Interesting R35 Australia Update

[Zoggy]

I personly hope this thing is over 140 K + , id hate to start seeing 3-4 GTRs a day . It would loose its WOW factor as people with decent money comming through would choose this over the high end HSV model.

[swanny180]

Good points being made.

One thing I need to ask though Gary, while its not difficult at all with even the most basic knowledge of economics to understand that spreading costs over a far larger market such as in the USA compared to our local Australian market will reduce prices, as will lower taxes/duties and cheaper shipping too...

Do you really think that would sufficiently justify almost or perhaps even actually *doubling* the price of the car here compared to the USA? (Assuming ballpark figures of ~$75,000AUD in US and ~$150,000AUD here)

[MarkZ]

Gary, that's why I compared us more to Canada. Shipping costs are a very small factor, and sales volumes are going to be tiny here as well as Canada.... and even in the USA. The USA allocation is what, 1,500 cars a year? So offsetting development costs against volume isn't worth mentioning.

As this is a global car, they've engineered in all the hardware (heaters/coolers/whatever) up front for hot and cold climates. The only local development would be an ECU reflash for local fuel. You're seriously telling me they're going to double the price just for including local satnav? Did you see them do that in Canada? C'mon, surely its outsourced software anyway, with no work involved just a standard per-vehicle license fee. The software already exists and would already be running in any other Nissan with satnav.

Floor plan finance? Stock holding cost? You really think Aussie dealers are going to have GTR's sitting waiting on the showroom floor? They'll be sold out 6 months in advance! Its pure cream, to quote a movie.

Margins? Sure, they'll do low margin on high volume product in the US, but the GTR is low volume there as well as every other country. The pricing everywhere has been exceptionally reasonable. Why should we be the odd ones out?

Now, being greedy with the price, that's a different story. How can a 911 here cost 3x what it does in the US?

All that said, I'd honestly love to hear what your experiences of the car industry are. Seems to be a downhill slope at the moment.

- Mark

[Paradizzle]

I would assume that Nissan would include the GTR's in the normal scheduled shipment, where they use almost a whole deck of DoDo. So the costs are amortised over the shipment of several hundred cars.

Cheers

Gary

Valid point, i was looking at it in terms of Nissan not bringing 50-100 at a time, rather 10 or so. I work for a shipping company and the transport costs are not really to bad, its all the other costs associated which can bump the price up considerably. If they were able to include it on their regular schedule then i think the 1 - 1.5k is realistic.

I think your projected totals are pretty spot on and really 500-1000$ extra on the tport doesnt really matter in the scheme of things.

Cheers.

[Sydneykid]

Some comments;

Many Canadians go to the US to buy cars, so the prices are not that much different

The Pontiac GTO sold for LESS in the US than the equivalent Monaro did here, much less in fact.

The BMW M3 Coupe starts from $56K in the US

http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Content/Veh...pe/default.aspx

The BMW M3 Coupe is $157K here. Noting that there are some differences in specifications that account for some of the price difference.

The R35GTR will be considered a "supercar" here, as a result I expect the pricing to be around $140K to $150K for the reasons above.

But (there is always a but), the typical Nissan dealer is pretty low rent in style, that's premises and staff. So they will have the same problem as with the R32GTR, people wanting to spend that sort of money aren't going to like standing in a queue behind someone spending a 10th as much buying/servicing a Tiida. I assume that Nissan will try the 1 selected dealer in each state trick, but even the best Nissan dealer isn't up to selling to and servicing that sort of customer. Whether or not that affects the price remains to be seen.

Cheers

Gary

[Duncan]

service over 3 years on our $70k 350z was disgusting. no reason to think they will be any better for a car at twice the price

[FineLine]

service over 3 years on our $70k 350z was disgusting. no reason to think they will be any better for a car at twice the price

X 11ty billion. TI patty and TI maxima. Service was freakin rotten. Dont even bother with them any more. Its a real pity as some of their cars are such great bang for buck.

[scathing]

As this is a global car, they've engineered in all the hardware (heaters/coolers/whatever) up front for hot and cold climates. The only local development would be an ECU reflash for local fuel.

Incorrect.

There are a raft of ADRs that are unique to this country, and its those little things that tend to blow out the costs. We've yet to streamline our ADRs with the requirements of the rest of the world, which means Australian delivered cars need a custom run.

So when you build so few cars of a specific spec, the economies of scale work against you.

Of course, then there's the "because we can" factor. Australia's asking for a couple of cars a year that the US or European markets could probably sell in less than 6 months each. Given that there's a production capacity, why would the Japanese do a small Aussie production run and ensure that they put the right bits in when they could keep churning out LHD cars and keep the line rolling?

It sounds simple to replace, say, the fitting of a dozen parts on a car if you're just one bloke or in a small workshop. But large companies don't work that way. You might find this editorial on Motor Trend enlightening.

[nickcorr]

Whilst the ADR's are unique to Australa, many of them are based on the European standards. In fact some of the ADR's are the ECE documentation with an ADR cover page...

Less and less vehicles are actually tested in Australia for compliance, with the importers usually just submitting their European paperwork for certification. Even the child seat tethers are not unique to Oz as Canada uses them as well. Some of it is a can of worms as Mercs, BMWs, Subarus etc. are supplied into Oz with the excellent ISOFIX child seat hardpoints, but it is actually illegal to have an ISOFIX child seat, as it does not meet Australian standards...

[MarkZ]

What costs?

Grey imports have to meet the same ADR's....... so do all the other low volume official imports where there's not many cars to spread these "costs".

