Wouldn’t that just be lovely.

I’m so sick of every “sport compact” on the market being FWD. The 240 is legendary and they still command respectable prices on the used market today. Why Nissan got rid of it in the first place I’ll never know.

If I had seen this headline even 2 years ago, I wouldn’t even have considered clicking for the full story.

At that time, I had no respect for Nissan. They were a 2nd-class Japanese manufacturer to me, with no really interesting or exceptional cars in their lineup. They also weren’t involved enough in racing for my tastes, esp lacking an F1 team. The price of gas also wasn’t kicking my ass.

The times have changed. The G37 coupe is one of my favorite cars, although it’s a bit of a porker. The 350Z is receiving an overhaul (or is it going into its next gen?) as the 370Z. (Hopefully with a major) redesign and of course the GT-R is now kicking some serious ass, with the V-Spec right around the corner.

I’ve really changed my mind about Nissan. And the price of gas is going through the roof.

If this car gets a nice masculine look (I’m hoping for G37 inspired) and is VERY LIGHT to offset the low power, it could very well be my next car.

Quite a downgrade for me, but unfortunately I just can’t seem to justify spending so much money on cars anymore…

^ Ah yes, the fact that it’s RWD is lovely.

Wants:
- Dual-clutch w/ paddle shifters
- 7 (why not 8?) speed transmission
All the tech in the engine…
- Direct injection
- continuously-variable everything.

Dual-clutch with paddles and a min of 7-speeds is going to be crucial for pulling performance out of the weaker engine.

Keep it light Nissan!

This will be awesome. I agree that RWD should be used more frequently. Why though should it look ****ty like this? Instead, give it 350Z styling, or classic Z proportions, and call it a 240Z rather than sx. Also, a turbo will be the icing on the cake.

Small coupe market does not exists, because nobody bought those things for a while. In North East and Mid West front wheel drive architecture would be more favorable: it is not a weekend car and must be driven to work during week in all kinds of nasty conditions. RWD is not the best choice for snow and even nasty rain.

^ Gee … thanks for that one, Einstein …

LOL
Looks like Nissan will have a full line of coupes Nice the old 240sx where popular in their day Well the hatchback versions where Nice interiors as well

xyunnya: Learn how to drive. Rwd is a blast in all conditions if your up to it. If snow is real issue have your husband put studs on your car like I did for my wife.

shaver, thanks for advise but too late for me: I drove in several international rally competitions (in college) and came to the conclusion that FWD is much easier to handle in ice and snow. When I am driving on public road, I don’t need to prove anything to anybody but have a safe vehicle. Furthermore, perhaps you are much more talented driver then I am, but I failed to see all the advantages of RWD.
I ma sure your wife appreciate all your help for his driving education.

Note to Nissan: change the name of 240 SX to 240 SEX. After all, sex sells!
Thank god somebody else gets that FWD is all wrong. When I complain about FWD when LL runs an Audi story, I get attacked by the legions of morons who are spoon fed FWD by the manufacturers.

The original died because the 2nd generation was so softly styled they might as well have just installed a bidet where the drivers seat was. Too bad, but then the whole market for Japanese sports cars was pretty soft from about’95 to ‘05.

xyunya: Cool, I will be running my third rally, in 2 weeks at Oregon Trail. 1st rally in my nearly stock except cage WRX. Cant wait, I probably wont sleep for 2 nights before. Eventually want to build a 240SX rally car. I am very excited about both this and the Toy/Sub offering. The more cheap speed the better.

Let’s leave out the automatic option totally. 6 speeds is more than enough. Any more than that and you are going to be doing nothing but shift-shift-shift-shift.

That would be cool, and timely in light of unbridaled greed of the oil companies.

200sx’s and 240sx’s were cute

Hmmm… I’m really liking this. Maybe they could mate this car with the same 2.5L engine that they run in the Sentra SE-R Spec-V and call it the 250SX. And then turbo charge it and call it the 250SX SE-R. Maybe with a 6-Speed manual or Twin-Clutch tranny setup. Also, include some combined styling from the new GT-R and the 350Z. Awesome!!!

