Will this encourage the competitors to enter the market?

[tripjammer]

Originally Posted by Levi

No, I got confirmation, the engine is going to be an S55, 3.0l I6 twinturbocharged with more electrically driven "turbo" and will develop 440 PS (more for the M4), the engine being based on the N55 though compltely moddified. However indeed it will weigh at least 50 kg less than the current one.

Cool...damn I was hoping for some crazy stuff like the triple turbo. Oh well. 440 HP is good. I still think the M3..(M4) is overpriced for what you get.

[tripjammer]

Originally Posted by miata

A lot of cars that have been mentioned are not cheap FR cars. So my answer is no to the original post. My guess is FR 2+2 coupe have a small market share and it will die out within 5 years.

The market is just starting for the FR 2+2 coupes. As long as Toyota\Scion\Subaru get the pricing right. It will last well beyond 5 years.

[JDLM]

Originally Posted by Ryephile

It's true, the current Z4 is a bloated overweight overpriced GT chick car, and the previous E85/E86 was a fantastic & fun sports car. BMW has really lost the plot with sports cars anywhere resembling small, light, fun, and kind of affordable. I don't see them looking down their noses enough to bother observing the 86's success.

On a different but on-topic note: I've heard from industry friends that the next-gen Ford Mustang will be noticeably smaller than the current beast.

Ford said that about this last model

[DrunkenMime]

I think small lightweight sporty coupes will be the new trend versus heavier touring coupes like the Z, G37C and Genesis Coupe...with gas prices being paramount, it's like the 1970's all over again, how the car makers went smaller with their vehicles. I think we will see small lightweight coupes from most of the larger car makers and a lot more high performance hybrid coupes as well...with real performance numbers...unlike the Lexus CT sport hatch...

[A Gomez]

I hope to see a healthy and successful competition like the one among Mustang, Camaro and Challenger. Obviously, it hinges around the success of the first entery, which is FR-S/BRZ.

[JDLM]

Originally Posted by A Gomez

I hope to see a healthy and successful competition like the one among Mustang, Camaro and Challenger. Obviously, it hinges around the success of the first entery, which is FR-S/BRZ.

They would have to shrink product lines and designs etc.. I don't see them doing it

What they "could" do is make a new smaller RWD car.

[A Gomez]

Originally Posted by JDLM

They would have to shrink product lines and designs etc.. I don't see them doing it

What they "could" do is make a new smaller RWD car.

I may not have been clear. What I meant was I wanted to see a competition among FR-S/BRZ and new comers from Honda, Nissan, Mazda, etc. I do not see Camaro/Challenger/Mustang as direct competitors of FR-S/BRZ, but they do have a healthy market with good volumes that make a commercial sense (I believe each car sells somewhere between 30K - 60K/year). Not sure if the new market has that potential, but it would be nice to see something like that develop. Pressure is all on FR-S/BRZ.

[tripjammer]

Originally Posted by A Gomez

I may not have been clear. What I meant was I wanted to see a competition among FR-S/BRZ and new comers from Honda, Nissan, Mazda, etc. I do not see Camaro/Challenger/Mustang as direct competitors of FR-S/BRZ, but they do have a healthy market with good volumes that make a commercial sense (I believe each car sells somewhere between 30K - 60K/year). Not sure if the new market has that potential, but it would be nice to see something like that develop. Pressure is all on FR-S/BRZ.

I hear ya. The FR-S\BRZ will probably be in the 370Z unit sales per year. About 15k units per year.

I don't think they have the capacity to make 30k to 60K a year of the AS1.

I think they will keep the units low for the first year, around 7500-15000 and go from there.

[2fast4you]

Originally Posted by JDLM

They would have to shrink product lines and designs etc.. I don't see them doing it

IIRC both Ford and GM have announced they are downsizing the next generations of the Mustang and Camaro to be more appealing to the international market.

[WingsofWar]

Originally Posted by 2fast4you

IIRC both Ford and GM have announced they are downsizing the next generations of the Mustang and Camaro to be more appealing to the international market.

smaller compact mustang for international market?!

did the world just implode..because that sounds like a pretty hardcore sports car to me. The current mustang has a good formula for power style and practicality for the american market.

[tripjammer]

I think Nissan also said the next version of the Z car will be much lighter..probably under 3000 pounds...plus it will probably be pushing over 350HP too.

I still think Toyota\Subaru has a good base in the AS1. Use it for the next Supra...just put in a Flat 6 turbo and be done! And Subaru could bring back the SVX but it would be much lighter and more powerful.


But keep the price in the $30k to low $40k range...ie 370z range.

[JDLM]

Originally Posted by 2fast4you

IIRC both Ford and GM have announced they are downsizing the next generations of the Mustang and Camaro to be more appealing to the international market.

Ford also said that with this "iteration" of the Mustang still a pig

[ichitaka05]

Originally Posted by tripjammer

I think Nissan also said the next version of the Z car will be much lighter..probably under 3000 pounds...plus it will probably be pushing over 350HP too.

I still think Toyota\Subaru has a good base in the AS1. Use it for the next Supra...just put in a Flat 6 turbo and be done! And Subaru could bring back the SVX but it would be much lighter and more powerful.


But keep the price in the $30k to low $40k range...ie 370z range.

Then, it wouldn't be call "Supra" & I wouldn't want to see it. Don't get me wrong. I love to see twin turbo H6 Supra... But I don't want them to compete w Fairlady. Supra have been competing w GTR & other monsters. Sure, Fairlady is a monster... But compare to others, I don't think so.

But at the same time, I don't wanna see another LFA, high price tag sports car... I want at least compete w 911 & GTRs... For that, I'll understand if they priced it around 80k~95k

[A Gomez]

Originally Posted by tripjammer

I think Nissan also said the next version of the Z car will be much lighter..probably under 3000 pounds...plus it will probably be pushing over 350HP too.

Hmmmm, I welcome the direction of downsizing Z. Hopefully, they make it more proportionate. In other words, make it longer and slimmer to reflect the shape of the good old 240Z/432Z. However, I am not sure about making it more powerful. Much lighter and more powerful? That means only one thing. It will be a whole lot more expensive. If they have to do a 350HP version too, I hope they will make a lesser version with, say, a 2.5L engine at a more affordable price. They did it with Z31.