Click above for a gallery of the 2008 Nissan Fairlady Z 380RS-Competition.
Almost a year after it was originally revealed, Nissan has finally put a price tag on the 2008 Fairlady Z 380RS-Competition. But let's not trifle with the cost of ownership yet. As its name implies, the 380RS is a tried-and-true racecar, with a stroked version of the VQ35HR V6. The 3.8-liter mill is producing 350 hp and 321 lb.-ft. of torque, which it sends to a Nismo Super Coppermix clutch and on through to a close-ratio, six-speed gearbox and mechanical LSD. The body meets Super Taikyu regulations, in which it was designed to compete, and comes equipped with new aerodynamic enhancements, a roll cage, six-pot Brembos and the required catalytic converter. Inside, it's all business, with carbon fiber door panels, a Recaro throne, six-point harness and a fire extinguisher. With that out of the way, the price is a cool 28,350,000 yen, or just over $285k USD. Well-funded, privateer teams need only apply.
[Source: Nismo]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Franz @ Mar 28th 2008 5:03PM
That 3.8 liter na six must sing a sweet song when fully wound up.
James @ Mar 28th 2008 5:17PM
Sweet song it may be.. but $285K !??!?!!
Franz @ Mar 28th 2008 5:46PM
It's a purpose built racecar. Don't tell me you think it's just a stock Z with a hotted up motor. Come on now...
RJ @ Mar 28th 2008 8:33PM
You can have a lot of other "purpose built racecars" for a lot less $$$ and a lot more performance.
Muhammed @ Mar 28th 2008 5:28PM
I understand that this is primarily targeted towards racing teams, but I would expect that purchasing a regular off-the-shelf Z, and then modding it would result in similar gains at a much lower price-tag?
Enzo @ Mar 28th 2008 5:31PM
$285k for 350hp? They are on crack.
2004m3driver @ Mar 28th 2008 5:40PM
Power doesn't justify price. Weight reduction, rigidity, and an engine that doesn't blow up at 8krpm nonstop is what brings up the price not to mention all those other silly tech things that we wouldn't need on the street.
joe @ Mar 28th 2008 5:50PM
Simpletons who think only in terms of dollars per horsepower always cracks the rest of us up.
L O L
Indeed.
Reader @ Mar 29th 2008 6:13AM
It's okay Enzo, you can just put on a few stickers to get it up to your desired HP.
mk @ Mar 28th 2008 5:39PM
For that price it had better have the GT-R's 3.8 and twin turbos.
That is insane. More than a quarter mil. That is lamborghini or ferrari money.
Ian @ Mar 28th 2008 5:43PM
I don't get it either.
It looks like they deliberately hold down HP (it only gives a few HP more than in the G37 road car) then they spend another 250K on tweaks to the body and brakes.
Why?
R @ Mar 28th 2008 8:00PM
Uh, you must not have spent much time at the track. No, you must not be familiar with motorsports in general. This isn't a car built for going in straight lines.
2004m3driver @ Mar 28th 2008 5:51PM
Come on guys. There is more to racing than just power. It has to be able to handle the ABUSE. Even the GTR's warranty would be void if you track it and you didn't bring it into the dealership to get it re tuned. YOU NEED A CAR THAT CAN BE FLOGGED LIKE A LIL SLUT.
This isn't a beauty queen this is a whore.
Franz @ Mar 28th 2008 6:06PM
Ditto. It's painfully obvious that some of these guys here are only pretending to know about cars. High horsepower isn't the end all in racing.
Some of the things that are generally done to race cars. (And note, most of these are extremely labor intensive.):
1. Relocated engine and transmission mounts that generally place the motor lower and further back in the chassis, allowing for better weight distribution and lower center of gravity.
2. Reworked suspension mounts and pickup points, plus re engineered components that usually allow for a wider range of adjustment and consistency in handling.
3. Completely reworked engines with less focus on peak power, and more focus on tractability and reliability.
4. Stronger transmissions, with revised final drive ratios to optimize performance.
5. Extensive seam and spot welding on various parts of the body and chassis, in addition to complete roll cages that make the entire platform more rigid, and thus more predictable in handling making it easier to get dialed in.
6. Replacement of all bushings to either solid aluminum or polyurethane pieces...
I could go on, but the smarter guys already know what I'm talking about, and those not so smart should have a clue by now.
spdracerut @ Mar 28th 2008 6:07PM
A Ford Mustang FR500GT costs $225k.... whats the big deal? Real race cars cost a lot of money.
Carlos @ Mar 28th 2008 9:28PM
Considering the price on this car, I wouldn't be surprised if it's mostly tube frame. It looks that way, it's probably space frame from the firewall back, and then ofcourse roll cage and what not. I think I would rather buy an FR500
mk @ Mar 28th 2008 6:24PM
I, and others here realize that there is a lot of work that goes into a race car.
But a quarter of a million dollars on TOP of the car's 30-35k price?
This isn't F1, guys... and even F1 is insane.
This is more money than most NICE houses, save for the highly-over-inflated east and west coasts.
I guess the rich like their racing, because no way it is common for regular joe hobbyist racers to spend more for a vulnerable race car than for a piece of homestead real estate.
If you wreck that car, you are OUT a QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS. Who has that kind of money to risk so wantonly?
Franz @ Mar 28th 2008 6:37PM
You're missing the point, mk. These aren't intended to be sold to "regular joe hobbyist racers". As stated in the article, it's intended to run in the Super Taikyu series in Japan. You won't find many regular Joes owning their own race car(s) and competing there. Racing competitively is big business, and extremely expensive... almost impossible to do without sponsorship if you're not a multi millionaire.
R @ Mar 28th 2008 8:07PM
mk, I think you're trying to equate the target demographic of this Z with the S2000 CR or an Elise, but they are totally different. The latter two are great for amateur/hobbyist racers. This Z is clearly targeted for a clientèle that's a bit more hardcore about racing. The kind that intend to get advertising sponsors. The lambos and ferraris you mentioned are not pro race ready. Power wise, maybe, but structural reinforcement-wise, and reliability-wise I don't think so.
And F1 is a whole different story. That's totally on the next level beyond this Z. You're talking multiple millions there, with even more millions subsidized by advertising.
2004m3driver @ Mar 28th 2008 8:21PM
F1 costs millions to OPERATE. You can't really buy an F1 car......
Some perspective for you. I'm not saying Nissan doesn't profit off of this. But yeah serious racing isn't cheap. Everyone wants the baddest weapon to assault the track.