Do it Nissan. DO IT NOW!!!

shaver, if you building your own car for race, stick to either 4wd or fwd. I don’t make rally rules or choose cars, look what cars are used in rally - primarily fwd (with huge hand brake lever). Learn to apply hand brake and you don’t need RWD. On the road - it’s what rocks your boat. I actually lost my 200SX in snow-ice accident and I though I knew what I was doing.

I’d like to see it called the ZX… whatever engine displacement they use. Reference that Z-car heritage in there.

240ZX…. SX… whatever it is called bring it! This is good news indeed! Looks like the Japanese are reviving the old affordable RWD sport cars like they did during the 80’s and 90’s. I was pretty anxious to see what Toyota brings but i’ll be curious to see what Nissan brings to the table as well. Whatever car is being used up on top, it sorta looks like the Hyundai Genesis, which Nissan needs to make it not look like. Although whatever this pic above is it still looks better with the Genesis. Well with the arrival of the Genesis, Toyota’s next RWD, and Nissan’s possible 240SX revival with all of the downsizing due to CAFE standards, going this way may be the way to go!

well if you want a FWD you can get the Sentra SE-R, if you want RWD you could get this, the choice is pretty much there, so if you no likie- you no buy-ie
if i knew how much fun RWD driving would have been, i would have bought a 240sx back in ‘98 instead of my 200sx Se-r

I’m tired of these photo-manipulations of “what could be”. Anyone serious about cars can tell that it’s just a doctored picture of the Nissan Altima Coupe.

As for the 240SX revival, I’m all for it. This world needs more affordable, lightweight, RWD sports cars.

big from me!!

I could go for that.

Maybe FORD would consider reviving the “Maverick” as well. The Mustang is a bit big and thirsty for the current market. Also FORD seems intent on moving the “War horse” up the performance food chain more than a few total steps. Add a Vette-fighting Thunderbird and it’s a winning trio.

But seriously, I would love to see more headway on smaller, less expensive, more fun sports cars.

NISSAN = 240sx (Would that be the S16?)
FORD = Maverick (making it the same relative size as the “fox” Mustang but way lighter)
CHEVY = Nova or Chevelle (been their done that. This time, an Alpha platform coupe.)
DODGE = NEON or ZEO (Neon was and can be a bright spot in domestic compacts. The ZEO could be brighter)
TOYOTA = *Subaru derived RWD coupe
SCION = tC replacement (AE86 “revival”)
HONDA = *nothing likely in this class. Another Civic Si (good but not the same)
SUBARU = Smaller AWD car to slot under WRX
HYUNDAI = *GENESIS aimed at MUSTANG and CAMARO. Tiburon slated for discontinuation with no direct replacement.
KIA = *may bare the next “Tiburon” (good but not the same)
MITSUBISHI = Next Eclipse will aim at mid and large coupes like Genesis, Mustang and Camaro. LANCER GSX(?) most likely.

Blakkar, fo Honda it is a Prelude. It was a very good coupe.

autonut,

The Prelude was a good car, it let down a bit for looking like an FR but being an FF. The HYUNDAI Tiburon has the same problem. The current CIVIC Si is a better choice and is actually a stronger car than the Prelude. But if HONDA were to drop some parts from the S2000 into such a car it could be a hit. There is still rumor of a new CRX but I’m not taking bets on that one.

The premise is appealing … let’s hope it looks as good as the literature reads … unfortunately, the latest design cues of a bucktoothed front grill and wacky headlights isn’t keeping me too interested.

lol like your little analysis there Blakkarr, however for the domestic’s sake, bringing back names like Maverick, Nova, or Chevelle may hurt the cars’ image. (Chevelle I think would be cool actually) but if you remember the late Mavericks and Novas I think they are better off dead. I do hope that other auto companies take after Toyota/Subaru, Hyundai and Nissan and come out with affordable RWD cars.

