i posted this below on the 510 wagon thread, but thought it might be worthy of separate discussion, here it is, for the 510 concept car they proposed a few years back, fesability surely exists to make this car a reality, but what of other possibilities of a super-stripper car with no options and seriously discounted price:
components are available in the silvia platform for the rear wheel drive, so basically the KA driveline mated to a newer altima engine on that same platform with new upper sheetmetal. i think its possible. it would be great to have a jdm style trim level with none of the frills, and a seriously cutrate price. a loss leader like a pinto for ford or a geo metro for gm. something they give away maybe 1000 or 2000 each year sold for cheap cheap cheap, basically for racers and serious entry level people from a marketing standpoint it would not hurt the company financially, and they could sell the majority of the up market trimmed and bloated soundproofed ones with power windows and cupholders in the 15k units per year range imo. kind of like when the wrx was introduced, they expected to sell 5k, ended up devoting a whole production line to keep up with the demand of 15k cars per year. maybe the upmarket car in the $20-25k range depending on options, but the stripper in the $15k range--either is a cheap car by todays standards, but not sacrificing power or brakes for that stripper is a 'radical' concept for todays marketing people.
i think subaru could do well to introduce a stripper model wrx as well, with all the sti stuff, but none of the interior goodies, radio delete, plastic mats, base model legacy trim, skinny cheap steel wheels, no spare tire, seriously something like the old ford thunderbolt, or other big three drag racing specials. no separate wiring harness, same stuff that is already in there, just dont install it and put a plastic piece there, you would have to use a manual nonac climate system, but who cares? only allow 1000 to 1500 cars a year go off the line like that. there is not a big market for htem, but i think two kinds of people would buy them: tuners and racers. not a big market, but you would get a load of free advertising from them running races with a car they otherwise couldnt afford if it were priced say 5k cheaper than the normal base model. then you sell them the upgrade parts through your aftermarket channel. but what do i know? lol! just my opinion what do you guys think?

I think a rwd/irs 510 2-3-4-5-door, Silvia/240SX, and NEW Z lineup (bump the existing Z up to a ZX) would be a brilliant move by Nissan. Like I said in a previous post, I'd be buying at least TWO out of that range. As it is, I'm buying zero new Nissans.

i'd would love a new 510 the concepts were realy cool.
Z's are like woman maintenance,maintenance,maintenance!
1971 240Z gunmetal metalic 5sp 4:11 gears in the rear
illuminas and purchased from the original owner w/136k original miles

but what of the separate "stripped vehicle" concept for availability, some place to go an order one with p115r13 tires on steel wheels instead of the too skinny anyways low bid supplier special turires on alloys that double as crap 17" bling specials.
with no radio, but the harness there for your crutchfield slap-in?
with plastic mats because you were going to put your own carpet in there, or pull it out altogether as a racer, anyway?
with vinyl seats from some base model sold in the JDM that weigh like 20# less per seat than the naugahide "leather" seats with all the electricals under them?
i mean, if im buying a car to race, the seats and carpet are going to go anyway, the stock radio is a rip off for $500 anyway so id rather buy my own, and panasports and hoosiers or kumhos are better than anything coming oem so they will just go into the bin at the end of the day?
follow what im getting at? why isn't this option package available? i think they would hit on something like subaru did when the wrx came out. i think there is a demand by three people actually. hardcore tuners who will throw away much of the stock stuff anyway, same for the racers, and there maybe even some people out there that just don't want all the electronic stuff that goes bad to be in their car.
i hear the electric windows are the cheaper way to go now, but i cant believe they are any lighter than crank operated windows. with all this talk recently about people spending 16 billion dollars extra on gas a year because the yare fat, maybe the cars can go on a diet. heck, maybe that would be the fourth market demographic to desire the car: fat people who won't want to cut their own weight, but want to get better gas mileage in a lighter car! LOL!

i really dont think that the wrx/sti models really have many extra "goodies"...have you ever been in one? i mean theres some stuff but not much. like with the electric windows and stuff you have to look from a business perspective. To put crank windows in the car maybe lighter but then you have to design new door panels, crank mechanism etc. just doesnt make sense for a car thats selling very few units. The wheels and tires on the STI are top notch... lightweight forged wheels ultra high-po tires, brembo brakes. I mean there isnt really that much stuff to toss
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03 CS Touring
VIN #189

