Nissan to target under-25 buyers with inexpensive, new small car for U.S.
11-30-04, 07:33 AM
#1
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Nissan to target under-25 buyers with inexpensive, new small car for U.S.
Nissan may add the next-generation Cube to its U.S. small-car lineup. The current model is shown.
YUZO YAMAGUCHI | Automotive News
Posted Date: 11/29/04
TOKYO -- A small car that Nissan will add to its U.S. lineup in 2007 will target young buyers who want to pay about $13,000.
"Our target is Generation Y - children of Generation X - aged between 20 and 25 years old," said Norio Matsumura, Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.'s executive vice president in charge of Japan operations and global marketing, at a press event here last week.
The compact car will be priced below the Sentra. It may be the next-generation Nissan Cube, a boxy car sold in Japan.
"An average price for the Sentra has been up to $17,000," Matsumura said. "We have no cars in a segment priced from $12,000 and $13,000."
Korean automakers have found a niche selling small, inexpensive cars in the United States. Toyota Motor Corp. launched Scion to reach youthful customers.
Matsumura didn't elaborate on Nissan's plan, but the company has said that it won't establish a channel such as Scion.
But Matsumura is sure about one thing: Nissan "won't sell a (compact) car that won't make profits."
To make it profitable, he expects engineers and suppliers to cut costs.
Given that, the small car would be a global car to be cost competitive. The model would support Nissan's three-year plan that starts in April.
Under the plan, Nissan aims to sell 4.2 million vehicles a year worldwide by the fiscal year ending March 31, 2008. That's up from the 3.4 million that Nissan plans to sell in the current fiscal year ending March 31.
Source : autoweek
11-30-04, 08:38 AM
#2
Lexus Fanatic
It is obviously aimed right at the Scion xB....but like Toyota found out with the Echo and both the Scion xA and xB, (the jury's still out on the tC), Nissan may end up surprised at who actually BUYS the Cube.
The Echo and Scions were aimed primarily at the so-called "hip" young people, but the actual sales figures reflect a large percentage of older folks.....even senior citizens...who are looking for quality at a cheap price. And...providing that one doesn't mind driving around in a motorized shoe box, the xB makes a lot of sense for many senior citizens. It is cheap, appealing to those on fixed-incomes, well-built, easy to see out of with the boxy styling and huge windows, and will carry a lot of stuff for those who like to haul things.
Many of these same characteristics will also apply to the Nissan Cube, so it will interesting to see who actually buys it.
The Echo and Scions were aimed primarily at the so-called "hip" young people, but the actual sales figures reflect a large percentage of older folks.....even senior citizens...who are looking for quality at a cheap price. And...providing that one doesn't mind driving around in a motorized shoe box, the xB makes a lot of sense for many senior citizens. It is cheap, appealing to those on fixed-incomes, well-built, easy to see out of with the boxy styling and huge windows, and will carry a lot of stuff for those who like to haul things.
Many of these same characteristics will also apply to the Nissan Cube, so it will interesting to see who actually buys it.
11-30-04, 08:38 AM
#3
Speaks French in Russian
O boy, here comes the copycats. I was hoping Nissan would stop copying Toyota/Lexus designs, but I see that wont happen. It looks like a modern day milk truck.
11-30-04, 08:45 AM
#4
Speaks French in Russian
I think even though that toyota didnt expect older ppl to buy the xB, I beleive the majority of its owners are still the young or in the older ppls case, the young at heart.
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11-30-04, 03:22 PM
#10
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I like the Cube. I like the Xb. The Honda Element is atrocious. And with the avg age of that buyer near 50, Honda missed Gen X/Y like the %^*(*_ Yankees missed going to the World Series.
Nissan is doing a good job with younger buyers. The 350Z, G35s, Atlimas, Muranos, etc all are very eye-catching designs no matter if you think they are ugly or beautiful or if they resemble other car makers more expensive cars.. They also have done a good job of stuffing the VQ in every model for those that do want extra power. The Sentra has flopped for the past 10 years. The last solid one was the 1990-94 model with the award winning SE-R.
Not sure if the Cube though, is where Nissan wants to go. A nice small coupe (the Micra maybe) would be cool too. People don't buy boxy Nissans. They buy the stylistic ones.
Nissan is doing a good job with younger buyers. The 350Z, G35s, Atlimas, Muranos, etc all are very eye-catching designs no matter if you think they are ugly or beautiful or if they resemble other car makers more expensive cars.. They also have done a good job of stuffing the VQ in every model for those that do want extra power. The Sentra has flopped for the past 10 years. The last solid one was the 1990-94 model with the award winning SE-R.
Not sure if the Cube though, is where Nissan wants to go. A nice small coupe (the Micra maybe) would be cool too. People don't buy boxy Nissans. They buy the stylistic ones.
That was funny.
11-30-04, 10:20 PM
#14
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Originally posted by magneto112
O boy, here comes the copycats. I was hoping Nissan would stop copying Toyota/Lexus designs, but I see that wont happen. It looks like a modern day milk truck.
O boy, here comes the copycats. I was hoping Nissan would stop copying Toyota/Lexus designs, but I see that wont happen. It looks like a modern day milk truck.
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