I'm with you, and I think the factory front is pretty damn bad. :-) I will say
this though, I think the same sort of minds that designed and like the 350Z will
design and like kits like that. The Japanese have always had strange tastes in
body kits. They are all overdone and excessive in my opinion and make the cars
look like Transformers wannabes. And the argument that all those scoops and crap
are necessary to make the cars go fast is BS, as anyone in the field will tell
you. In fact all that crap will do is create turbulence, it's there for style
and not function. I'm no fan, but NASCAR manages to go pretty damn fast without
that crap, as do all sorts of racing series.
A designer looking to develop a new Z could have come up with the 350Z or the
Aston Martin DB7 (check out the lines and styling cues on the DB7 and you'll see
the ghost of a Z). One is cheap, immature, overdone, and flashy. It panders to a
"target" audience. The other is elegant, stylish, refined, and a true styling
achievement. It presents a work of art and says, if you can appreciate this, buy
it. This has nothing to do with cost, either car's *styling* could be marketed
at any price (though I doubt there are many teens - the 350Zs target - with
enough money to buy a car in the DB7s class). One is targeting children and
teens, the other targets adults. Nissan has shown its true colors in this
effort, as far as I am concerned, pandering to style instead of creating it. The
pricing reinforces this idea, being price pointed to the demographics of the
target audience.
When the 240Z came out it made a bold statement and set style trends for a
generation. This new 350Z is doing none of that. It is following style trends
set by others and trying to cash in on the Z name, period. It is just another
video-game car. Luckily for it, "the emperor's new clothes" syndrome is still
alive and well.
All just my .02 of course.
datsunmike wrote:
>
> Compared to that monstrosity the factory front is beautiful.
>
> Mike
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <DemonTSi@aol.com>
> To: <csp311@telia.com>; <Pre_Z@msn.com>
> Cc: <datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2002 8:52 AM
> Subject: Re: OT: 2003 350Z.
>
> > In a message dated 1/9/02 3:10:58 AM Pacific Standard Time,
> csp311@telia.com
> > writes:
> >
> >
> > > There will be a lot of aftermarket companies making a new front
> > > bumper cover for the car.
> >
> > Already in the works:
> > http://www.c-west.co.jp/new_model/news_z.html
> >
> > \/ /\ /\/
> > personal quote - "\/\/ O \/\/ !"
> >
> > /// datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net mailing list
> > /// Send admin requests to majordomo@autox.team.net or go to
> > /// http://www.team.net/cgi-bin/majorcool
> > /// Send list postings to datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net
>
> /// datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net mailing list
> /// Send admin requests to majordomo@autox.team.net or go to
> /// http://www.team.net/cgi-bin/majorcool
> /// Send list postings to datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net
--
Marc Sayer
82 280ZXT
71 510 2.5 Trans Am vintage racer
/// datsun-roadsters@autox.team.net mailing list
|