I wish the auto companies would be coming out with this sooner, because this is exactly what I’m looking for when my current lease ends in late summer of 09. Unfortunately right now the words affordable, RWD, and not gas guzzling can’t really describe anything that’s currently available. I currently have my sights set on the Solstice Coupe for my next purchase but we’ll see.

once mazda get smart and mix the mx-5 and the rx-8 they will have the streets and the tracks on lock

About time, Nissan! What did I say when Infiniti is looking at building a compact car? It has to be RWD and there’d better be a new 240SX!!!!! The photo looks really good! Let’s hope Nissan doesn’t pull a Maxima on us again.

Apart from and impracticality of a light compact RWD car in snow (Midwest and NE) the death of the 240SX was largely brought on by the swamp of brain-deads buying SUVs.

Ahh, the SR20DET in the old 200SXes rocked… I had an SR20DE in my Primera eGT and it was a rev-happy engine that loved to be pushed.

For Honda, a S2000 Coupe. Also new CR-Z will be a small coupe version of the upcoming hybrid sedan. It will offer good performance and outstanding mileage (just like the original CRX)
As far as the 240SX, this would kick ass. Something fun in the $20K range is exactly what Nissan needs. Mark my words: Coupe, Convertible, Hybrid.

But this coupe may kill the G37 The Altima coupe (which I see many of) is a front drive but people dont care about rear drive in bad weather states. But if Nissan has a small affordable rear drive couple most people that would go for the G may come to Nissan and save a few thousand.
Either way its good for Nissan bc they are now doing what Toyota does Offering basically every car in every class so that a consumer has many choices and stays with the brand. Just dont offer it in green

1115 I personally don’t think that a small affordable RWD coupe from Nissan would cannibalize sales of the G37. Most people who buy the G37 buy it for the name, and its level of performance and luxury. Only place I can see that happenning is if buyers compare a base G37 coupe to a fully loaded 240SX then maybe.

If I was a consumer though I’d know the difference between the two and I wouldn’t cross shop the two. But most consumers probably don’t. There’s still a difference between a G37’s 32+ base and supposedly the under 24k base of the new 240SX. But Nissan should still come out with this to compete with the Genesis and Toyota’s upcoming RWD car. There’s definitely a market waiting for this.

True Either way it will be nice and remember the engine displacemnt will be in the name so Im guessing it will be a 160 or a 180sx
Doesnt sound right 250 sx sounds better

yeah it will. 180SX and 250SX sounds good to me.

Need4SSpeed,

I won’t argue that the NOVA which really was done a disservice back in the 1990’s should not be used as a name. There is also the irritating fact that NOVA translates and ” it no go” in Spanish. Of course Camaro means “Shrimp” in Spanish as well. But I would avoid “Nova” simply because I can still find those horrid little econo-caskets rolling around now and then.

The Chevelle is still a hot muscle car one of the hottest. The name carries more positive weight.

FORD can still use the Maverick name as the car is very rare to find and is and was solid car. But considering that the last Mavericks and RWD Novas were late 1970’s cars, that the “Maverick” you may be thinking of is the absolutely horrible “Mustang II” (which was based on the Pinto and not an update of the Falcon as the Maverick was), and that the concept of a smaller, leaner, more fun to knock around Mustang would not suffer name difficulties, to show that positive relationship the name “Maverick” is more than acceptable. The only hurdle for this car is to make sure no one mistakes the “Maverick” for a “Mustang II”.

It’s a low bar to clear, frankly. Mostly because people will read the specs before condemning it for it’s name and make their judgments there. Only FORD-bashers will try to make such a flimsy case as “It’s named after a car no one liked so it MUST be bad.” Meanwhile true auto enthusiasts will give it a go, auto mags will test it and if FORD does their jobs an makes a solid car, the rest will be easy sailing for the car.

But it is just dreaming, FORD will likely never get to it even if will drop the line that they should.

The Altima Coupe is your girlfriend’s car.

The 240SX is your car.

The G37 Coupe is not even in the range for consideration. It is aimed at more affluent, luxury, customers. People who would consider BMW, AUDI, CADILLAC, and MERCEDES-BENZ.

