The Nissan GT-R is an amazing vehicle - I don't think anyone that reads AutoSpies.com would disagree with that statement. It may not be your personal favorite vehicle or first choice, I know for me it isn't. That certainly doesn't mean I'd turn down an opportunity to drive one, but in terms of cars it wouldn't even make my top 5 or top 10 of cars I, "have to have."
I live in Smyrna Tennessee, I'm a few miles from the Nissan factory, and just a few more miles from the Nissan Corporate HQ, I've got quite a few friends who work directly for Nissan or for a vendor that supplies to Nissan. Because of the phenomenal deals Nissan offers to its associates, all of my Nissan related friends drive Nissans. No big surprise there.
What is a surprise lately though is that they are all driving GT-R's.
Seems as though everyone is driving GT-R's. I went to lunch the other day at a not so upscale Chinese Buffet and I swear the entire GT-R color palette was represented in the parking lot. These GT-R's are everywhere.
And so about a week ago, I'm sitting eating lunch with a friend who works at Nissan and I bring up the topic of the GT-R and how it seems like they are everywhere. He chuckles and states that they are everywhere, apparently Nissan ran a employee lease special at $399 a month for the GT-R. And oh yeah, like most Nissan employee leases Nissan pays the insurance, upkeep, tires etc. while you put unlimited miles on the car.
Now he couldn't confirm if this particular lease was the same as others, but honestly who cares? $399 a month for a GT-R would make most non-GT-R fans a fan just to have that kind've performance. I reckon a guess to say that one or two of you reading this story our probably thinking that $399 is less than you're currently paying for that minivan you're scared you'll be seen in by your friends.
My friend told me that internally Nissan is disappointed with how GT-R sales are going and wanted to get more out into the "wild" for others to see in an attempt to create excitement and hopefully demand. Now I don't know about you, but while it is not uncommon to see some pretty high end machinery where I live, seeing a parking lot full of exotic cars (especially the same exotic car) isn't a normal occurrence unless you are in Beverly Hills or Newport Beach or anyplace Agent 001 hangs out at. In the normal world, it's exciting to see rare and exciting machinery.
So I ask you this, is Nissan smart for flooding a market with GT-R's to encourage sales, or are they shooting themselves in the foot by taking away that exclusive edge the GT-R? Think of this way, if you were a non-Nissan employee who just paid north of $100k for a GT-R, how would you feel knowing the guy stopped at the traffic light next to you in THE SAME CAR is paying $399?
I for one don't think I'd feel all that great about my supercar choice. Let's face it, the folks in Maranello don't give the workers 458's to be driving as a way to create interest and spur sales.
I think exclusive cars should stay exclusive, no matter whose name is on the badge.
What do you think???