Next Skyline Not Bound For Aus

[scathing]

  Quote

Nissan has launched its latest-generation Skyline sedan in Japan, and the 350GT (pictured) and 250GT entry-level model provide at least some clues to the keenly anticipated GT-R coupe that will be revealed at next October’s Tokyo motor show.

The new-age Skyline/G35 is an overtly sporting offering and coupe versions (packing next-gen GT-R hardware and serving as test mules for the latter) have been regularly spied pounding around Germany’s hallowed Nurburgring circuit -- the ubiquitous proving ground for performance cars.

The 12th generation of Skyline, the new car features Nissan's latest FR-L platform and newly developed VQ35HR V6 engine. It is both lower and wider than its predecessor and the driving position has been dropped more than 25mm.

While the latest Skyline is unlikely to make it Down Under, the chances are higher for the big-buck GT-R. Indeed, Nissan Australia boss Shinya Hannya has expressed interest in adding the future ‘Godzilla’ to the local line-up.

Hannya and other Nissan sources have also gone on record saying the Infiniti brand could eventually debut Down Under, however, a formal business case has yet to be completed.

Full Source

f**k the Maxima off, and bring in the Skyline. It might actually make me not buy a Chrysler 300C or Subaru Liberty GT if I ever need a four door car, because I'll buy a 380 or a Calais before I buy a Maxima.

[quiksta]

Theres nothin wrong with a maxima. Have a drive in one and you will find its a more refined and superior car than both the calais and 380 with its silky smooth V6. You cant compare it to a skyline as its targeting a different market. Nissan need to something to fill the huge gap between the pulsar and maxima.

[Howie]

I don't care.. so long as we get the GTR.

[scathing]

  quiksta said:

Theres nothin wrong with a maxima. Have a drive in one and you will find its a more refined and superior car than both the calais and 380 with its silky smooth V6. You cant compare it to a skyline as its targeting a different market. Nissan need to something to fill the huge gap between the pulsar and maxima.

There's more to a car than its engine, and for the record I've driven a car with the Maxima's engine quite extensively. Its just not in a Maxima.

And I'd rather get a V8 Calais (or an SS with leather right now, since there's no Calais for the VE yet) if I wanted a sedan with a beefy engine and lacklustre handling.....something that the Maxima is reknown for.

The Maxima and Skyline are both four door V6 sedans of approximately the same size. How are they not targeting the same market in Australia? Nissan wants to put the Maxima up against the Falcodores in Australia, and we all know how well big FWD sedans do against RWD ones.

[700HP-GTR33]

  quiksta said:

Theres nothin wrong with a maxima. Have a drive in one and you will find its a more refined and superior car than both the calais and 380 with its silky smooth V6. You cant compare it to a skyline as its targeting a different market. Nissan need to something to fill the huge gap between the pulsar and maxima.

I love my maxima 93, but the new one is really a big piece of soft sponge that has heaps of f$%ked up

torque that has no way of putting it to the ground.

Had one in Queensland up in the mountains for 2 days.......it scared me.

Suspension took off the ground on some parts and there was hardly any feel in the steering wheel...thought I was gone a few times in some places.........

The last car Nissan ever designed (without the help of Renault) for Australia was the XTrail .The best thing ...beside the gtr32 they have ever bought into this country,and I am afraid the last decent car we will see from them for a long time.

Just my 2c worth

[vejeta]

just seen one up the road froim my house looks like shit

[32vspecII]

i think it is good the skyline doesnt get brought in by nissan

it lets you bring it in through sevs

just think if they brought in some bastardised low spec mutant one no one wants we couldnt bring in real ones from japan

[scathing]

  arkon said:

just think if they brought in some bastardised low spec mutant one no one wants we couldnt bring in real ones from japan

Australia rarely ever gets the low-spec versions of any volume production car. Especially if those low-spec cars have smaller engines. Since our market is very small manufacturers won't be able to import every model, so they just import the best ones.

