Great move Nissan! I hope others follow.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/i..._420814_6.html

HONG KONG -- Nissan Motor Co. will cut the weight of its vehicles by an average of 15% over the next seven years as it seeks to improve fuel efficiency, according to reports. The weight reduction will be gauged against the automaker's 2005 model year, the Nikkei business daily reported Wednesday. Nissan will seek to trim the weight by rethinking vehicle design, using light weight materials and encouraging parts suppliers to also pursue the new efficiency targets.

 

Hmm, I'm kind of lukewarm on this one yet. I like the fact they are reducing weight, but just when Infiniti is finally starting to have some really good quality cars in and out with good fit and finish, I just hope they don't cut the weight by lowering the quality of the materials or cutting corners like they did a few years earlier. I guess we will have to wait and see where they loose the weight.

 

Nice! I'd like to see the G coupe and Z weigh 15% less but as mentioned, hopefully not at the cost of quality!

 

I understand the benefits of weight reduction in peformance and gas mileage, but there is a downside to it, too. All else equal (which, of course, it rarely is), a lighter vehicle means a stiffer ride, less crash protection in an impact with a heavier vehicle, less stability, and more susceptability to being blown around by crosswinds. It could, depending on design, also mean less-durable parts.

 

It's a step towards lower fuel consumption.

 

That's the bigger concern. Wasn't it the maxima that already had a bad crash rating???

I don't like the way how their doors feel when they close-so flimsy

 

As for crash protection, I think it will make engineers think of innovative ways to make a lightweight car safe.

 

lighter != less crashworthiness. This is true especially if the lighter material is as stronger, if not stronger, than the material it replaces.

Case in point: ultra high tensile steel vs. high tensile steel.

 

Well, of course, a lighter car, (all other things equal) will generally have better manuverability, stop quicker, react faster, and thus be more likely to avoid a crash in the first place. But if it DOES hit something, it will be less resistant to structural damage.

 

about time. my friend's g37 weighs as much as my car.

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=OrkwdshZkv0

Don't assume the bigger heavier car is the safer car. This video shows a Volvo (safe car right?) crashing into a tiny car. Guess what happens?

It's more about design and engineering.

 

hey the Z and G coupe are porkers, the G37 is absolutley disgusting! Losing 15% of 3600 lbs+ isn't going to hurt any stability or make it less crash worthy, etc, that is what they should have been to begin with.

 

Weight is the worst enemy!! go for it...