Nissan GT-R - Does Honda Have an Answer?
Nissan will bring the 473hp GT-R to the U.S. next spring. I wonder why Honda does not bring to its lineup a super sports car in addition to the 2010 NSX, which commends a price tag of over $100K.
S2000 is excellent though the design and styling are getting old. I'd like to see Honda comes up with a more power sport car like the GT-R, with V6 turbo or V8. Honda has the technology and expertise. But neither Honda nor Toyota builds anything like the GT-R. Why?
S2000 is excellent though the design and styling are getting old. I'd like to see Honda comes up with a more power sport car like the GT-R, with V6 turbo or V8. Honda has the technology and expertise. But neither Honda nor Toyota builds anything like the GT-R. Why?
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But somehow I don't think Honda and Toyota are going to lose any sleep over it in 2008.
But somehow I don't think Honda and Toyota are going to lose any sleep over it in 2008.
I'm not quite sure what you mean.
Anyway, it never hurts to have a performance flagship. The idea is to get GT-R fans to become bigger Nissan fans so they recommend Altimas and Muranos to their friends if given an opportunity. Its good for company stock to be #1 at something.
I think it was the latest Road and Track Owners survey that said the NSX had the highest customer loyalty of any recent production model. For now Honda and Toyota are missing out on that type of publicity. The 3 letters on everyones lips right now are G T R
I agree, not the most beautiful car ever made. But aggressive styling doesn't necessarily hurt with supercars.
Wasn't Toyota coming out with a new Supra or has that been tabled? I remember seeing a white concept and that was pretty sharp looking but concepts don't always make it to fruition.
Wasn't Toyota coming out with a new Supra or has that been tabled? I remember seeing a white concept and that was pretty sharp looking but concepts don't always make it to fruition.
This is the latest I've heard. Since partnering with Subaru, I think Toyota is leaning towards the Celica as a sort of Impreza coupe with an optional STI version at 300hp. If its light enough that should be able to perform decently, at a much smaller purchase price than a GT-R.
Celica
But somehow I don't think Honda and Toyota are going to lose any sleep over it in 2008.
"I'm not quite sure what you mean."
I meant that Honda and Toyota are not losing sleep over Nissan sales figures, and they're not likely to change their thinking just because a relative two-bit player like Nissan now has a "flagship."
I do agree that it's great that Nissan is doing it - you're right, it doesn't hurt to have a flagship.
But I'm guessing this probably isn't the answers you are looking for.
It might compete with an M3 with a 320tq double-2.0, but not a GT-R. Unless its made from carbon-fiber and tissue paper, it can't be without 400-500tq.
Audi has come to terms that a high-revving V8 wasn't the best choice over a V6 TT
BMW is realizing the potential of the I-6 TT over the high-revving V8 released at the same time
Frankly, to get a high-revving naturally aspirated engine to produce that much torque, it might as well be a 5.0-7.0L engine. And unless you're going with a big Chevy V8, it might as well be a V10-V12. Somewhere in the range of 550-650hp.
Look at the engines in the 599GTB and Gallardo versus the F430, M3, and RS4. The V8s built so far to your spec all have about the same grunt. The V10-12's are more in the range of what Honda is looking for. Honda probably has the right idea.
Besides, they'd all be better off cutting their engines in half and TT-ing them.