The very notion that anyone thinks that the SX would endanger G-coupe or even Z-car sales is fooling themselves. Having the lower cost SX would free the Z to go further up the food chain without totally alienating their customers. I always loved the Z for being able to go toe-to-toe with the CORVETTE and being able to take it at it’s own game. Something I could never see in the GT-R.

With the SX I could see a day fairly soon after when we will see a new ZX to compete directly with the world for points. Because the Z no longer had to worry about staying entirely affordable. Don’t look for a “shut out” car like the GT-R, but a real competitor like the 300ZX I so love.

yeah, Blakkarr, the early Mavericks were actually sweet car. You hit it right on though of what I was thinking about too. I agree that if Ford came out with a small affordable RWD car slotted beneath the Mustang and gave it some subtle retro styling with aggressive looks and called it the Maverick it’d probably be a success. Although I could def see it stealing sales from the Mustang. I think what Ford really needs to do is move the Mustang upscale just a bit and price it more along the lines of the Camaro and challenger. But hey the fact that you can get a 300hp V8 RWD 2+2 seater Mustang for like 25k new it quite a bargain.

also yeah the Z used to go toe-to-toe during the late 70’s-80’s and up through the mid 90’s with the Corvette but by the end of the the Corvette’s 4th generation, the Nissan Z car almost died with the Toyota Supra and Mazda RX7, which was where the Corvette hung in and now it’d be a joke to compare a 350Z with a Corvette. I love both the Z car and Corvette, so I know exactly what you’re talking about. For years I always wanted a Datsun 280Z with a chevy small block V8 conversion, would make an awesome track car.

New 240SX with a GM LNF Turbo conversion. I said it first

It looks like there is a b & c pillar in this picture. This looks like a 4 door to me.

MurcieMe stole my thunder! I was about to mention the fact that there is both a C- and D-pillar means either that this is a “quad-coupe” with rear-hinged half doors behind the main doors (like the RX-8) or an actual 4-door coupe. Being an artist’s rendering, there would be no reason to add an additional line where it doesn’t exist.

Perhaps the next Primera is becoming a 4-door “coupe”?

“will be based on a shortened version of the 350Z’s Front-Midship architecture” So wait, is this FWD or RWD??? and yeah looks pretty long for just a 2dr coupe. Future RX-8 Competitor???

Definitely interesting, smart move to offer a smaller coupe, but we do need an answer to Need4SSpeed’s question, fwd or rwd?

@ G. Very good post and I am in the same boat as you whereas a few years ago Nissan for me was garbage - but as you pointed out times have certainly changed.

I said this a few days ago and I’ll say it again. Nissan is on a such big roll it doesn’t really matter what they do that it ends up being successful. BMW, Lexus, Toyota and others, “Object in mirror may be closer than they appear!”.

A turbo inline 4 rwd coupe would be great to drive, and make it a good little brother to the Z.

Denton, the article says it’s based on the FM platform, making it by default, RWD. AWD is also an option on that platform.

so the 350Z’s Front Midship platform means it is RWD??? YES!!! Now as MurcieMe and zoomzoomer were discussing are we looking at a 4dr or a quad coupe???

golf, I am not up on the names of Nissan’s platforms.

OMG IS A BLUR!!! wow i want 1

When I was young I used to leak images like that on snow.

222 HP would be sweet indeed for a coupe that small. It’s probably more suitable for the Miata crowd but more choices the better.

No worries, Denton.

I think the “lines” on the windows that make it look like a 4dr are shadows from fluorescent lights above the car. That bulge on the bottom is troublesome though no matter what.

I cannot even tell which end is the front, and which is the rear.

Need4SSpeed, I think this will not be 4 doors, maybe a small 2+2, or even a 2 seater, should carry well. golf is right about that bulge though.

I mean carry on the tradition of the old 240SX.