Subaru already has a "stripper" care which is the WRX TR. TR stands for tuner ready. It' has the interior of the non turbo impreza, no boost guage, no wing, etc. About the only goodies that could be thrown out is the power windows, door locks, mirrors, a/c, and cruise control. All in all you might lose another 200 lbs but as already mentioned they would have to go and redesign new door panels and such which would cost them more money.
As for the Nissan line up, I've been saying it for a few years now. Do like Toyota did and bring up a line up that is supposed to be for entry level cars. They could bring back the Datsun name along with a true Z. As mentioned move the 350z up to a ZX and make a smaller, lighter Z, like the 240z. They could also bring back the 510, and maybe even the 520 truck. A small truck for those who want good gas mileage and only use it for small things. Bringing the 240sx into the mix could be interesting as well. I mean toyota has been doing really well with it's Scion line up, I think Nissan could take some of those sales if they did something similar. Nissan could even reuse old power plants to save money. I mean imagine the KA DOHC engine in a 2300lbs 510 or the RB in a 2600lbs Z. I think the main problem is Nissan is still trying to dig themselves out of the hole they were in a few years ago. I'll tell you, I needed a new car and I didn't even consider Nissan. For the price I paid for my WRX there wasn't anything Nissan could offer that came close. To me Nissan is looking like Mitsu in that they have all these cars but none of them are really exciting except possibly the 350z.
1977 280z: Intake, exhaust, high flow cat, header, euro damper, cam, MSD, adj. FPR, 3.7 lsd, F+R sway+strut bars, 2580lbs
1984 300zx: intake, exhuast, high flow cat, headers, JWT ECU, F+R sway bars, F strut bar
06 WRX TR

Except with Scion they are using pre existing toyota cars and rebaging them for sale in the US. The XB has been around quite a while in Japan, so the risk of creating scion wasnt really that big of one. Nissan would have to start from scratch if the wated to make a performance oriented Datsun line up, they have no small RWD cars.
A few years back Nissan came out with a RWD concept car that kind of puts you to mind of a 510....
http://www.seriouswheels.com/top-2005-Nissan-Foria-Concept.htm
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Justin T
72 240Z L28, 5-speed
77 280Z 5-speed (t-boned 8-25-04)
80 280ZX automatic(retired)

woo that foria is nice...
84 300zx AE

Good point ZX-AE, I didn't think of that. Although with how fast the scions, versa, honda fit, and yaris are selling I would think that having a line up of small cars would be a safe gamble. Then again we are talking about cars that are more performance oriented rather than gas mileage/good cars for new drivers type thing. Still, I would love to see a moden 510 and old school Z that retained some of the idea that you don't need power luxary items. Make a modern day S30 or 510 and I'd be all over it as I'm sure a lot of people here would. Alas it will probably never happen....
1977 280z: Intake, exhaust, high flow cat, header, euro damper, cam, MSD, adj. FPR, 3.7 lsd, F+R sway+strut bars, 2580lbs
1984 300zx: intake, exhuast, high flow cat, headers, JWT ECU, F+R sway bars, F strut bar
06 WRX TR

I'd be all for it as well. The best we could hope for would be a mix of the two, and that car would be something like a 240SX/Silvia.
Nissan really needs to build a new Silvia/240SX. I think there would be a lot of market for a car like that. Look at how popular perfromance oreinted compacts are, everyone is moving back to rwd, then theres the whole drift thing.
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Justin T
72 240Z L28, 5-speed
77 280Z 5-speed (t-boned 8-25-04)
80 280ZX automatic(retired)

ZX-AE
Everyones moving back to rwd? ehh?
show me a sub 20k rwd car...
Mustang v6 is about it I think...
84 300zx AE

I'm talking about cars in general, compare the number of RWD cars now to the number of RWD cars in the late 90s.
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Justin T
72 240Z L28, 5-speed
77 280Z 5-speed (t-boned 8-25-04)
80 280ZX automatic(retired)

compare # of RWD cars now to # of RWD cars out in the 60s/70s :P
84 300zx AE