Nissan working on rival to Toyota/Subaru rwd sports car

Posted: Jul 10, 2008

Filed under: Nissan

The 2008 Nissan 350Z starts at an MSRP of $28,150. However, you can expect that price tag to get a little increase when the next-generation 2010 Nissan 370Z makes its debut with a bigger engine and GT-Rs 7-speed dual-clutch transmission.

So what is Nissan going to do for all its sports car enthusiasts that can’t cash out all that dough? Or better yet, what is Nissan’s answer to Toyota and Subaru’s rear-wheel-drive sports car that’s expected to start under $20,000? A successor (if you will) to the 240SX.

According to Road&Track, the third-largest Japanese automaker has plans to offer an ‘affordable sports car’ a year earlier than Toyota and Subaru. Meaning the so-called successor to the 240SX with rear-wheel-drive will arrive by 2010 after being discontinued in 1998.

It’s been previously reported that Nissan is considering a production version to the 2005 Nissan Foria concept. We’re speculating this may play a major role in all this.

The name of the future rear-wheel-drive sports car is still unknown but it most likely won’t carry the 240SX nameplate. Road&Track says that it will be the same size as the upcoming Nissan 370Z. Nissan is hinting at a 2.0L 4-cylinder engine or a 1.5 to 1.6 liter engine with a turbocharger producing 225-hp. Rumor has it that Nissan is also considering a hybrid and a full-electric version of the car.

The car will arrive some time in 2010 as a 2011 model with pricing to be under $20,000.

Source: Road&Track

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rocketman67

One word: UGLY

justmatt

This looks much better than any SX/Silvia model. Well, except for the powder blue.

Hedonism

I wonder if Honda is gonna respond to all of this. Perhaps the return of the Prelude? Since Acura is working on a RWD drive platform for the next RL --- perhaps they can share it down to Honda?

justmatt

I don't see the next RL platform being used for a future Prelude. It would be priced way past the $20,000 the others are striving for. It would not be out of the question for a SH-AWD model, since that is the Toyota plan. Of course, Honda may just bring back an Integra model and keep it out of the US line up all together. Or worse yet Honda may not respond at all unless the competition's sales really take off.