Nissan Boss Wants a Z Convertible: 'I Would Like Nothing More'

[-]

t-mille@reddit

Cool, but it's been years since the current coupe came out and almost nobody wanted to buy that. There's no business case for a convertible.

[-]

xClapThemCheeks@reddit

Strip it way the fuck down and make it a Miata competitor-ish

[-]

TheTrueFetus@reddit

Oh god please no. Convertible 350z's and 370z's are butt ugly.

[-]

PastPalpitationCry@reddit

Maybe a targa rather than a full open top?

[-]

AllYouNeed_Is_Smiles@reddit

1000% this. Nice homage to the 300ZX as well

[-]

ExtraNoise@reddit

I miss the t-tops in my Z31 so much. Driving it made me feel like a 1980s Miami coke dealer.

A t-top or targa in the RZ34 would be amazing!

[-]

Lower_Kick268@reddit

Ew no, at that point they may as well do nothing. Driving with Targas is so much worse than real convertible!

[-]

PastPalpitationCry@reddit

idk I've never driven in one. But aren't they better from a packaging/reliability/structural perspective?

The Z already has horrible boot space, a real convertible would kill even that which would steer a lot of potential buyers away. Also they would have to elongate it which may make it look worse. And looks are the best part of the new Z. Its why Im planning to buy one soon.

[-]

xrelaht@reddit

boot space

An Englishman who doesn’t love convertibles?

[-]

PastPalpitationCry@reddit

Im not English. But I am In the middle of a top gear binge watch.

[-]

kstetter@reddit (OP)

Other commonwealth countries use the term boot

[-]

T-Baaller@reddit

I've driven the MX-5 RF and I found the added structure felt a bit cramped.

However, that's because I'm a big guy to try and fit any miata. Corvettes with targa tops that I've sat in felt fine, and I'd expect a 400Z would also feel just fine.

[-]

Captain_Alaska@reddit

idk I've never driven in one. But aren't they better from a packaging/reliability/structural perspective?

They’re still worse convertibles though. Targa tops and t tops are like really big sunroofs. Convertibles with the roof down have less wind noise and buffeting so they’re a lot nicer to drive with the roof actually off.

In fact if you have the roof down and windows up in a convertible it’s normally quieter than a normal car with a window down.

And targas are only better if it’s a fixed roof car with a removable panel, retractable targas like the RF Miata have pretty much all of the downsides of a normal convertible v

[-]

Teledildonic@reddit

That would absolute be dope.

Chonky MX-5 RF

[-]

solo118@reddit

YESSSS

[-]

_galaga_@reddit

T tops like the 280z/300zx

[-]

OldRed91@reddit

I'm curious what share of 350s and 370s were sold as convertibles. Would the option help drive sales of the new Z? Or would it be a waste of resources?

[-]

rapzeh@reddit

They tried to replicate the elegance of the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet and failed.

[-]

Lower_Kick268@reddit

Those are actually pretty cool, I had a job at an old lady's house and asked about hers and we went for a drive in it. 100% recommend trying one sometime

[-]

m1a2c2kali@reddit

Definitely need more SUV convertibles

[-]

Lower_Kick268@reddit

It was a cool idea I think you guys all unfairly critize them for. Yet people buy 2 row convertible Audis all the time, but won't entertain a cool 2 door crossover with one

[-]

BrunoEye@reddit

Sitting in the back of a convertible is fun up to about 30 mph, tolerable up to 50 mph and above that it gets increasingly unpleasant. At 70 mph it gets hard to breathe and very cold.

[-]

bigred83@reddit

I briefly had long hair and rode in a c8 without the top. 10/10 would not recommend without a hat

[-]

m1a2c2kali@reddit

But yet wranglers and broncos are selling well so there is a market for something like that.

[-]

xrelaht@reddit

Those are more like targa tops.

[-]

ClosedL00p@reddit

They also look a lot less like aborted fetuses

[-]

m1a2c2kali@reddit

The hard tops definitely but the soft tops are closer to convertibles I think?

[-]

Drunken_Hamster@reddit

It's because crossovers are cancer in general. Especially really tall ones that are basically just SUVs. Anything taller than a transot connect or crosstrek (24-25in seat height) should be taxed.

It'd be better than the CAFE bs for reducing emissions\fuel use and it would improve rollover safety and reduce headlight blinding for people in normal cars.

Seriously, SUVs and crossovers do literally NOTHING better for the daily driver. I've seen comparisons where they actually have LESS cargo space than wagons and hatchbacks, respectively.

I get wanting to have easier ingress and egress, but that caps out in the mid 20-inch range for seat height for most people, and the average sedan, hatch, or coupe is already 18-20 inches or so.

