"King Ginger, not writing for Business Insider" (king-ginger)
09/08/2015 at 12:17 • Filed to: None
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"King Ginger, not writing for Business Insider" (king-ginger)
09/08/2015 at 12:17 • Filed to: None | 0
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“ Autocar in the UK said the concept will become the next Z sports car. The magazine predicted it would use Renault-Nissan’s new CMF-B platform that will underpin the next Nissan Juke.”
http://europe.autonews.com/article/201509…
Party-vi
> King Ginger, not writing for Business Insider
09/08/2015 at 12:22 |
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I don’t think the next-gen Z is going to share a platform with the new Juke, Clio and Micra.
X37.9XXS
> King Ginger, not writing for Business Insider
09/08/2015 at 12:26 |
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Easy, Jim, someone may misunderstand
uofime-2
> King Ginger, not writing for Business Insider
09/08/2015 at 12:30 |
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Call it a 160Z and get them out the door at non poverty spec for less than 20k and it might just work.
Teleph0nes
> King Ginger, not writing for Business Insider
09/08/2015 at 12:32 |
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Ugh. I’m not surprised Nissan is going this direction. It seems like they mostly forgot the Z existed a few years ago. They are also bending marketing data to fit what they want, rather than the actual trend. Nissan says “Young people aren’t buying sports cars like they used to.” What that actually means is “Young people aren’t buying our sports car.”
SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
> King Ginger, not writing for Business Insider
09/08/2015 at 12:34 |
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This concept really gets what they’re going for across
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King Ginger, not writing for Business Insider
> Party-vi
09/08/2015 at 12:44 |
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Its incredibly far-fetched. I’m surprised that Autocar is reporting it as such and that Autonews is doubling down. My guess is this will be like the Audi TT concept that was more CUV than car: all design language, little reality.
That being said, I haven’t seen/heard much as far as test mules and I know they were targeting 2017-2018 for a replacement. Maybe they are going to try to Scion the Z brand...?
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King Ginger, not writing for Business Insider
> SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
09/08/2015 at 12:45 |
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Maybe a rally-fighter style look. I’m sure it is just a design concept to get people used to other ideas about the “Z” but still...
BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast.
> King Ginger, not writing for Business Insider
09/08/2015 at 13:03 |
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Sad that we are seeing potentially the second demise of sport coupes... but somehow I doubt that it is the coupe format... as Mustang is selling well, and going gangbusters on it’s world-wide scope for the 2015 model, reportedly.
Coupes and sports cars are not expected, and shouldn’t be expected to be sales leaders... that doesn’t mean they should be disregarded.
All that said, Z should continue, and TRULY revisit its 240Z root.
Affordable, RWD, light weight, simple, yet highly competent and well built. I would prefer I6 power, but packaging rules and pedestrian crash standards probably make that impossible.
However, if they do want to expand into a compact sport crossover, I would not do it with Juke.
I would go with a longitudinal AWD setup, similar to whatever they now call what was the G37x Coupe... but replace the slush box with a dual-clutch, mounted directly to the engine, driving a front and rear axle differential.
Think of it as a Nissan-ified Coupe version of the new Q30 with AWD, be it Q30X or QX30, or whatever they call it... but it has a nice cab-aftward design for a longitudinal front-engined platform, rather than transverse. Add to that some influence from the Nissan Sway concept’s design language, but with a fastback 3-door coupe roofline.
William Byrd
> King Ginger, not writing for Business Insider
09/08/2015 at 13:07 |
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Oh no. It’s worse than I thought. For reference, what I thought (hoped?) is here:
http://www.rightfootdown.com/thoughts/where…
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King Ginger, not writing for Business Insider
> William Byrd
09/08/2015 at 13:16 |
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I honestly think that both Autocar and Autonews are wrong - a FWD platformed CUV Z is like the biggest troll-job ever.
That being said, I haven’t seen/heard bunk about a new RWD platform that is the right fit for a current (let alone future) Z. The FM platform is too old and heavy and a huge factor in the Z coming about after the demise of Z32 was that a RWD platform existed post-crisis. Nissan has more money now than it did back then but even so they still need a nice multi-use platform. An AWD/RWD CUV format that could be turned into a sports coupe is not a bad idea but, again, I haven’t seen much. The only other alternative is to go find a manufacturer to partner with and Toyota/Subaru are already pining for Mazda; maybe MB but that would be too expensive...
cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
> BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast.
09/08/2015 at 13:58 |
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NO
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BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast.
> cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
09/08/2015 at 15:01 |
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To which part? The back-to-it’s-roots-Z, or the not-a-Z-crossover-sport-coupe?
One sounds great for tarmac. With 250-350 horsepower, and an actually useful rear fastback hatch, it might actually show Toyota and Subaru how it should have been done properly.
The other sounds great for a daily driver where the tarmac may not always be visible through snow, gravel, or if the tarmac is broken, and something legitimately SPORTY with some ground clearance and traction, like an affordable, every-day, AWD mini-Rally Fighter.
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cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
> BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast.
09/08/2015 at 15:07 |
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As a former straight-six Z owner, I am so opposed to seeing that great name slapped on to some mutant genre-blending CUV that competes with all the other CUV’s in that awful segment. The Z stands for purity, for driving pleasure and excitement. Mucking about with AWD and a CUV platform will make it just another sporty mom ute on the market. Do not want. At all.
I don’t care if it’s V6 or I4 powered, I don’t care if it seats 2 or 4 people and I don’t even mind if it’s a hybrid. But the Z should not and cannot fall to the stupid CUV craze.
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BoxerFanatic, troublesome iconoclast.
> cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
09/08/2015 at 15:22 |
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Hence, why I said Z should go back to it’s roots (and I would prefer a small I6, but somehow I doubt that will happen...)
I would not mind the iDX Nismo concept being shelved, if a Z car took that segment, instead, as a good affordable performance 2+0 or 2+2.
And also why I said that the crossover coupe should wear a different nameplate. I have previously suggested XZ... or something other than just Z. ZX doesn’t even mean the same thing as Z, and I agree with you that anything other than a Z even by the same name is not as sweet, and not a Z.
I am a fan of S30 cars, and actually a bit more a fan of the more under-dog S130 280ZX. I have always liked the Z32 as well. 350Z didn’t quite do it for me, with it’s visual mass, but the over-styled and oddly detailed 370Z makes the 350Z look much better.
I would love to have a cool S130 as a classic/project, aside from the fact that I can’t afford projects. In my head, I have a cunning plan for an atmospheric ITB high-compression RB-swap, with a 432R mark II and slicked G-nose makeover on the outside.