The GT-R is the proverbial "answer to question nobody asked". Who wants a supercar pretender with a Nissan badge?

First, it is in the oriental aesthetic category and immediately it excludes a lot of potential buyers in many markets on the basis of looks alone. It appeals really to those who are fans of the "fast and furious" culture and ex-owners of Mitsubishi Evo and Subaru Impreza rally clones.

Second, it may look cheap compared to Porsche for example, but still expensive for the younger people who are the most likely to be attracted by this machine.

Third, it may very fast at the NBR but only a minuscule proportion of sportsccar owners have access to or care about track driving. 

Fourth, Nissan seem to have cut some corners in the development of the transmission, so a relatively inexpensive car could end up as a huge liability.

Nissan are very good at small and medium cars and tough utility vehicles. This is their strength and their real market and they shouldn't stretch their resources unnecessarily in unknown territories. By comparison, Toyota's GT86 (an affordable back to the roots sports coupe) makes a lot of sense as a Japanese alternative to the European best sellers in the class and in the end it will make money too.


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"Form follows function"