Toyota FT-86 VS Nissan IDx FreeFlow: Battle of The Japanese Compact Cars
 

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That Nissan "Concept" is one of the ugliest cars I've ever seen.

Nissan concept suck big time. Anyways, they are not production vehicles. They confirmed it. Instead, they have plan for two 86 rivals (rumors only)

1/ sub 2600 lbs turbo DI 1.6l, bringing 240/240 hp/torque (nismo version.) Regular is set at 210/210

2/ sub 2800 lbs NA DI 2.0l, wrench out 240/240 or 210/210.

Both will be styled after the former sylvia. They will show it off at NY show. They wont be produced until 2015 though as 2016 model. Until then 86 probably did a 2.5l upgrade, Nissan may change plan. But with those two in mind, they are not gonna loose to 86 for sure

So what retro is it supposed to be, a 510 maybe? I can sort of see that I guess.

What ever it is, sadly they missed the mark.

This much I know for sure, whatever the production car turns out to be, I won't trading in my FRS to get one!

To me, that Concept looks like the aftermath of two semi-trucks sandwiching a Camaro on the highway.

OOOOOO........that yellow thing could never grow on me! ..... (maybe I just don't like pale yellow) ....http://www.runemasterstudios.com/gra...ages/whaat.gif

humfrz

Old school 510s and Celicas look way better than that monstrosity.
I like the idea, but not the execution.

How do you guys fell about their 2005 Foria concept? Nissan said it pay homage to the Silvia.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_O4dsEyVfug...lvia_foria.jpg

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Yes we all know that there are not production vehicles. The whole point of the thread was to compare concept to concept styling.

Are you sure a production version will be shown at NY? We haven't even seen test mules on the road yet.

i think nissan said they were styling it after the 510. also i read that we wont see a production version for at least 3 more years.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6170/...afe7b405_o.jpg

Agreed, but I think this takes the cake.

http://www.autoguide.com/gallery/d/8...ve-Shot-04.JPG
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I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I like the little beige car. It reminds me of my little Celica coupes. It doesn't look "finished" exactly, but as far as retro concepts go, I kinda like it. :-(

^Yeah it kinda does.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3_NyWAeVipY/Uo...5B2%25255D.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._Celica_01.jpg

Looks like Nissan took the already ugly Camaro, smashed it down to a baby size, and made it even uglier.


This makes a Z look good (and that ain't sayin much!)

I think the 350Z was the last good looking sports to come from Nissan.

I don't think it looks bad, but I think they should be focusing their efforts on the next Z or Silvia, and not mucking about with all these concepts that will never see production!

Nissan has not been right since the French bought them. At least not styling wise.

I may be biased, but the Celica wore that beltline much better than this concept.
I love the idea, but even the front end with those cartoonish headlamps looks a bit goofy.

Nissan wins me over, the FT86 looks like just another Jellybean, hell it could pass for a Prius Sport (hah hybrid rumors get brought up here daily too). Nissan falls in line with current Mustang/Camaro/Challenger/Charger styling and I love the 510/BMW 2002. I know it has flaws, ones that would be difficult to overlook if this actually made production, but every concept car has some wonkiness that gets shaken off when it comes time for production for the FT86 it was the taillights, rear badging and trunk and a grill that looks like this:

http://static4.fjcdn.com/comments/OM...38517b9063.png

Shame they couldn't add some memorable lines into it.

In any case, I don't trust Nissan to get it right at this stage of the game and the only way I would consider switching is if the 86 became a moneypit rivaling the German/Italian sports cars and Nissan pulled off a car that was just as fun as the 86.

wouldn't it make more sense to compare apples and apples and not apples and oranges. That Nissan Concept isn't anything at all in competition with the 86, it's two totally different cars. Your basically comparing a 2000gt to a 510, totally different segment. If you were comparing a 2000gt to a 240z then it would make more sense. Overwhelmingly your going to get a one sided 86 is better, since one is modeled after a sports car from the 60s the other is a sorta like a muscle car but just a compact car of the 60s. production, concept or not it's not a viable comparison.

you might as well compare the FT86 concept to a Truck concept and ask the same question with this sort of mentality.

86 is going to win on the pure fact it's a sleek sports car. Compare it a rock etc. Unless it's a Silvia Concept or a Z concept. it's pretty much invalid.even if those don't exist it's not a fair comparison.

They had a good idea... just I think, they mess up the design

Nissan isn't competing with anyone using that atrocity.

The Nissan IDX Nismo, looks good :) But the Freeflow nah..

You know what makes me laugh about this car? One of Nissan's VP recently started a shitstorm saying that the FR-S was for men with midlife crisis. He said their car would be more attractive to young people.

But now, they are showing a remake of a car from 1968-1973 that was built as a first sports car/daily driver for young people at that time. I find that quite ironic really.

You have three of the most desirable vintage Japanese sports cars to draw from, and you come up with this POS?

50, and I would not buy that horrid thing. He may have a point, though, given the amount of "younger" FR-S owners who spend large amounts of cash turning a beautiful car into a fugly-ass "ricer".

