How many NiSMO GT-Rs have Nissan sold? Similar price, similar performance, similar image (-problem?*).
As above, the market is a LOT more crowded now than 30 years ago, buyers expect more, and the NC1, regarless of ability, looks a little generic and doesn't have a USP beyond the hybrid bits..."budget 918" if you actually experience it probably means a great deal, but for someone with £150k to spend and not fussed about test-driving 6 different cars, it might not cut it.
Now the competition are many and NONE of them have been resting on any laurels this time around:-
- 488 has a pony on the front, which we all know is guaranteed to have pneumatic young blondes throwing themselves at you
- 570 has the F1 pedigree also and the low-volume-manufacturer cachet...it's about the coolest one on the list.
- Huracan has a n/asp V10 with a redline >8,000 (sound familiar?!?). And the bull on the front is guaranteed to have young boys and not-so-young blokes pestering you in pub car-parks.
- R8 has the same V10 and has clear lineage to the very good previous model - 1st gen is arguably the spiritual successor to the NA1.
- AMG GT-S has stunning looks and an engine that'll make God pause to enjoy the sound.
- GT-R is half the price, just as powerful and can be had with a manual 'box
- ...and then there's the elephant in the room - the 911 Turbo.
I've probably missed a couple out but that seems like enough for now. Tough room, the NC1 is sadly perhaps a little too like the NA1 in one way - very very worthy and great to drive, but doesn't have enough kerb/badge-appeal...
* Japanese car >£100k / $100k. I don't agree, but there's still a lot of snobbery around...
"No man with a good car needs to be justified"
Blue '08 FD2 CTR - big, ITR-sized shoes to fill...
Yellow '96 NSX 3.0 - oh was it worth the wait!
Black '99 ITR - well, I had to have another one, the first was so much fun. Miss this one even more than #1...
Blue '03 S2000 - SOLD, flawed but fun
Blue '04 Focus TDCi Sport - SOLD, very good fun for a diesel!
Black '00 ITR - SOLD, still missed
Red '98 Civic VTi - SOLD, probably still bombproof