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LAS VEGAS – Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. delivers on its promise of affordable, stylish performance with the all-new ’09 370Z coupe, but prospects for near-term success in this battered economy are not good.
The modern iteration of the Z car arrived in ’03 and was overdue for updating. Four years ago, a facelift seemed like a great idea in a sport-coupe segment that lacked compelling entries. Even the giant of the sector, the modern Ford Mustang, didn’t break cover until ’05.
But today, Americans are more concerned with keeping a roof over their heads and putting food on the table than whether they can afford 332 hp and 0 to 60 (97 km/h) in under 5 seconds.
Even Peter Bedrosian, regional product manager for Nissan North America Inc., understands the challenges associated with launching the sixth-generation Z car now.
“The segment’s been dropping like a rock,” Bedrosian tells journalists during the recent media launch here. “But this segment really responds to the latest and greatest.”
Yes, the sector is product driven, but it’s saturated at a time when most buyers cannot indulge a midlife-crisis purchase.
Other vehicles in Ward’s Middle Specialty 2-door segment are either all-new or have been recently refreshed, including the Dodge Challenger, Mazda MX-5 Miata, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Pontiac Solstice and Volkswagen Eos convertible.
