Quote:
Originally Posted by semtex
I agree with all the sentiments expressed re. the Nismo being a bit of a let-down. But to be fair, I think we should also step back for a moment and be thankful that at least Nissan is making an effort. What I mean by this is, let's be thankful that Nissan hasn't followed the lead of Toyota and even Honda when it comes to sports cars. Toyota and Honda have decided that profitability lies in producing 'appliance-mobiles'. Toyota has no sports cars, and Honda has discontinued the one sports car they had (the S2000). Well, they're not exactly wrong -- this strategy has indeed been profitable for them. But Nissan, thank goodness, decided to continue making cars that actually appeal to enthusiasts. Think about it: this one company produces the GT-R, the 370Z, the Nismo 370Z, and the 370Z Roadster. And I'm not even listing the Infiniti variants. Can any other Japanese car company boast such a range of enthusiast-friendly cars? So yeah, they could improve on the Nismo. Heck, there's always room for improvement on any vehicle. Let's just remember to give credit where is due, that's all I'm saying.
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This is possibly why companies like Hyundai are gaining ground. They are offering the super affordable option, when most options become extremely limited.
When regarding Sports coupes regardless of RWD or FWD, Toyota did fine with sales of the Celica from 00-02, but when the RSX came out, instead of bumping the HP, Toyota put tons of extra plastic on the car with the "TRD edition". The RSX won that sales race, and Toyota thought that the interest for sports coupes was over instead of looking at their own mistakes. Now the market focus is on economy and comfort,makes me think of WALL-E. But now the Celica, RSX, S2000, RX7, and many others are a thing of the past for the entry level, and older enthusiast. (BTW I'm not placing an FD and a 2ZZ in the same category other than they are quick coupes.)
Ehh, C'est la vie