[-]

Lower_Kick268@reddit

Crossovers are much easier to use for an average person than a sedan. Way more usable trunk space, similar fuel economy, more capability, great ride quality, why should we tax them? Modern SUV's really dont rollover easily either, as an owner of trucks that apparently "rollover all the time" youd have to be a real idiot to get one of these to roll over. Hell if anything my Bolt feels way less stable driving than my Suburban, that thing feels terrible over 70mph, like the car is gonna shake you to death.

[-]

bigred83@reddit

I saw a murano cabriolet today. I forgot how breath taking they are

[-]

Stand-back-up@reddit

Agreed. Right next to a convertible PT Cruiser.

[-]

bigred83@reddit

Those 2 are a dream garage

[-]

dial_m_for_me@reddit

Don't tell anyone I told you, but you don't have to buy it

[-]

TwentyHourPharmacy@reddit

we still have to look at it tho unfortunately

[-]

FalconTurbo@reddit

Yeah, well, the world is full of ugly things and ugly people. Fortunately, your profile pic is blank.

[-]

DrScience01@reddit

Takes one to know one?

[-]

PEEWUN@reddit

Oof.

[-]

ArcticBP@reddit

The two best-selling “cars” in the US are the F-Series and the Silverado. If you can survive the hundreds of thousands of those sold every year, you’ll survive the three or four of these you’ll ever see

[-]

Larcye@reddit

I have to literally drive past a Tesla dealership on my way to work 5 days a week and am forced to look at the ugliest fucking cars in the world at this point. He can suck it up as far as I am concerned.

[-]

mellofello808@reddit

THey only sell 10 Zs per year. They would probably sell 3 convertibles for the whole run.

[-]

Suck_My_Thick@reddit

I've only seen one Z in person in my entire life.

[-]

ClosedL00p@reddit

I told my mother, and she still bought one. And loves it like a foster child she adopted on while on ecstasy and then sobered up realizing she’s stuck with it for a lil while.

Apart from being fugly, it genuinely sucks as a daily driver if you care to travel with anything more than a backpack

[-]

jk147@reddit

Nissan somehow loves putting convertible on cars that didn’t really had them in mind during design. Case n point, Murano crossCabriolet.

[-]

jondes99@reddit

The 300ZX looked okay as a convertible, but that coupe was a much prettier starting point.

[-]

Mental_Medium3988@reddit

not the worst thing a nissan ceo ever asked for.

[-]

Lower_Kick268@reddit

What? No they're not lol, try driving one they're awesome

[-]

iSlacker@reddit

The Gs are hardtop convertables though right? Thats different it keeps mostly the same lines.

[-]

Lower_Kick268@reddit

The G's are hardtop the Z was soft top, Ive drove both and theyre both good

[-]

iSlacker@reddit

Yeah, they drive fine im sure. The convertible Zs are objectively ugly. Im a Nissan fan boy (if they'd do something...) ive had a G35 coupe and a 370, my best friend has a 350. The convertibles are ugly. Lol

[-]

Lower_Kick268@reddit

They look awesome with the top down, nobody buys a convertible to drive with the top up.

[-]

BrunoEye@reddit

When you're inside one you can't see the car but you can see the sky.

[-]

stakoverflo@reddit

🤷‍♂️ No rag top looks good up, but I like them with the top down

[-]

ZombiePope@reddit

The Z 'verts look exotically dreadful

[-]

spongebob_meth@reddit

In the z case they look horrific either way

[-]

Spicywolff@reddit

Some of the jags and Porsche do, their roofs doesn’t show the bars inside. It looks like a legit hard roof but it’s a ST.

[-]

Thatredfox78@reddit

They have their place, I think they are kinda cool but wherever

[-]

iSlacker@reddit

Seriously, I don't get it.

[-]

knowledgeable_diablo@reddit

100%

[-]

Training-Expert5598@reddit

I'd buy it. Not like I'd ever take the regular Z on the track or anything. Might as well enjoy the sunshine at the cost of some rigidity.

[-]

Jethro_Tell@reddit

T tops are the money.

[-]

WillSuckDick4Coffee@reddit

370 verts are fine looking. 350 verts are an abomination

[-]

UnfairOcelot7218@reddit

If this does become a reality, I hope Nissan simultaneously clamps down on the price gouging dealers engaged in when the Z first launched. I believe that had a pretty significant negative impact on sales volume.

[-]

kstetter@reddit (OP)

They should wait until they sell some Zs before jacking up the price.

Ford's Bronco is selling pretty good and that's what they did, sell it cheap at the start and slowly increase the price.

[-]

DoesntFearZeus@reddit

Could have sworn I read about dealer price gouging on early Bronco's too.

[-]

peakdecline@reddit

Broncos receiver heavy discounts in order to move product. MSRPs on cars have gone up because of inflation.

