Comments on: Infiniti GT-R Sedan on hold, Nissan 240SX cancelled

By: Htay9500

Htay9500 — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 01:01:00 +0000

No more RWD = no more fun.

By: Need4SSpeed

Need4SSpeed — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 18:57:57 +0000

NO 240SX!!!!! NOooooo! FIrst Toyota Axes their Subaru joint project and now this? Definitely due to the state of the economy I’m sure. But this is really sad news because I’m getting tired of all the FWD crap that continues to come out….

By: AFSOCSARGE

AFSOCSARGE — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 16:38:27 +0000

I Think This Is A Mistake The Tuner And Drifter World Would Have Brought This Like Crazy ! This FWD Deal Is Just Insane To Me. It Looks Like The Late 70’s Early 80’s Again. You Loose 1-2 MPG With RWD Though You Will Gain That Same Amount If You Drop 1-200 LBS Of Weight With Cylinder Cut Off, Direct Injection And Light Weight Composite That Loss Can Be Made Up .

-Sarge

By: 441Zuke

441Zuke — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 04:43:32 +0000

the 240 was going to be the car to replace my 05 civic in about 4 years guess it will be either a genisis or a lancer ralliart

By: zfenderguy

zfenderguy — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 22:48:50 +0000

Wish they could come out with a nice light, bare bones RWD 2 door with minmal frills and a highly tunable engine/chassis. Those are the kind of cars that gain cult like following. Make the styling evoke the mid-90s 240SX/Silvia and R34 Skyline. Just a sleek, classy look IMO. I think that rather large and emphatic enthusiast base has slipped through Nissan’s fingers.

By: Hyperion

Hyperion — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 22:18:56 +0000

I find it amusing that so many people take note that the 240SX would cut into Altima Coupe sales. Well, yes and no. Look at Lexus: they sell an ES300 (or whatever it is called these days) in the same price bracket as a base model IS sedan. Conflict of interest? Maybe, but one is a hovercraft sponge that I abhor while the other is a sporty executive sedan that I and “driver” types like.

Similarly, while the Altima Coupe provides the seating and trunk layout that I do want in a coupe, it simply ISN’T what I will even consider buying because it is a FWD car.

You could have easily had the 240SX coexist with the soft and humdrum Altima Coupe— or outright replace it by offering several variations of the line from a luxury featured model to a barebones factory club racer.

The patience of fans for Nissan’s on-again-off-again “revival” of the 240SX has been wearing thin for years. This was a figurative and literal slap to the face. I know that I am far from alone in this feeling.

By: zoomzoomer

zoomzoomer — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 20:03:38 +0000

A RWD Silvia/240SX successor would have had to be built on one of Nissan’s existing RWD platforms to make business sense.. and considering the only ones they currently have already underpin the pricey Skyline/G37 and Z, they probably wouldn’t have been able to bring the cost down enough to be price competitive. If anything, a new $25,000 240SX for the US would only cannibalize Altima coupe and G37 coupe sales, and probably not add enough additional volume to justify production.

By: Other Man

Other Man — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:13:48 +0000

Who’s saying the 240SX successor would’ve been “high volume” Good selling perhaps, but not all that high of a volume for what would amount to pretty much a hardtop MX-5/Solstice Coupe competitor, and you don’t see lots of those driving around.

The GT-R though was perhaps a missed opportunity. It had the potential to be easily the fastest sedan around the Ring, and probably by a fair margin.

Oh well, the CTS-V rocks anyhow.

By: zfenderguy

zfenderguy — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:04:48 +0000

Just ignore him/her/it. One of these days the message to STFU/DIAF will be heeded.

By: Stinky007

Stinky007 — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:08:39 +0000

“Nobody wants cheap, unreliable tin cans from Sushiland. ”
Of course, “everyone” prefers cheap, unreliable cars from Yankland!

By: CarbonGSR

CarbonGSR — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 15:00:31 +0000

NMOFGM, you do realize that GM is closer to going out of business then the large import manufactures. Right?

By: Need more oil for GM

Need more oil for GM — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:29:01 +0000

Nissan is making a lot of great moves towards goingout of business and it should make everyone happy to know that Nissan is just another victim of the American Revolution. Nobody wants cheap, unreliable tin cans from Sushiland.

