the name of making people buy The Good Cars.

Milky > Wheelerguy 02/18/2019 at 09:28

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I mean I was sliding in my “ new” Miata on the way to work this morning. Some of us are living the dream.

Im all on board for public transit being better, but dont say we dont exist.

Wheelerguy > Milky 02/18/2019 at 09:32

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No, that’s the point. Most people who commute in a car don’t need a car to commute. Japan has the wildest, most varied car culture on Earth, and also owns one of the world’s best metro ne tworks and the gold-standard high-speed passenger rail line. They c an coexist, especially in a country as big as the US .

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > LastFirstMI is my name 02/18/2019 at 09:34

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I talked to a product planner for the Z last summer while at the Lane and his quote was “Nissan is interested in continuing the Z but that’s all I can say”

Milky > Wheelerguy 02/18/2019 at 09:50

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Ah okay, thats a good example.  

LastFirstMI is my name > Wheelerguy 02/18/2019 at 10:47

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Preach it! I’m with you. I’d happily commute in a tuk-tuk to find a GTR in my garage when I get home 

Matt Nichelson > LastFirstMI is my name 02/24/2019 at 12:28

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Nissan forgot about the Z about 5 years ago. If it wasn’t for the Sentra, Altima, and Rogue, Nissan would be more irrelevant in North America than they already are and people would forget about them period . Those 3 cars made up for over half of all Nissan sales for last year.