Typically meeting ADR's seems to involve adding side intrusion bars in doors (only an issue in fairly old imports), replacing the curved wing mirrors with flat ones (even though "factory" cars here have them thesedays) and maybe changing headlight globes. Oh, and singing a piece of paper. Can't forget that, that's the expensive part, right?

Being global, the GTR has already had to meet NCAP and ENCAP (European NCAP) for occupant and pedestrian collision protection, and the latest tough Euro and US noise and pollution regs. And don't forget the tough US low-speed collision regs. Our regs are pretty much all based off of these.

[Redback]

there is alot of guessing.... mainly because we are not givien the exact firgures..... estimatiion is all we can do... but now that there is one in Gran Turismo Auto here in melboure how much is it exactly?

[SS8_Gohan]

grey importers are trying for $160k i believe, nice profit that...

Nissan maybe letting the $150k rumour get out there far and wide so when they finally get their asses into gear and let the public know the real price, it might be a "nice surprise"

but i agree with Gary, ~$150K, cos that's what i said for the last 18 months

waaaaay too many taxes, but hey... still a bargain relatively.

[Angus Smart]

And now luxury car tax has gone up!

thanks Mr Rudd!

[GUN_METAL_GTR32]

I went to the MMS last night and they had some guy from Syd down to do a regular "talk"about the GT-R during the night. Some of the things he was announcing however came as a bit of a suprise so I had a further chat to him and got some more infomation. Some of the key points he told me were:

1. Nissan have had to reconsider their pricing structures and it's now confirmed that the GT-R will be retailing for between $120-150K. Final pricing details will be revealed later in the year at the Sydney Motorshow.

2. It is unlikely we will be getting the complete Japanese spec however. I'd heard rumours of things like brake downgrades and de-tuned engines but he either didn't know or wouldn't say anything other than "we don't know the final specification details on the Australian delivered cars yet" Again - Sydney Motorshow for those.

3. Cars will start to arrive in the 1st 1/4 of 2009. At this stage however it still isn't known if it will be under high or low volume imports. They have applied for high volume but they don't know if they are going to be allocated more than the low volume numbers simply due to world wide demands. Basically it was indicated that we are lucky to be getting any at all at this stage.

4. I think this was already known but the major Capital cities are being given 2 locations only for buying the GT-R's. In Melbourne for anyone that is interested Blackburn "will most likely be one of those locations". Not sure of the second one however.

That was all of the key points. And boy is it a good looking car in the flesh.

i would imagine the second one would be the massive one on the nepean highway it seems the most appropriate one to me

oh and kevin rudd is a lying sack of shit and i hate him

[JustinP]

And now luxury car tax has gone up!

thanks Mr Rudd!

I know, what a fcking asshole. Huge surpluses, hey let increase every tax under the sun!

[SS8_Gohan]

i would imagine the second one would be the massive one on the nepean highway it seems the most appropriate one to me

hahhaa, Nissan "Brighton" (probably bentleigh technically)... i get my fuel/oil filters from there and there is a snowball's chance in hell of the GTR going to a dump like that.

It has a shared service desk with HYUNDAI for goodness sakes!!! As in, a Nissan guy sits one side and helps the Nissan customers, and a Hyundai guys sits about 2 metres to the right and serves the grandma excel driver who came in to check why there is some sort of "oil" light flashing on her dash.

Realistically, there are NO nissan stealerships capable of selling this car..... BUT, if Melbourne were to have one, i would say Ferntree Gully Nissan is the only place that has a remote chance of getting one. It's some sort of "Platinum" stealership, that often wins best Southern Hemisphere stealership awards, etc... or something like that. I've never been there, but my guess would be Ferntree Gully for Melbourne, and maybe Blackburn.

I reckon they should just rent out some small workshop or premises near the city, nice glass frontage with space for 1 or 2 GTR's, nice little cafe/waiting area... most room dedicated to the servicing area, and poach some people from BMW/Porsche/Merc to work there (front desk).

[sh@un]

I personly hope this thing is over 140 K + , id hate to start seeing 3-4 GTRs a day . It would loose its WOW factor as people with decent money comming through would choose this over the high end HSV model.

Can't really see much cross-shopping within that customer profile. How many ocker business directors and tradies made good are going to abandon their life long goal of owning a top of the line Holden to impress their mates and tow their boat with, to buy a Nissan. None. Porsche need be more worried when those that just want a fast, well engineered performance car realise how much of a rip-off a Cayman S is compared to an R35

You might find this editorial on Motor Trend enlightening.

that guy used to be editor of Wheels magazine for a few years

grey importers are trying for $160k i believe, nice profit that...

Maybe- assuming they got theirs at normal price, and not marked up by speculators, and they didn't take a bath on being the first to be able to comply...

I know, what a fcking asshole. Huge surpluses, hey let increase every tax under the sun!

Hey, won't affect you, since ur not buying $57,000+ vehicles new: Just stay poor, and enjoy your $13 a week tax cut

[Adriano]

Saw in the paper, a new gt3 has now increased by $14,500 due to the tax increase!!

[sh@un]

i saw that too- paper was full'O'crap: a base model GT3 doesn't cost over $300K

[JustinP]

Can't really see much cross-shopping within that customer profile. How many ocker business directors and tradies made good are going to abandon their life long goal of owning a top of the line Holden to impress their mates and tow their boat with, to buy a Nissan. None. Porsche need be more worried when those that just want a fast, well engineered performance car realise how much of a rip-off a Cayman S is compared to an R35

that guy used to be editor of Wheels magazine for a few years

Maybe- assuming they got theirs at normal price, and not marked up by speculators, and they didn't take a bath on being the first to be able to comply...

Hey, won't affect you, since ur not buying $57,000+ vehicles new: Just stay poor, and enjoy your $13 a week tax cut

It does affect me.