[-]

TwentyHourPharmacy@reddit

you mean because of greed and idiotic consumerism

[-]

joe2105@reddit

No, go look at the numbers. I would love to have the hope that it was greed and would correct but many cars are "cheaper" today than they were 10 yrs ago. It's the unfortunate reality that everything costs more.

[-]

AwesomeBantha@reddit

Pretty sure that the bigger negative impact on availability was that both the auto and manual versions were recalled and on a do not sale order for a few months after release, IIRC this meant that you could only buy them “used”, hence the crazy price.

Gonna be honest, I don’t really care that much if a few dealers jack up the price immediately after a popular vehicle launches, as long as the price stabilizes a few weeks/months later. That happens with many high demand products. Even the NA Miata was marked up when it launched in the US in the summer of 89… and cost $13k.

[-]

k0fi96@reddit

Is that really still happening because I am seeing slightly used for the same price as a gr86 near me.

[-]

by_a_pyre_light@reddit

It's not that it's still happening en masse, it's that the fact it happened at launch really stunted the initial hype.

[-]

AmazonPuncher@reddit

Nobody on reddit knows what price gouging means.

[-]

goosemaster0@reddit

What impacted sales volume is the fact its a non competitive product in a dying segment.

C8, Bronco, CTR, 911, the list is endless. ADMs have literally zero impact on the success or lack thereof of a vehicle.

[-]

ZombiePope@reddit

One of the big reasons it's noncompetitive is because of its pricing.with ADMs, it gets cross shopped with Z4 M40s, supras, and m2s. Those aren't comparisons it's capable of winning.

[-]

goosemaster0@reddit

You have been able to get a Z under MSRP for literally years.

[-]

ZombiePope@reddit

Dealers near me apparently havent gotten that memo lol

[-]

goosemaster0@reddit

Doubt it.

[-]

ZombiePope@reddit

Good for you.

[-]

vw18t@reddit

Manufacturers can try to discourage it (allocation decisions, incentives, pressure through dealer agreements), but they don’t fully control retail pricing once the car hits the dealer lot.

[-]

JCarterPeanutFarmer@reddit

“We’re all looking for the guy who can make this happen” bitch YOU ARE THE BOSS. Make it happen then!

[-]

UltraHawk_DnB@reddit

I would just like a Z... cries in european

[-]

s3cf_@reddit

the only convertibles that look good are Miata and Boxster

[-]

Jagmod770@reddit

Can we have a Targa Z instead

[-]

magbarn@reddit

Wasn't the Murano Convertible made because Ghosn's wife wanted a convertible?

[-]

JillierHaroldLamaar@reddit

Can they stick the stock 370z engine in it so I can get a Z for under $45,000?

[-]

zerosystem03@reddit

Why not just get a 370?

[-]

dootytootybooty@reddit

They seem to be somewhat available under 45k nationwide at the moment. I saw a few under 40k.

[-]

papermarchmellow@reddit

You can afford it now. Just picked up a performance 6 speed for 39k with 10k miles on it. CPO warranty

[-]

sonbarington@reddit

How bout a targa?

[-]

MrPsychoanalyst@reddit

Yeah... I can do that

[-]

hockeyjmac@reddit

They could bring the t-top back. The Z is already going for a retro look.

[-]

Different_Height_157@reddit

Either one makes sense

[-]

Rodic87@reddit

Targa/T-Top would be perfect. It works well with the Corvette... and was great in the og Z's.

[-]

jrileyy229@reddit

A 4k pound Z, exactly what we need

[-]

AstronautGuy42@reddit

I would buy the absolute fuck out of this

[-]

rhunter99@reddit

Give me a Maxima you cowards

[-]

Seeker80@reddit

It could be rwd like the original, and use the 300hp tune VR30. Think of a stretched Q50.

[-]

xrelaht@reddit

The 1st generation Maxima made about 140hp. That’s 40% more than the contemporary Camry in its top trim. The XV70 Camry already made 300hp with the V6: a new Maxima should be at least 420.

[-]

Seeker80@reddit

Wouldn't be priced like it needs to be. The rwd platform will drive up costs enough already. A rwd Maxima with the 300hp VR30 would still be 0-60mph in the low-mid 5sec range. Plenty fast. The quickest fwd Maxima was there for a couple years, but it wouldn't be anywhere near as comfortable or nicely equipped.

[-]

xrelaht@reddit

I meant that as a joke, but if we’re being serious…

Sedans barely sell in the US. Luxury sedans are an exception: with that much power, it could be marketed as a budget M3, though it might need to be an Infiniti for that.

[-]

Seeker80@reddit

The Maxima could be more 5-series sized, Nissan's flagship. Or if we're talking Japanese imports, like the Avalon, but sporty.

