I also think that Nissan should bring the GT-R here as an Infiniti. Heck, the SKYLINE and FUGA are Infinitis so why NOT the GT-R?

 

hehe.....he said FUGA!!!

 

Actually, the Skyline and Fuga's are Nissans... The G35 and M are Infiniti's ...
Are they different? Well other than the RHD and extra options those JDM'ers get...no theyre not. Carlos Ghosn isnt stupid. Im sure he will bring something to the table for luxury/sport car enthusiasts. So far, for every higher-tier Nissan, there is a luxury counter-part.

350Z -> G35
Maxima -> M
Murano -> FX
Armada -> QX
GT-R -> ??

I dont think Nissan Japan / Infiniti USA will leave this segment untouched. I have a good feeling Ghosn will surprise us, and will not dissapoint.

 

As evidenced by the VW Phaeton. If this was given an Audi badge...I'm sure they would have sold more units.

 

lets hope so cause I don't want to cross over to the dark side.

 

Exactly. It's sort of like the Chevy Corvette Z06. People buying a $70K Z06 don't really care that there was a $15K Chevy Cobalt sitting right next to it.

 

It was a strategic move to keep the GT-R under NIssans name. That car is a LEGEND. To badge it under infiniti would lower its market appeal. And $80Kwill be the RS4, new M3, and IS4xx/5xx's competition.

 

Price is still very much a speculation and the number is anywhere from 65K - 80K depends on where you get it from. Personally I think it's going to be closer to 65K than 80K.

 

I agree, I personally think it was the right move to keep it under the Nissan umbrella.

 

^ If the goal was to continue the GTR heritage and build the Nissan brand as a performance leader that choice is a good one. If the goal is to capture a strong market share against the competition then moving it to Infiniti would be a wiser choice. Buyers of higher end autos expect a more exclusive brand, and in particular a service experience beyond what a Sentra owner would expect and receive.

 

^ Good points Deane.

 

im not sure that nissan is on the level where they can produce something like the lfa... maybe in another 5-10 years..

 

Why do you say that? The GT-R has been around for a long time and has an exremely good track record regarding performance. The LF-A is not even available yet and hasn't proved itself yet regarding driving dynamics. I am not yet convinced that Lexus can match the overall performance/handling of a GT-R. Time will tell I guess.

 

I'm pretty sure that Lexus' F vehicles will impress some M and AMG folk. This includes the supposed LF-A that will come out in the next couple of years. I can see many a comparison test coming between the LF-A and GT-R. I love the fact that I'm a consumer in the middle of stiff competition.

I believe that the new G coupe will come in two trims. The fact that Infiniti has dropped "35" from their G moniker makes me believe that there is more than one trim being developed for this new G coupe. The first trim will be the standard VQ with between 306-330 hp. The second will have a V8 to compete with the M3, RS4, and IS-F. This V8 will then make it into the G sedan, eventually. Considering that Infiniti is following the BMW model so far, I wouldn't be surprised that a new performance line will grow out creating a high performance models of their strongest selling vehicle.

 

Interesting thoughts Alex. I think Lexus will really need to step it up if they want to impress AMG and M owners. Lexus isn't exactly known for its superb chassis and driving dynamics. No doubt Lexus can make a fast car, but that doesn't mean much if it handles like a marshmellow.