yeh we're in agreement - i only read your post after i posted mine- my post took a little while to write out

but you know - i heard nissan might be making infiniti a more gobal brand too. i think thats toyota's plan for lexus. it makes sense if you think about it.

edit - also i dont want to sound confrontational b/c my post wasnt intended to target anyone in particular. ive discussed this at length with others before and i know the arguments i'm hoping nissan can confirm when exactly they'll announce what the GTR will be.. then maybe we can get a spot on tradesports so people can bet on it

 

This logic can also be used to justify putting the car into the Infiniti line. Nissan wants desperately to put the Infiniti marquee into the Tier 1 segment. You want cars in the Tier 1 segment so you can create more margin in your sales by charging "premium" prices.

 

the LF-A looks like it has a fair amount of luxury to me:
dual A/C, integrated navigation, FULL leather interior w/ carbon fiber trim, power everything... any way I look at it I see luxury (features,price,etc). Then again, a luxury car to me doesnt neccessarily indicate a lack of performance. I have confidence that the GTR will succeed.. part of the reason why is because many (incl. some of their own customers) don't realize that it is possible to have luxury and performance at the same time! That's part of the reason why the G35 was so successful and why I think that the GTR will take this idea one step further...

 

Honda NSX vs Acura NSX
VW Phaeton vs Audi A8
Toyota Camry vs Lexus ES330

Badge doesn't make a difference? I don't think so. If Nissan insists on selling a GT-R as a Nissan, so be it. I believe they will lose many potential buyers since most people who spends $70k on a sport car rarely explore it's performance envelope anyhow. People buy Porsche and Ferrari because they are 'supposed to be very fast.'

 

What the hell is "Circuit Mode"?
Looks like a cross between video game/performance mode.

--edit, check the picts of the Lexus.

 

i have a much higher res version of that pic.
The modes on the right read, from top to bottom:
AVC
NAVI
SPORTS MODE
CIRCUIT MODE

I'd imagine, based on what it shows under circuit mode, that if you enter that mode (using the right controller on the steering wheel presumably), you can select the track you're on and it will show you where you are on the track, as well as your best lap time and current time...

If you're on the street you could use Navi mode for normal navigation
I'm not sure what AVC and Sports mode are.. maybe some sort of hybrids or maybe they provide other information of some sort (vehicle config stuff/telemetry?)

 

My brother inlaw is an engineer at nissan and has seen the skyline. I doesnt look like this. Shows similar characteristics but is not the same. It is for sure a nissan and it is going to be quite a bit more than 70k. He heard when he was in japan that it was going to be in the 110's. He said it will be the ***-spec with a new body. For 110 my advice is have one imported....

 

I call BS on the 110 number, no one will buy it for that much. In that case go get an R34 imported and you'll run circles around lots of people.

 

At $110K, I think they'll have a problem. lol

I love the Skyline GT-R and look forward to the next one, but at $110K you start getting into the exotic-car market. For a sports car at that price, I'm definately not thinking about a 2+2 GT.

 

From an excerpt on 7tune.com, "The Porsche 911 Turbo is still the car Nissan wants to beat and it seems Ghosn wants to do it better at two thirds the price".

Porsche 911 Turbo is $118k. Do the math.

 

Porsche 911 Turbo vs. Nissan GTR. @70k
hmmm Porsche definately,
I will never pay 70k+ for a "Nissan"

 

Since it will indeed be a global car, the GT-R will likely be an infiniti. Nissan is already establishing infiniti as a worldwide luxury brand. Infiniti now exists in canada, the US, the middle east and most recently, taiwan. Also, the name infiniti GT-R was trademarked in japan. The infiniti global expansion is happening slowly, but for sure infiniti will be a worldwide brand in the years to come. If the GT-R was sold here as a 60-70k nissan, it would be a sales flop as the supra and tt 300zx were in the past. I know toyota learned from their lesson which is why the supra is supposed to come back to the US as a lexus. I also dont think ghosn is dumb enough to try selling the GT-R as a nissan, especially in the US market if it will be 70k. Once you reach that price range, no one except die hard car enthusiasts will buy the GT-R. Also, it would make no sense for nissan to have 2 sport cars in the lineup. For 70k, people want their car to be a higher class brand, not something common like nissan/honda/toyota. They'd rather have infiniti/acura/lexus.

 

The only people to pay $70k for a sports car will be die hard enthusiasts and will not buy an Infiniti Skyline GT-R, it sounds stupid.
It's a Nissan Skyline GT-R, anything less would tarnish the GT-R badge forever.
Anybody that has seen a loaded R34 will tell you the interior is perfect, an excellent combination of technology, comfort and sport, just like an Infiniti.

 

I love that people who have not seen the finished product, and therefore have no idea what the performance and appearance will be like, are making comments about what price they won't pay for a Nissan or how luxurious it will or won't be.

An enthusiast pays for the vehicle, not the manufacturer (with the exception of truly exotic marques). I don't care whether the GT-R comes badged as a Nissan or an Infiniti as long as the performance is top-notch and the car can spank most of the competition.

 

I read through 2 pages of posts to say the same thing....damn you

I agree though...sports car it's performance first. I use to drive an M3. Not because it was luxurious but because it was a damn good car out of the box. If the price was the same and performance specs were the same, I'd buy it no matter what.

70k is right on the money for the price. It'll be cheaper than the new e90 M3, which will be it's leading competition. Unless the E90 M3 comes out with it's rumored V8. Then....it's screwed, unless it goes FI.

Hooman