Golf4Me.. you realize that is a RENDERING.. not a photograph with “fluorescent lights above the car”. If it were a reflection from light, the line would be white, not black.

zoom, they do this sort of things with renderings all the time, making the windows black with reflections in it so you can see the contour of the glass…in this case the reflections MAY be those big square fluorescent lights high above like they have in tunnels sometimes. It’s just a guess, so lighten up.

Victor, I was going to say the same thing after staring at it for a while.

yeah I hope it isn’t a 4dr. I think a 2+2 seater would be ideal, seeing that Nissan has the GTR, and 350Z as 2 seaters Nissan could use a small sub-compact affordable RWD 2+2 seater.

I agree with that Need4SSpeed, and you get great turbo engines.

I sold my 1998 Nissan 240SX (FINAL YEAR) 3 MONTHS AGO. GOT A GREAT PRICE TOO- $5300 WITH ALMOST 170000 miles on it. (sorry for the CAPS back there). Cant wait for this new coupe. SMALLER-LIGHTER-FASTER. That’s the mantra. Not sorry for those caps letters.

Anyone who has a bias against FWD, you need to drive a Mazdaspeed Mazda 3. Holy crap are those cars fun to drive, and I had no problem hanging the tail out (or keeping it in) on turns. I don’t see too much need for Nissan to have a low-end performance coupe; their line is pretty cluttered already around the $15k-22k mark (Sentra, Altima, Maxima, Versa).

Yes, the Mazdaspeed3 is a great vehicle, but most fwd vehicles with a lot of power have torque steer issues.

‘NoNameDufus’, you continue to display your worthlessness here … you don’t know what the FM platform is? You ****ing retard … you constantly talk of reading many sites for information and STILL don’t know what that is? You illiterate donkey … you know NOTHING. Kill yourself.

Oh, have you learned the difference between ‘then’ and ‘than’ yet, ****face?

Impulsive, just because I do not know the names of Nissan’s platforms does not make me stupid or illerate. Stop trolling, stop swearing and learn that you are not the grammar police.

That’s funny, ‘Dufus’, because it was you who claimed you were smart because you read many sites about car info … only to display your FAILURE by not knowing something so basic. You are a ****ing tool. And stupid. And, seriously, illiterate.

Have you yet learned the difference between ‘then’ and ‘than’, dolt?

That looks EXACTLY like the butt end of a Civic. Just look closely.

Once again, I say you are not the grammar police Impulsive, and I said I do not know NISSAN’s platforms, I know the names of other’s from other companies, read and learn.

Ok, well I use to work for a company that manufactures front and rear subrames for ALL nissan’s pos cars. They would exlusively use us as their supplier and I was an engineer there. So Impulsive, tell me since your a know it all and diss people over retarded $H!T, what are the platforms called for the new altima, maxima, altima coup, frontier, pathfinder, the old altima and maxima etc.

who cares its a pile of ****

^^^ Word

Once again, ‘Dufus’, you know nothing but pretend to know anything by regurgitating common knowledge that any six-year-old could find through a simple search …. and not knowing the FM platform is tantamount to utter worthlessness. Comprendez, ****wad?

‘Hemiroid’, you are also an illiterate monkey as shown in your last post. And to generalize that all Nissan’s cars are POSs only confirms you are as worthless as ‘Dufus’. Testing me in such trivial knowledge only serves to reinforce some minimal level of worth you think you have … you know little else whereas I know a lot of everything and I am wealthy, financially and intellectually, for it. As for your request, ask ‘Dufus’ to get his six-year-old neighbour to do a simple search on the ‘Net … that’s a primary school exercise but I’ll bite on the first car … the platform is the fourth letter of the alphabet and a French company had a hand in developing it … now fack aff, **** piece.

You losers are so out of your league messing with me, it’s comical … sit your asses down and shadap. The teacher has spoken.

