The younger crowd buy cars on credit. In fact most people do.
When I was young (1970's) a 240Z looked like a sportscar.
Today they all look like Audi TT. A cute little blimp that looks
like it was designed by the Disney studio for a sequel of Herbie.
Guess what, the TT used to flip over forward at high speed until
the made a big recall and bolted a 20 lbs weight inside the rear
bumper, along with a rear ducktail spoiler.
Nissan could sell a lot more of the 350Z if it was based on the
Sentra Si-R(?) with FWD. That's what you get for $20K these
days. One of the best performing "sportscars" from Japan today
is Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 7 but it's got 4 doors and dont
look like one.
I like cars that looks like the latest Aston Martin Vanquish,
Ferrari 456 or 550 and Maserati 3200GT. From being too
expensive for most people new, at least the Maserati 3200GT
is affordable second hand. I like a roof over my head and classic
sportscar lines like they used to be. BMW Z3 Coupi is not
good looking but it's got the long hood/short tail. Zender straight8
concept car was based on the Z3M Roadster and that one have
more styling flashbacks to the original Z. BMW sell a lot of Z3's
so maybe that market segment is filled by now. They dont need
any 20 lbs weight hanging inside the rear bumper either.
As for the Datsun Roadster, if it had another badge...
Thomas
Alex Avery wrote:
> >design. I think that Thomas in Sweden hit the nail on the head. The 350Z
> >is not designed for the types that like the Roadster, nor for the types that
> >like the early Z cars. If it had been, it would be a failure. To be
> >successful, it needs to appeal to the current sporty car market.
>
> I thought that I was part of the current sporty car market! I'm 32. I
> don't know many 23-year-old guys with a spare $30K lying around.
>
> >As a closing thought, remember that most of the established US automotive
> >press dogged the Roadster when it came out, and still gripes about it in
> >retrospect.
>
> Yeah, and how many roadsters sold in the US? (don't git yer undies all
> bunched up, I'm a roadster guy too) Now, how many 1st generation Z cars
> sold in the US? I'm just saying that the Z car appealed to a far larger
> market than roadsters.
>
> The foreign magazines were more kind. I think this is a
> >subconscious disdain for Japanese autos. If the Roadster had an Alfa Romeo
> >badge or some British Leyland badge on the rear, it would have been revered.
> >
> >For those that want to flame my opinions, fire at will.
> >
> >Sidney Raper
> >1964 1500
> >1967 SRL311 00060
> >1967 SRL311 00076
> >Jacksonville Florida
> >http://www.geocities.com/roadsternut/index.html
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