Should Nissan make a 300hp base model Z?

[takemorepills]

I say make a 300HP Z with ventilated seats and HUD

 

[DevonK]

I say make a 300HP Z with ventilated seats and HUD

Sounds like a plan.

Right now there is big gap in the small(ish) form factor RWD sportscar market between the 220 hp twins and the now-400hp Z that would be the sweet spot for me. As much as I love the new Z, 400 hp for the street in my sprawling urban environment is really overkill.

 

[gymratter]

a rendering of a stripped down model

 

[because_murica]

Nissan's hit their quota for stupid ideas. Let's not give them anymore.

 

[MycarisZ]

No, 300 hp for that heavy car is going to fail to attract buyers

 

[DrivingEnthusiast]

300 HP and 295 torque out of that hugely sophisticated and expensive-to build-engine? Ridiculous. Even the full version only makes 350 torque, which is really poor.
Nor does Nissan have a worthy turbo 4 to use. Bizarre variable displacement doesn't do a single thing for emissions, drivability or output. And the former Mercedes-shared 4 only made 200 lousy HP... if you ever drove a Q50 with that engine you'd laugh (Hertz used to rent them as a premium offering).

 

[MHockey17]

300 HP and 295 torque out of that hugely sophisticated and expensive-to build-engine? Ridiculous. Even the full version only makes 350 torque, which is really poor.
Nor does Nissan have a worthy turbo 4 to use. Bizarre variable displacement doesn't do a single thing for emissions, drivability or output. And the former Mercedes-shared 4 only made 200 lousy HP... if you ever drove a Q50 with that engine you'd laugh (Hertz used to rent them as a premium offering).

As with the “400hp” variant, the detuned version is also a bit underrated; I believe even the base trim Qs dyno higher than the NISMO-tuned VQ37, despite being rated less on paper.

Plus the base would probably weigh bit less too without the extra cooling hardware, so all considered it would likely STILL be quicker than the outgoing 370Z.

Regardless, unless it allowed Nissan to significantly discount the current starting price, I don’t see the point in offering it either.

 

[BurninateZ]

I'd much rather they tried to make a 200sx successor than try to introduce yet a lower grade of Z. I don't think many people would buy a 300hp Z over a GR86 or second hand 370z.

 

[Kbl911]

Yeah, I believe that the answer is, and always has been, a resounding "no."

 

[RicerX]

I believe the question is "should Nissan make a 300hp base model" and not "would you buy a 300hp base model."

Speak with your wallet as to what you want. A 300hp variant would sell if priced properly. Most if not all of us here want the 400hp, but that doesn't mean there's not merit to Nissan building a budget model that comes with less power. It would still be an upgrade over the outgoing 370Z in power under the curve.

Chevy does it with the Camaro. Ford does it with the Mustang. Dodge does it with the Challenger. Subaru did it with the WRX/STI. Toyota is doing it with the Supra.

Nissan will not make a 240SX revival because they can't build it cheap enough to separate it from the Z. Platform sharing would be required at minimum, sending all the "enthusiasts" into a tizzy and potentially compromising the 240 brand. However, I've long said Nissan and Honda should get married and share an S2000/S Chassis baby, and I think that would be a sweet partnership.

 

[BobDigi5060]

Hell no. Didn't happen and won't ever will. Fuggedaboutit!

 

[BobDigi5060]

I believe the question is "should Nissan make a 300hp base model" and not "would you buy a 300hp base model."

Speak with your wallet as to what you want. A 300hp variant would sell if priced properly. Most if not all of us here want the 400hp, but that doesn't mean there's not merit to Nissan building a budget model that comes with less power. It would still be an upgrade over the outgoing 370Z in power under the curve.

Chevy does it with the Camaro. Ford does it with the Mustang. Dodge does it with the Challenger. Subaru did it with the WRX/STI. Toyota is doing it with the Supra.

Nissan will not make a 240SX revival because they can't build it cheap enough to separate it from the Z. Platform sharing would be required at minimum, sending all the "enthusiasts" into a tizzy and potentially compromising the 240 brand. However, I've long said Nissan and Honda should get married and share an S2000/S Chassis baby, and I think that would be a sweet partnership.

The Z is a bona fide sports car not a pony car or sport compact. No way could it be priced anywhere under $35k. Nissan isn't doing well and there is no return on a watered down 300hp model. 300hp is 30 less than the Z and a joke. Fuk power under the curve how the hell are they going to sell a 300hp model that is heavier and more expensive than the 370? Not to mention slower. Nobody would buy or want that shit and I could only imagine how much worse the reviews would be with only 300hp. Seems like acceleration is one of the few things they like about the new Z.

That Instagram rendering is hot fucking garbage too. Steel wheels, black door handles, bumpers, and roof? It's a great looking car wtf am I looking at?

The Z cost less than the Supra even with the performance pack. Trust me this debut was well thought out. A 300hp version would've been a terrible idea.

 

[Kbl911]

Speak with your wallet as to what you want. A 300hp variant would sell if priced properly. Most if not all of us here want the 400hp, but that doesn't mean there's not merit to Nissan building a budget model that comes with less power

Speaking with wallets... Oh, I think people would do just that, and this is what might make it not particularly worthwhile for Nissan to build. I don't think there's any evidence that it would sell, to this point. Unless maybe you've seen some that I simply haven't.

Here's an example: At least for the 2021 models, the 2.0 Supra accounted for only something like 15% of total MKV sales, per Toyota. That's their attempt to do something like this and travel down-market a bit. Hell, Toyota might even discontinue it, if that keeps up. It being less expensive doesn't always open up a new market full of willing buyers for vehicles like this.

 

[Donalex]

I believe it would kill sales for the 400HP version.

Who would want to spend $40-50k on a car that looks almost exactly like something that sells at $30-35k? Especially when there'd be aftermarket add-ons to make the cheap ones look more expensive?

 

[bboypuertoroc]

Speak with your wallet as to what you want. A 300hp variant would sell if priced properly. Most if not all of us here want the 400hp, but that doesn't mean there's not merit to Nissan building a budget model that comes with less power. It would still be an upgrade over the outgoing 370Z in power under the curve.

Chevy does it with the Camaro. Ford does it with the Mustang. Dodge does it with the Challenger. Subaru did it with the WRX/STI. Toyota is doing it with the Supra.

No.

Zs never go down in power in different trims, they only go up. Nobody is gonna spend as much as Nissan is asking for a watered down version of a car that doesn't even perform as it should at the higher price point.

Toyota tried and is failing with the Supra. The Mustang and Camaro can be had in the mid-high $20k range. The Challenger is $30k. No shot Nissan sells that low. If they were priced like the Z they wouldn't sell nearly as well. Not even the same story with Subaru (who doesn't even make the STI anymore). They didn't start with the STI and work their way down, they started with the Impreza and worked their way up.