^^^^ My point EXACTLY. You’ve just proved how much of a dumb@$$ you are. And why are you mentioning your intelligence and how wealthy you are? Are you that insecure about yourself and what you earn? Anyway, I can say that all nissan’s are POS’s because I have SEEN how they make their suspensions in person. Where have you seen them, on the car lot? Guess you don’t remember nissan having a problem on their aluminum suspensions cracking around the collars that had STEEL (retarded jap design) bushings in them, oh yeah, nissan is soooo good though. The platform is NOT the 4th letter in the alphabet either retard. Now I know your nothing more than a geek that still lives with his parent’s.

MY point couldn’t have been made clearer, ‘Roid’ … you are worthless. Nissan’s problem with suspension pales in comparison to Toyota’s sludge problem, GM’s intake gasket problem, Chrysler’s tranny problem … but nobody really cares what you think about Nissan, or anything else for that matter. The market is speaking loudly in terms of Nissan’s rep which doesn’t echo your sentiment … so your view is meaningless. As long as you feel you are worth something because you worked as their supplier as a monkey, good for you, chimp.

Please read the first sentence of the third paragraph, you stupid, ****ing retarded, piece of **** … http://www.nissanhelp.com/Models/2008/Altima/Description.htm … this is this gen’s platform of the Altima. It IS the fourth letter, you waste of a life.

Now please, go mop the floor and when you’re done, go **** yourself.

Impulsive, you are not an all knowing person, so keep you rude and crude comments to yourself. This is not a competition, this is a site for people to post their opinions on cars news, no matter what experience and knowledge they have on cars. You need to stop acting like a psuedo-intellectial know it all, stop swearing and insulting people and try to behave like a human being.

I am superior to you illiterate chimps .. FACT … accept it and move on.

Dude, how much of a retard are you? I am familiar with nissan’s platforms dumb@$$. The “D” platform is the coup, known as the D42A platform. The 4 door altima is L42A and the maxima is L42C, get your $H!T straight. I have WORKED on these projects before you even saw a commercial for the car. Go read some more on the internet.

The Nissan FM platform is a modern FM layout automobile platform. The name is derived from the “front midships” location of the engine, referring to the engine’s center of mass being located behind the front axle centerline, shifing weight to the middle of the car, leaving the front suspension less encumbered. The engine is pushed as far back to the firewall as possible, creating a weight distribution that’s close to 50:50, as well as enabling engineers to place the front wheels as close to the corners as possible for better handling. This platform debuted with the 2001 V35-series Nissan Skyline, and has been used as the basis of nearly all of Nissan’s rear and all-wheel drive applications since its inception. The platform has been revised recently for use in the JDM Nissan Fuga/USDM Infiniti M35/45, being stretched in wheelbase and reinforced for additional torsional rigidity. This version is referred to as the “enhanced FM” platform.

Applications:

Nissan Skyline/Infiniti G35 V35-series
Nissan Fuga/Infiniti M Y50-series
Nissan 350Z Z33-series
Nissan Stagea M35-series
Infiniti FX SUV
Infiniti EX SUV

The Nissan FF-L is an automobile platform for front wheel drive automobiles. It has been a huge success for the company, along with the rear wheel drive Nissan FM platform. FF-L cars are built at Nissan’s Smyrna, Tennessee factory, and the Murano is built in Japan.

[edit] Models
2002-2006 Nissan Altima
2003-2007 Nissan Murano
2003- Nissan Teana
2004-2008 Nissan Maxima
2004- Nissan Quest
2003- Nissan Presage

‘Hemiroid’, it’s the ****ing D platform, waste of a life. Please contact Nissan and tell them they are wrong … that the Altima sedan is not using the D platform, you ****ing write-off … you’re a bigger loser than ‘NoNameDufus’.

I don’t care what ****ing hieroglyphics you monkeys used to differentiate models, the bottom line is that “The Altima Coupe, as part of the fourth-generation Altima design, utilizes Nissan’s all-new, highly acclaimed “D” platform with increased body rigidity and a redesigned suspension. This new platform was developed with the objective of making Altima one of the best performing large front-wheel drive vehicles available globally.”

FACT is FACT, you stupid, good-for-nothing piece of feces. I onw your ass, chump … continue to mop the floors and when you’re done that, go **** yourself HARD.