Neon SRT4... that reminds me of a friend's Omni GLH-S that I drove new back in the late 80's. Totally an economy car, and yet... LOL

 

You folks are lucky if you got roads you can go 'exploring'. Around here, on/off ramps are about as much fun as it gets between construction and traffic. All that assuming you don't end up behind some slowpoke who idles through the corner.

 

You guys bring up some really good points relating to a well balanced car that feels connected to you and the road and the complete opposite. Isn't it interesting that 300 hp in some cars feels like way too much and completely out of control (SRT-4), but in other cars you would want nearly double the power (GT3). I think good balance and driver involvement are crucial in an enthusiast car. I really hope the new Nissan Z delivers on this formula when it is released tonight. Fingers crossed.

 

Tonight? I didn't know what. Well, that's exciting!

 

Yes 8pm CST on their website. A new Z with a twin turbo V6, 6spd. manual, new tech, and good styling. What could possibly go wrong? In all seriousness, it should be really good. I am willing to bet it has similar performance to the new Lotus Emira for about half the price.

 

They should do a non-turbo version as well. $30K ish, simpler option set - like the Z32. Too much $$$ to get through US testing though, so I get it. The downside IMHO is that dealers will price the new Z at $50k or above.

 

Oh, no doubt. Hoping it does well though because there aren't a ton of JDM/KDM options with solid power figures, manual and under $40k.

 

Unless you're talking about early, fan boy mark-up, that seems unlikely. The 2021 base model Z was only $30K. Can't imagine the base price of the new Z to be that much more. And like any car, you can probably add $10 to $15k of upward models and features.

 

True, but this Z is aimed at taking on the Supra and also has the unenviable task of being the poster child for Nissan's brand makeover. I know there were rumors for base price to be around $35K; but I can't see a VR30 powered car under $40K. I hope I'm wrong though...

 

So the new Z is the vr30 motor in the 370z’s chassis(bono’s and all), with a nice interior starting at 40k.

Plenty of headroom for power.

 

That Z event was really strange. Did i miss something or did they still not officially name it? or give an actual price?

 

It was weird, but slightly better than the Proto reveal. I think they cut it short to let the Youtubers start live-streaming the car. Its officially named the "Nissan Z"; Gupta was quoted in an earlier interview that it starts at $40K. Theres also 240 "Proto" versions in yellow that will probably start higher.

All said, the new Z exterior looks sharp in Blue. Even that blue interior looks much better than the original leaked shot. VR30 and 6MT. Hard to complain there- although I'm still not sure the value proposition is there for me to upgrade from my V1 Nismo to the new Z vs just boosting it.

 

Had a hard time deciding whether I was at a launch of a sports car or release of the latest iPhone

 

You guys digging that front grill? Maybe it's just the pics, but it looks bland to me.... Too rectangular. Wait, it is a rectangle.

 

I'm still thinking the dealers will tack on a $10k markup since they're 'limited production' (tailgating on the chip supply issue and general dearth of automobiles for sale). Supply and demand bedamned. I remember when the 3rd gen RX-7 came out - MSRP 38k, dealer lot pricing 55k. Same thing with the MK4 Supra, and down here in Charleston, Mini Coopers ($5k markup) and performance BMWs (same dealership, +15k for an M3).

This is why we buy our cars on the internet LOL rather than a local lot, ever.

Snark and negativity aside - it looks great, should be fast as heck stock with great potential for tuning (from what I've heard about the 3.0T motors), and will eventually generate salvage yard drivetrains for Q and G cars LOL.