Tuesday 6th May 2008

Nissan Planning New 240SX

Carmaker wants to produce a small cheap coupe for the younger buyer

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Nissan hopes to attract younger buyers

Nissan is planning to unveil an entry-level sports car in 2010 to replace the 240SX.

The company hopes the ‘mini-Z’ will appeal to younger buyers and will fill a gap in the market for cheap front/rear coupes.

In doing so it will also be taking on the rear-drive sports car Subaru and Toyota are planning to build together.

The Nissan is expected to either have a 2.0-lite naturally aspirated engine, or even a 1.6 or 1.8 turbocharged unit, according to Japan’s Best Car magazine.

Despite the small size of these turbo engines, thanks to direct-injection and a Variable Compression Ratio System they could produce 220bhp.

The size of the car is said to closely resemble the previous S15 Silvia.

The new FR coupe’s dimensions are expected to be 4350mm in length, 1750mm in width and with a wheelbase identical to the the new Fairlady/350 Z platform of 2550mm.

The car will cost in the region of £12,000 in Japan and the US, so expect it to be nearly double that when it arrives here.

[chrisbr68]

Why didnt they sell the S15 over here, and why make something really similar to sell here when they could surely build on the 15?

I do hope its RWD and not another hot hatch.

[Pentoman]

I could see it - probably a compact enough, but quite practical RWD car, no more than a 1.6 turbo required, that'd still get great MPG figures but manage and around 200bhp?
Should tick all the boxes (except for a quality interior but the Japs tend to miss that all the time, and it would also miss diesel-like MPG but maybe they'll do a diesel one too).

Russell

[Negative Creep]

Great news! Honestly, why do massive car firms find it so hard to make a simple rear wheel drive sports car?

[JohnGoodridge]

Negative Creep said:

Great news! Honestly, why do massive car firms find it so hard to make a simple rear wheel drive sports car?

Hmm... Aren't you being a bit harsh against Mazda (MX-5), and Toyota (most recent MR2) here?

[Kieran XJR]

There certainly seems to be a gap in the market for this type of car. It sounds like it has the right ingredients, lets hope they can keep it relatively light.

[Negative Creep]

JohnGoodridge said:

Negative Creep said:

Great news! Honestly, why do massive car firms find it so hard to make a simple rear wheel drive sports car?

Hmm... Aren't you being a bit harsh against Mazda (MX-5), and Toyota (most recent MR2) here?

Not really, a company their size should have no problems making such a car. Plus what about Ford (Europe), Opel, VW, Alfa, Citroen etc etc?

[Dagnut]

Negative Creep said:

Great news! Honestly, why do massive car firms find it so hard to make a simple rear wheel drive sports car?

profit margains

[GTRene]

that nissan looks a bit like the new coming Hyundai Genesis coupe...


GTRene

Edited by GTRene on Tuesday 6th May 12:40

[waynepixel]

Anything RWD sounds good to me. Once you have experienced RWD cars you never what to go back. 2010 should be a good year.

[Bizzle]

chrisbr68 said:

Why didnt they sell the S15 over here, and why make something really similar to sell here when they could surely build on the 15?

They did but only through Nissan Performance Garages like Middlehurst. Just like they did with the UK R33gtr and R34gtr. Nissan UK HQ also had a small number of R34gtr's for training mechanics on - which were crushed in the end rather than sold onto the domestic market.

[gofasterrosssco]

This is a good time for Nissan to be producing cars like this that will appeal the younger, less badge concious among us, given the seemingly all-encompassing 'halo' effect the new GT-R seems to be having...

I think a 1.6 turbo unit (to keep weight (and taxation) down and economy up) would be ideal assuming they are thinking 1200-1250kg...

[Bizzle]

I hope they don't try and re-design the wheel. I would love to see an updated version of the SR20DET engine they used in the 180sx/S14/S15. Bloody amazing engine indeed.

Let's just home they don't go the same way as they did with the VQ35 which is pretty sh**E

[chunkymonkey71]

Great news! Must be RWD and Turbocharged though...

otherwise I don't see the point.

[clarencegi77]

front-wheel drive cars are generally cheaper to manufacture, platform-sharing and all... the car in the pic looks just disgusting, and does anyone detect a disturbing resemblence to the SLK?

[Frimley111R]

At c£24,000 exactly how rich are these 'younger drivers'???

[scotty_917]

Frimley111R said:

At c£24,000 exactly how rich are these 'younger drivers'???

[wab172uk]

Frimley111R said:

At c£24,000 exactly how rich are these 'younger drivers'???

Well, they can't afford their own house these days. Might as well spend their money on something.

Just not that pile of cr@p

[whitejaba]

chrisbr68 said:

Why didnt they sell the S15 over here, and why make something really similar to sell here when they could surely build on the 15?

I do hope its RWD and not another hot hatch.

Emisions was the main reason as that good old SR20DET lump was a bit on the dirty side. The S14 and S14a were never the sales sucess they deserved to be though which was also another nail in its coffin. I am biased though as I used to own a gently fettled S14 BC (Before Children). Going off the reports though about using little engnes its sounds like its going to be more of a replacement for the 100NX......nasty. A true 200SX replacement today would performance wise be a bit too close to the 350ZX to make much sense.

[gofasterrosssco]

wab172uk said:

Frimley111R said:

At c£24,000 exactly how rich are these 'younger drivers'???

Just not that pile of cr@p

So, give us a run down on the test drive and overall review of the car (even though its not been designed and built yet..)?

[collateral]

Bizzle said:

Let's just home they don't go the same way as they did with the VQ35 which is pretty sh**E

On the 10 best engine list 13 years in a row?