Buy Amercian. Buy GM

By: ricky_b

ricky_b — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:13:04 +0000

I give Ghosn a lot of credit for putting off programs at a time like this. Companies need to stabilize before blowing wads of cash on something 3-5yrs down the pike in an economy like this. Comparing to Camaro – the only reason GM is able to go forward with the Camaro is that it was well into its development cycle; still would like to see one of those new bad boys in person. As for Nissan, I think they’ll be one of the first to pull out of this mess when the economy turns around because I think Ghosn truly understands the global auto market and knows how to properly steer that company.

By: Stinky007

Stinky007 — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 09:05:03 +0000

This is a sad day!
I was expecting this or the Toyota-Subaru coupe to be my 20k euro car. Now I’ll have to settle for euro-trash FWD fat overweight “hot-hatches”.

By: 02VortecAVALANCHE

02VortecAVALANCHE — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 05:01:20 +0000

bye bye 240 hello SS CAMERO

By: Mutant@DCX

Mutant@DCX — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 03:48:12 +0000

wow, they lost 1.3 billion in the 1/4 without the UAWs help?
where are they spending their money?
Infinity needs a pusher, the 240 prolly could be thrown out.

By: Lionwithoutpride

Lionwithoutpride — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 02:32:44 +0000

I hate the GT-R and wish it had failed miserably. That said, I have no clue why so many are down on the looks of the GT-R. To me, the GT-R is gorgeous precisely because they aren’t selling you looks. Aside from some parts that can’t handle the launch control, that car is pure utilitarian mana from Heaven! Many who bash the looks of the GT-R are probably the same ones who bashed the new Mazda 3 because “it looks like it’s smiling-it’s so happy!” So many posters laughed because they said the Mazda didn’t need that much air intake, so the grill was for looks only. So many posters laugh about manufacturers adding design elements that make cars look powerful, but have no role in motivating the car’s speed or handling. So why, then, is the GT-R not the height of beauty? Everything on that car has a purpose. Didn’t anyone else read the articles about how the car’s design was dictated by engineering needs and not aesthetics? That’s something we’re missing in this world. Why doesn’t our government work? Probably because they’re more concerned with how we look than what is good policy.

Again, I hate Nissan because I am such a cheerleader of the American car companies, but, my God, few of us even deserve what Nissan has accomplished (probably cheating at the N-ring aside). The GT-R is pure achievement and a monument to what makes man great. Ferrari, Porsche, etc.-imagine how much more performance they could wring out of their cars with less of an eye towards aesthetics.

The Dodge Viper is another car that has fairly successfully resisted creature comforts that don’t contribute to its goal of being a monster. If you want a vehicle that places aesthetics as its top goal then go buy yourself a Morgan (if you have the spare coin), but manufacturers like Ferrari are supposed to be performance oriented. They still perform fantastically, but they aren’t what they could be and that’s a shame. Try and tell me you don’t laugh at the 16 year old kid who puts decals on his car to make it faster. Then ask yourself why it’s so impressive that Porsche puts so much luxury in a sports car and finds itself trailing a cheaper car at “the ring” (even when the GT-R is raced completely stock by a Porsche driver).

. . . Of course, I read too much Rand, huh?

By: A4

A4 — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 02:19:28 +0000

WTF??? the 240SX should really be on a fast track.

By: CottonPanties

CottonPanties — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 02:18:07 +0000

That’s too bad a new 240SX would be sweet.

By: Hyperion

Hyperion — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 02:04:02 +0000

I love the looks of the older and new GT-R. It’s very distinctive and reminiscent of the looks of older GT-R’s. It wouldn’t make sense for that car to have Pininfarina looks. A GT-R has always been about blockiness and angles. A Corvette, on the other hand, has always been about curves and flowing lines since the early 1950’s model.

By: Borat

Borat — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 01:36:39 +0000

I saw GT-R on the road and I can’t say that it is a looker. Yes it is fast and cheap for its’ performance level, but it is really not an easy car to look at. Perhaps its me, but I would get a ‘Vette and pocket the change or get ZR-1, although I would really would not know what to do with all the massive power and torque (I don’t race).

By: valenburg

valenburg — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 01:30:33 +0000

most people who buy mercedes buy it because, it’s a mercedes. Im pretty sure the people who buy the gt-r or would purchase the sedan won’t buy it because it’s a gt-r.