Nice alternative to a lower-powered Charger. It could get tweaked for a Nismo, but who knows how much demand there might be for that.

The returning Q50/Skyline will have that 'budget M3' slot well in hand. A returning Q70 would be a great platform for the Maxima. They could 'de-content' it and use a lower-powered VR for the Maxima and leave the Q70 with the V8 option(if it were used at all).

[-]

MillerSavage153@reddit

God I miss my Maxima

[-]

V8-Turbo-Hybrid@reddit

Altima is only large sedan for Nissan now, and they only sell it China.

[-]

TurbulentTalk4963@reddit

Maxima convertible

[-]

Morbidly_Off_Piste@reddit

Nissan boss should want a Model Y or Rav 4 killer, not a goddamned convertible Z.

[-]

kstetter@reddit (OP)

They are making a Rav 4 killer though

[-]

Chrodesk@reddit

"I would like nothing more" sounds like CEO speak for "it wont happen"

they sold 5500 of them in the US last year.

I dont know what their global volume is, but you dont design a new body style to divide 5500 units.

[-]

DTM-shift@reddit

Maybe if designed from the get-go with both options. Tough to imagine the business case for adding it to the current version.

[-]

V8-Turbo-Hybrid@reddit

Espinosa is trying to play as another Farly in his company. They love to talk to any shits, but we don’t know they really doing or not.

[-]

IAmWellBehaved@reddit

This. It doesn't sound likely, the Z is already low volume in coupe form, and Nissan's resources are limited right now. I wouldn't get my hopes up.

[-]

V8-Turbo-Hybrid@reddit

Making a Convertible variant would be a money pit and affect coupe profits. That was reason why Toyota and Chrysler chosen no convertible in their affordable fun cars. You need to make sure how many people really going to buy.

[-]

OldKentRoad29@reddit

Forget a convertible. Nissan should revive the Silvia.

[-]

SmashPlayersRretards@reddit

Why not both -> Nissan Silvia Varietta

[-]

xrelaht@reddit

You may be in luck.

[-]

skatefrenzy@reddit

Please for the love of god, make it a targa or T top, not a full vert.

[-]

Fearless_Neat_6654@reddit

Nissan is all talk

They promised everything and haven't delivered anything

[-]

Lower_Kick268@reddit

This is a joke no? They're one of the few companies actually going out and making cool cars that are affordable

[-]

Fearless_Neat_6654@reddit

Aside from the Z, in the past 2-4 years, what cool new car have they made at any price point?

I'll wait

[-]

Lower_Kick268@reddit

Frontier Pro 4x, Nismo Armada, new Sentra, new Leaf, there's 4 right there.

[-]

GoldenState15@reddit

None of those are cool cars

[-]

Fearless_Neat_6654@reddit

Come on, bro...

In what world are the Sentra and Leaf considered cool?

The Frontier is just a very normal truck, and the Armada is a nice mom's car. Neither is particularly cool

Until we see the new Xterra, GTR, Infiniti sedan, Silvia, etc, I'll assume Nissan is just saying all of this to keep enthusiasts interested in the brand.

I promise you the next "sporty" or "cool" thing to come out of this company will be a Rogue Nismo with no performance upgrades, but nice red accents

[-]

Lower_Kick268@reddit

They're considered cool when you have 22k and want a sedan that looks cool or a 30k EV that gets 300 miles of range and doesn't look like poop. Not every car needs to be a racecar or sports car to be cool, sports cars don't keep the lights on at these factories

[-]

Redeemed_Expert9694@reddit

Armada Nismo is largely just a sport appearance package; GM does it with the Tahoe RST and Ford with the Expedition Stealth

[-]

Lower_Kick268@reddit

Armada Nismo also comes with more HP, a louder exhaust, badass bodykit, stiffer suspension, its a lot more than just appearance.

[-]

Tushroom@reddit

Are you sure your comment isn’t a joke? None of those are cool lol

[-]

Fearless_Neat_6654@reddit

Idk bro under the right lighting the Leaf goes hard 😂

[-]

Lower_Kick268@reddit

All of them are cool to me, your cool and my cool aren't the same.

[-]

kstetter@reddit (OP)

They are promising some interesting models are coming soon

[-]

Fearless_Neat_6654@reddit

For that last 5+ years they've been promising

None have arrived

[-]

Drunken_Hamster@reddit

Idk if they could make it look right, I'd have to see a concept first. Otherwise, T-tops would be a great throwback to the 300 since the 400 already takes styling cues from the older gens.

Alternatovely, they can make it do that, but also make the rear glass vertical (ferrari 355 style, iirc) so it can roll down.

Or they can keep the roof shape and go full ragtop landaulet style, possibly with the glass retracting down and vertically into the trunk\behind the seat so that the ragtop can go flat-ish against the rear deck for more airflow.

[-]