Dafuq are you smoking? The 510 was a sports car in an econo box body, much closer to the ae86 Corolla inspiration than the Toyobaru ever got, they are still regularly raced from local AutoX and HPDE to world famous vintage races (Laguna Seca comes to mind). How many races did the 2000GT win? The 510 dominated SCCA. If this hits the target (1.6L Turbo, RWD, < 3,000 lbs, 6 speed MT, <$30k) it would be the closest competition the 86 will likely ever see in it's lifetime with the only current alternatives being muscle cars with 300+ hp and well over 3,200 lbs or a roadster (really just the Miata at this point, Alfa in the future).

Very much apples to apples aside from the styling choices.

I also find it hilarious that Nissan exec calls the Toyobaru "midlife crisis car" and then comes out with a competitor decked out in retro styling that will really only appeal to the nostalgics or odd-balls.

nissan built this car just to take on the 86/frs/brz. the z isnt in the same class as the 86. its heavier V6 2 seater that cost about $5k more...

when nissan makes a production version it will be the closest thing to the 86.

The Nissian looks ugly as hell. I mean concept generally look amazing and the actual car gets toned down, but in this case when it gets toned down from the concept its going to be one ugly car.

I like both. I hope the IDx comes to market as an affordable (under $24k), reliable (no DI issues), lightweight (under 2800lbs) rear-drive two-door coupe. :thumbup:

Perhaps because they are going to hit the market with the $20k pricetag we all hoped the FRS would be at, and in doing so pitch it as a young person's car. While clearly still catching nostalgics and mid-lifers who recognize that simple pure cars are best.

I wonder what the wheelbase will be. :popcorn:

I'm an oddball. I'm kind of excited about a 510 remake.

If $5k is the difference between "young and fresh" and "mid life crisis" what does that make the 350Z/370Z? If price were the only thing required to get young buyers they'd be flooding us with kei cars not sports cars, hot versions of the Fit/Yaris/Versa/2

As stated earlier in the thread, average purchase price of new cars is around $32k.

Yeah if they tweak the engine from the Juke (~190 hp already) and reuse bits and pieces from other product lines it'll be cheap but I doubt they could undercut cars like the Abarth or Fiesta ST which have previous architecture to build on, this thing can't be any cheaper than $22k unless it's ridiculously milquetoast, that money has to go into test driving and refinement to make it actually fun. I was glancing through articles and Akio Toyoda was test driving GT86 prototypes on a monthly basis and criticizing even calling some versions boring soulless and "if this is the best you can do we might as well give up", that can't be cheap.

Cars have always been a luxury item, manufacturers have seem to forgotten that in the post WW2 economic boom when a large portion of the world had a significant amount of disposable income. Times are changing, stop trying to capture the tech generation and just build the best damn car you can. We're smart, we can figure out who's putting out crap and when we do have the money we'll buy the car that makes the most economic sense until we get the disposable income to buy something new.

Don't design for the showroom today, design for craigslist five-ten years from now, the Japanese are still coasting on the reputation they built in the 80's, adding in navigation and displays that tell you how economically you're driving will be irrelevant by the time a millenial gets their hands on it.

/irrelevant rant from an anonymous internet poster

im not a huge fan of the IDx concept. but ill hold off judgement until the production car is release. however if the 370z and bladeglider are previews of things to come than i wouldnt hold my breath for anything amazing (styling wise).

http://image.motortrend.com/f/future...e-quarters.jpg

Would read again. :cheers:

good point has been brought up, usually older people are into the retro look. im 28 and i like the sleek and sexy look of the 86/frs.

Dodge dart this is what you should have look like. (smh) personal plates should say Finn Mcmissle

yaaaaaa.....bring em back ..... those of us who can still drive will buy a bunch of them......:thumbup:

humfrz

Look I agree with you on alot of what you are saying, but please consider this The FT86 was based on 3 cars 2000gt, the 80 and The Ae86 and created by two companies. And this isn't based like based on the body, it's based on the spirit, it's based on what those cars represented in different eras. Now if this was an apple to apple comparison it would be something that is based on a single car to make it fair. The only way this is at all a fair comparison aside from the fact that they are both based on some spirit of something is if the FT86 concept was based on nothing else but the AE86 being it's also like you said and Econobox race car like the corolla it used to be. That would make it fair since the 510 and this IDX is still a 510, there's no Silvia or Z influenced at all.

Lastly, you mentioned how you find it hilarious about what that exec said, and I do too I'm not arguing with you on many grounds I'm just trying to point out how the comparison is very unfair. I mean really are you gonna listen to this exec that obviously don't know at all what he's talking about saying that this is the competition for the 86, when clearly the press release says it's a design study that may or may never make production.

We knew about Toyota's intent when they came out with FT86 concept, they had told the world about the collab, now this 510 shows up as just some random hommage. I Do not, believe for a second that this is what they are going to make and use as competition until it's in full writing full press release.

It's not just Nissan we heard many car companies before the execs come out to say we have this and this ready to battle this and it never happens or it's far from the truth.

I loved everything about the FT86 because so it looked close to an actual production vehicle. Then Toyota threw a curve ball with the MKII and MKIII concepts, the joint partnership and then the Scion announcement.

The IDX concept is interesting in it's own way but I know the production model won't look anything like that. If anything, it'll look boring just like the other Nissan models (except the GTR). If it's RWD, makes decent power and is lightweight, it'll have potential.