If you look at the Euro econoboxes that get brought in, none of them have the sub 1.4L engines that the entry models back in Europe have. Because they know no-one in Australia is going to buy a car with an engine that small.

And look at the 350Z - we get the top of the line, and the one below. In the US and Japan there are about 5 variants, the other 3 being even lower equipped than our Touring (no Bose stereo, no LSD, no TCS, cloth trim).

If Nissan Australia were to have brought in the V35 Skyline, they wouldn't have settled for anything less than a 3.5L (probably a cloth trimmed one for an entry model, and the 350GT as a range topper).

[2rismo]

I remember that back when Ghosn started with Nissan and killed off the 'enthusiast cars' (a good idea to keep Nissan afloat) that part of his strategy was to not build any JDM-only cars. For instance, each car designed and built would be for every world market and not just Japan...(Kei crap aside).

[sh@un]

  scathing said:

Australia rarely ever gets the low-spec versions of any volume production car.

what about our S15 200SX?

[scathing]

  Sh@un said:

what about our S15 200SX?

There always has to be an exception to the rule

Yeah, that is true about the S15. Its the same problem with the DC5 Integras - the Type-R for Australia was the Type-S in Japan.

But, more often than not, we get the top-spec stuff. We don't get the smaller engined cars. We tend to get only the highest trim levels unless the retailer is chasing the low-end price point.

Edited February 2, 2007 by scathing

[g35me]

  scathing said:

There always has to be an exception to the rule

Yeah, that is true about the S15. Its the same problem with the DC5 Integras - the Type-R for Australia was the Type-S in Japan.

But, more often than not, we get the top-spec stuff. We don't get the smaller engined cars. We tend to get only the highest trim levels unless the retailer is chasing the low-end price point.

The 350z can come with satnav in the states, we didnt get that.

[scathing]

True.

We don't get the US absolute top-spec model (which came with the RAYS wheels as standard, and their Touring had the cast 18" rims that are on our Track) but, at the same time, all of our 350Zs get the Bose, LSD, leather, etc.

[g35me]

yey, bose, got that replaced under warranty

[32vspecII]

  scathing said:

Australia rarely ever gets the low-spec versions of any volume production car. Especially if those low-spec cars have smaller engines. Since our market is very small manufacturers won't be able to import every model, so they just import the best ones.

If you look at the Euro econoboxes that get brought in, none of them have the sub 1.4L engines that the entry models back in Europe have. Because they know no-one in Australia is going to buy a car with an engine that small.

And look at the 350Z - we get the top of the line, and the one below. In the US and Japan there are about 5 variants, the other 3 being even lower equipped than our Touring (no Bose stereo, no LSD, no TCS, cloth trim).

If Nissan Australia were to have brought in the V35 Skyline, they wouldn't have settled for anything less than a 3.5L (probably a cloth trimmed one for an entry model, and the 350GT as a range topper).

hmmm cars sold in jdm at higher spec

s15 silvia/200sx

blubird

pulsar

imprezza wrx

forrester

liberty

mitsubishi lancer , galant

the list goes on and on

[maclarenf1]

  Howie said:

I don't care.. so long as we get the GTR.

* 2

Ohh....and wait for about 6 - 7 years for the second hand prices to come down

[kralster]

I would say we get more low trim models from japan than the higher up ones.

Half the shit is missing.

[Resin]

yea bluebird / pintara, u12 and u13 models were both seriously down graded when sold here. No all wheel turbo models were sold here with the nice leather trim. All ours were fwd N/a with the ti velour trim being the nicest.

[Howie]

Can i add one more?

N13 Nissan EXA... japan got the high compression four wheel disc brake model, we aussies got the 1.6L and 1.8L low compression drum brake model until at least the Series II.

[R33GTRVSPEC]

And MR2 - Japan got the turbo model and we got the N/A.