By: smrtypants44

smrtypants44 — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 01:15:27 +0000

What you guys are forgetting is that while the C-class is MBs volume seller, a good chunk of their profits (20-25%) comes from the S class due to the large markup on it. So all in all I would bet that the GTR sedan would make a whole lot more money for Nissan than the proposed 240sx

By: Hyperion

Hyperion — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:54:32 +0000

It’s never been worth it to me but I think I’ll write a letter to Nissan USA and Nissan Japan regarding this.

By: valenburg

valenburg — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:24:02 +0000

^^^^agreed. the Altima I think, was the wrong car for the coupe job. it was like the 2door accord and the prelude. A coupe with an engine that powerful on FWD is pretty ridiculous even the 3.5S 4 door altima was pretty nuts. I say can the coupe altima and onward with the 240.

By: Hyperion

Hyperion — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:15:45 +0000

I REALLY hope this isn’t true, but I am not holding my breath. Few things would make me this upset but holy crap I am angry! The 240SX replacement is CANCELLED but the GT-R sedan is ON HOLD??? Give me a break! Nissan has NOTHING to appeal to a buyer who wants a sporty car for less than $35,000 that also has more than two seats and a small trunk– to say nothing of the car’s performance heritage! The Altima Coupe and Maxima (I’m sorry) do not count when I would otherwise go to the older used car market to find what I am looking for. I was looking forward to shopping this car when it came out to replace my Prelude (ANOTHER great sports coupe –save its FWD engine –that has disappeared)

Nissan would have sold plenty of these cars for $22k+. They’ve known for years that there has been demand for it! Ghosn has really dropped the ball with this and it will show on their balance sheets, given enough months.

I have nothing more to add to this post other than vicious and crude expletives directed at Nissan’s upper management and posting that is not my style.

What a letdown. The saving grace was yesterday’s announcement of the Genesis Coupe R-Spec for $23k. It’s not a 240SX successor from NIssan, but the formula is pretty darn close…

By: JakeK66

JakeK66 — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 23:39:29 +0000

The 240SX was not a good idea to begin with, the market would be slicing the pie too thin with those models! Look, as little as 2 years ago the entire low cost midsize coupe market consisted of the Solara, Accord Coupe and Mustang. It’s ridiculous. It’s not a market with tons of growth, so Nissan did a good move.
What was the 240 going to be? A midsize RWD 2+2 (Like the FWD Altima coupe) or a smaller Z? The Z is about as small as it gets now, so it was stuck either overlaping one of the two in nowhere land. The GTR Sedan was whatever anyway, kind of nice to have seen though.

By: gabedm

gabedm — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 23:38:08 +0000

NOoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Get off your knees nissan! Your blowing the game!
Could be the most pathetic automotive move since Pontiac green lit the Aztec. Looks like this 18-24′er who had anticipated selling a testicle to be first iin line to buy one will have to buy a genesis coupe.

By: GMmalvado

GMmalvado — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 22:05:03 +0000

“Curses! Foiled again by the evil E. Conomy…”

By: CADDY-V

CADDY-V — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:54:31 +0000

YES!!!! nissan is making alot a great moves in the past few months and this is just one more. Way to go!!!!

By: Madcapp

Madcapp — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:36:39 +0000

Big mistake cancelling the 240. They could have cleaned up in a market segnent that’s festering in FWD garbage.

By: krautninja

krautninja — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:28:23 +0000

IMO if Niassan was smart they would scrap the Altima Coupe and bring the 240… As Mayer said the Altima and 240 would have a huge over lap one would kill the others sales, but with the release of the Gen Coupe from hyundai the power play would be to provide a real alternative to it in the form of the RWD 240.

By: acura_el2000

acura_el2000 — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:26:10 +0000

lol Nissan realized it couldn’t compete with the Genesis coupe

By: johnnycanuck

johnnycanuck — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:21:21 +0000

My head’s really starting to spin here. Are the Koreans- Hyundai/Kia specifically- going to be the ones who emerge the least unscathed from this black hole? Well, at least when it comes to the Asian side of things. I can’t recall having heard of any model cancellations or delays. Unless they’re hiding behind it could there be a changing of the guard when all the smoke clears?

By: oldraven

oldraven — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 21:18:39 +0000

VAPOURWARE!!!!!

Come on, I had to say it.