Alfa/ND Mule spotted in Michigan

[Jeo]

'sports car'

He said 'sport car' and it's not a 'sports car' because roof and reasons and...

in before 'sports car' defintion argument

Damnit.

[Rocky]

Mazda will have you believe the MX-5 does not directly compete with the 86 due to price point, customer demographic and design/function philosophy. But surely there are potential MX-5 customers out there who are buying 86's instead based simply on BFYB. Mazda cannot ignore this with the ND.

There is no doubt in my mind that there is an 'overlap' between the categories "New MX5 buyers" and "New T86 buyers".
The real question is how much of an overlap?
(I'm thinking it is not all that big.)

[Smacca]

There is no doubt in my mind that there is an 'overlap' between the categories "New MX5 buyers" and "New T86 buyers".
The real question is how much of an overlap?
(I'm thinking it is not all that big.)

Yeah, true. Without customer surveys conducted and released by both manufactures, I guess it would be impossible to know. Toyota's real success with the 86 is getting huge sales numbers from <30yo males who, prior to the 86's release, would never have been in the new car market. They would have bought used sports cars instead, like MX-5's, Skylines, Sylivas and WRX's. Where was the 86 when I was 20???

I hope Mazda considers this new source of new car buyers when finalising the design, spec and price of the ND. The evolution of the NC points to Mazda currently seeking more mature, higher income buyers for the MX-5. Which demographic is bigger?

It seems Nissan thinks Toyota/Subaru is onto something with the 86. New reports suggest the 370Z's replacement may be downgraded in performance, spec and price to compete with the 86. Interestingly the article quotes Nissan claiming the 86 is a mid-life crisis car...

[Evil Panda]

Crosses fingers for Datsun 240z Concept.

[7StringSamurai]

I didn't buy the MX5 because the roof went down.

Well, I did. Maybe that explains why my opinion is in such stark contrast to everybody else's.

[Apu]

Crosses fingers for Datsun 240z Concept.

Yes please!

[Lokiel]

Nissan/Datsun had a real winner with the 240Z, I'd love to see this retro shape on a modern chassis with matching engine/electronics - would love to see a '69 Stingray Corvette too, that shape deserved a far better package than what it ended up with.

I'm not a fan of modern car shapes, they date quickly and some just never looked right (eg. 350/370Z, NC and even the FT86 I'm not totally sold on).

[Evil Panda]

Yeah, the newer Z cars just got more and more bloated over the years.
The original 240z was a stripped out sports car that was cheap yet still giving the big euro marques a run for their money.
Then 260z got the bulbous ass and later on the 2+2.... and it all went downhill from there.
I was really hoping when they first started talk about the 350z that it would be a return to basics, but it wasn't to be.
Now with the 86/BRZ's sales success, I really hope Nissan give us a stripped back 240z preferably with an inline 6.
Again, fingers crossed.

As for the shape... I'm with you Lokiel, not a fan of most modern cars. Well the ones within my price range anyway.
I'm a man that likes his curves. And the 240z had them in all the right places.

[Rocky]

Another "not a fan of most modern cars".
The original 240Z was pretty well perfect styling wise. The 'Concept' above is fine from the windscreen back but the front is not right.
The 240Z was so good Ferrari borrowed it for the 550 Maranello.

The '68 Corvette was one of the best bits of styling ever - up there with the E Type.

[markwid]

Yes please!

I like the retro design but the orange/black color scheme is not doing it for me.

[rjastra2]

Yeah, the newer Z cars just got more and more bloated over the years.
The original 240z was a stripped out sports car that was cheap yet still giving the big euro marques a run for their money.

Stripped out? It had more standard equipment than the comparable yank/euro cars.

As for cheap:

"Fittings and features were design elements that set the 'Z' apart from other median-priced sports coupes. With an Australian launch price of $4940, it was pitched at the upper end of market sector which included the Ford Capri V6 at $3490, Alfa Romeo 1750GTV ($5295), Monaro GTS350 ($4230) and the TR6 at $4630."

That doesn't sound cheap to me.

[JBT]

I remember seeing one for the first time when new. It had all the mod cons and was far from "stripped out" in the day. It was also very expensive and only something for me to dream about.

[Evil Panda]

Yeah, the newer Z cars just got more and more bloated over the years.
The original 240z was a stripped out sports car that was cheap yet still giving the big euro marques a run for their money.

Stripped out? It had more standard equipment than the comparable yank/euro cars.

As for cheap:

"Fittings and features were design elements that set the 'Z' apart from other median-priced sports coupes. With an Australian launch price of $4940, it was pitched at the upper end of market sector which included the Ford Capri V6 at $3490, Alfa Romeo 1750GTV ($5295), Monaro GTS350 ($4230) and the TR6 at $4630."

That doesn't sound cheap to me.

I was talking on an international scale, not just the local release. I don't think Datsun paid much attention to Australia when designing and building the 240z.
The original Z was aimed squarely at Ferrari 250GTO, Porsche 914 and Jaguar XKE etc... So in relation to those "EURO MARQUES", yes it was cheap.

When I say stripped out I mean trim and accessories... Standard equipment was a heater and.... ???

[Guran]

It had a heater?!!! LUXURY! Next thing you'll be telling us it had a radio.

[JBT]

It did! Push button as I recall...and a basic radio was optional on most local cars at the time. If factory aircon had been available in the day it would have had that too.