With news of a revived Nissan 240sx the auto world started buzzing, but really who benefits the most from this? Nissan? Enthusiasts?
Both and neither at the same time.
Nissan would benefit from an underdog vehicle which surely has the potential to outsell their flagship coupes (370z and GTR watch out). Big sales numbers are a good thing, and a hot model on the lots is a auto manufacturer and dealers' wet dream. But, in order to get those sales what would it take?
-The car would have to look good, that's a given
-The car would have to be true to its sporting heritage
-The car would have to be priced competitively
-The car would have to appeal to the right market segment (the "right segment" for this car would be the 18-30~year olds) while still having appeal for everyone else.
How could they accomplish this?
Easy.
It could be accomplished with a model that fits all of these criteria. However, that's seemingly more foreign to the American market than the shores from which these vehicles originate.
Keep it simple PERIOD.
A bare bones sports coupe that undercuts the price of Nissan's own Z and others on the market, but delivers where it counts! Hyundai had the right idea with the Genesis coupe...but just the idea. Not the execution.
Nissan needs to offer the new 240sx without extras like Bluetooth connectivity, moonroofs, power windows...DARE I SAY, even alloy wheels. All the stuff you don't really need that adds to the cost and weighs the car down! Given, alloy wheels are lighter than steelies, but steel wheels are cheaper and will bring the MSRP of the car down significantly. Besides, most enthusiasts switch even the stock ALLOYS for aftermarket goods.
Let's not forget, this car is AIMED at enthusiasts, but appealing to many others. The lighter weight will do wonders for the economy/performance and the lower price of an essentially "basic car" will bring all types buyers in droves. Let's not forget, this would be a rear wheel drive, sexy looking car....for cheap. It's a winning formula...ask Lee Ioccoca.
Then NIssan should work ACTIVELY with the automotive aftermarket (think Ford with the 2005 Mustang or Toyota's Scions) to make performance parts available as soon as the car hits the pavement! Zero delays and an emphasis on cooperation with dealers (warranty coverage, etc).
Now we get to practicality. Make the car a hatchback, but not an OBVIOUS hatchback...think along the lines of the fourth generation Camaro or even the Dodge Shadow. Cars that have hatchback practicality, but without the look. Foldable rear seats would add to the sensible aura.
THE ONLY OPTION THIS CAR SHOULD HAVE IS THE ENGINE. One engine, different tuning. An economy version an a high output version, but the only difference is ecu tuning and POSSIBLY the intake manifolds/exhaust manifolds. All the cars would be manual. PERIOD. No coddling for those who don't know how to drive a manual! Keep it simple, keep it cheap.
There was a fairly popular vehicle in the twentieth century called the Volkswagen Beetle. Very cute, desirable, and lest we forget, CHEAP! But anyway, the point of bringing up that particular vehicle is because of the fact that Volkswagen sold 999 trillion of those cars and the owners (young and OLD) drove stick! No questions asked. If you liked the car and wanted it...you drove stick. There was no "I can't drive stick so I can't buy the car" whining! You wanted it. You bought it. You learned how to drive it!
"Whoa, whoa, wait a minute! No options, with steel wheels and market it as 'a car for enthusiasts'?"
YES. Marketing would be a big part of it. It would be marketed as THE sportscar rebirth. The manufacturers would work with the magazines to make every road test a comparison test. Two cars: one with the aftermarket wheels and suspension added and one with the stock setup. That way it's demonstrated that the car can be as docile or as hard-core as the buyer wants. Include the price of the goods in the write-up and show how much it would add to the sticker, but don't add them from the factory! Instantly the econo-buyer is happy and the Tuners are inspired. All while keeping the actual MSRP low. This is the rebirth. If you want a sportscar, you gotta build it. If you can't build it, b u y _ a n o t h e r _ c a r.
The car industry's problem right now is that they are taking fewer risks and producing cars that are "good enough" for everyone, but in the process they make them overly expensive and generic.
These vehicles are slowly evolving into crossovers and overwrought "specialty" vehicles that stretch far beyond the financial limits of reason for even the unreasonable! Unreasonable people buy most new cars, especially sports cars! That's why you see so many sports cars sitting on dealer lots. It takes a certain degree of disregard for reason to buy a cramped, loud, impractical vehicle...and nowadays the price of them is faaaaaar from justifiable as a "fun" purchase!
You don't buy a convertible now because you want to buy a practical car for the daily commute. You don't buy one to be reasonable! You buy one because it's "fun", and let's be honest, "fun" seems to cost a whole lot of money these days.
Here's an epiphany:
New car buyers aren't practical! They're not reasonable! They buy with their hearts and they want to be stirred! If they didn't THERE WOULD BE NO car industry.
If the above weren't true: we'd all drive used Camrys, stick with the current car, or use public transportation. That's practical and reasonable. Then there's the argument about old cars and repairs, but there is hardly a single debilitating repair that has to be made on a vehicle (excluding structural damage) that is the equivalent to the entry price of a large majority of new cars. Big generalization, I know, but you get the point!
Yet, people still buy new cars. No one seems to notice the correlation between poor car sales and generic new cars. How can you expect to sell the same car to everyone when the car is so closely associated with identity in the US. "Oh, there isn't an association with identity, just good wholesome products", they'll say? Laughable, if that were true it would mean that all of the product marketing strategies and advertising in the world would be proven futile. There IS an association.
We want polarization! We want PASSION! We want AUTOMOTIVE IDENTITY! We want a car that doesn't have everything for everyone. What the industry needs are cars that some people LOVE, but others hate! That's brand identity, that's human identity...human nature.
Nissan if you're listening: heed the call.
This is the part where I say "Oh well, I hope they build it and it'll be great", but no. I'm going to say: "They'll never build it and IF they do...they'll ruin it". There's far to many committees, bureaucrats and study groups to spoil the idea before buyers even see it.
That's the truth and that's how it is.
That's my story and I'm....you know the rest.