If the Japanese made V8 coupes and hatches...

[nist7]

This arises from the "muscle is better" thread. And I know many of you have demonstrated your frustation with the fruitless flame war of american vs. import.
Please refrain from blurting out any unsubstantiated opinions and even if you have a strong conviction for one side or the other, please try to express your feelings in a civil manner. I would like to see a constructive and thoughtful discussion/debate over this topic.

So that little spiel aside, I am curious to see if/when the Japanese automakers will produce performance-oriented coupes and hatches powered by engines with more than 6-cylinders. As we all know, the Japanese have always been a forerunner in the area of sophisticated electronic management of the various systems in a car, but they lack the raw dispalcement that the traditional American engines provide.

I am under the impression that if they combine their technological "know-how" with lots of displacement in the engine block, then can they become a formidable competition to the American muscles?

[johnnynumfiv]

They do make V8 cars......

Just look at the lexus', http://lexus.com/models/index.html, they have multiple cars with V8's.

[henk4]

isn't the Lexus available on the US market?

Edit: Johnny, don't edit your posts while I am writing mine

[henk4]

I think it is time to go back to what was meant originally with Muscle Cars. What happened was that US manufacturers put relatively large V8's in rather primitive cars, with live axles, poor brake systems etc. In this way they were ably to deliver high performance cars ( in terms of straight line speed) at low prices as the cars were from their intermediate/compact range (tempest, falcon and you name them) and the engines came from the big barges like Oldsmobile 98 or the Pontiac Bonneville. Clearly the chassis performance was not up with the engine, and although these cars give were nice 1/4 mile figures, they were nowhere when hauled around a track. (I have actually seen sixties touring car races, where the Lotus Cortina and the BMW TIs made mince meat out of any Ford Mustang V8 even when driven by Jacky Ickx).

So if current discussion is about muscle cars versus well balanced high performance cars (like a Porsche 911 or any Ferrari of Maserati) what do we have to look at then. The new Mustang Gt was recently tested in Auto Motor und Sport, and one of the main criticisms was a trampling, coil sprung live rear axle, which is still being used, obviously in order to keep prices down, but may be also to provide the American clients with the really primitive feeling of the old muscle car?

The Jaoanese will never enter the market with a "primitive" concept (I use the word to clarfiy what I mean, and not to be negative about the american chassis) which will stand out only from a high performance engine. They will launch a balanced car, where both engine and chassis are on the same standars, which will ultimately result in price levels above the amercan competition, but in a far better developed car.

[Matra et Alpine]

(I have actually seen sixties touring car races, where the Lotus Cortina and the BMW TIs made mince meat out of any Ford Mustang V8 even when driven by Jacky Ickx).

Even the Minis beat them on some tracsk in some conditions.

I think they were all 998cc Minis though, so the 850cc one's may NOT be as fast as the 8000cc American Muscle :0

[pimento]

About the Mustang, they say that the chassis itself is very very stiff and good, so it's a shame about the 'primative' engineering that has been put with it.

[Spastik_Roach]

One of my favourite cars, above, the Toyota Soarer (Lexus SC400) is RWD and one of the engine choices is the good ol' Lexus V8. The Lexus V8 is a very good engine and in my eyes is better than many of the American V8's as its alot more modern and economical. Guy across the road from me puts them in his Lamborghini replicas and with his latest Diablo hes making, hes putting a supercharged Lexus V8 in which he says will make 450+ hp.

Also one of the Sakers (Pic Attached) has a Lexus V8 in it.

[fpv_gtho]

It would be an interesting idea, seeing a Japanese maker compete head on against cars like the GTO, Mustang and at a stretch, the Corvette. For now though i'll stick with an FPV GT or F6 Typhoon though given the option. The local HSV's and FPV's seem to be close to a compromise of American brawn with refinement and chassis dynamics not lost in a Euro or Jap sedan.

[Blitz_]

^^ agree with you there FPV, if a v8 sedan or coupe where to seriously contend with Australian or American markets then it would be interesting and i have no doubts that they would produce one helluva of a machine if they were to do so. However, theres the long lasting fact that aussies dont like big change and, imo anyway, that a japanese v8 would die because of our close attachments to Ford and Holden. NOt to be biased or anything, but im sure that if i were to buy a v8 sedan / coupe from japan and gave my friends a good look im pretty sure they would say they would gladly take a FPV or HSV over it any day, i know i would.

I wouldnt have a clue about price and such, but im sure a japanese competitor would be prices closely, but ultimately die. Not 2 sure about american market coz im not american

[fpv_gtho]

I dont think the local markets so clean cut like that anymore, FPV and Ford seem to realise amongst the V8 crowd theres the others that might rather something else, hence the XR6T and F6 Typhoon. Theres no reason why it cant work the other way around for the Japanese. Could you imagine if Nissan imported the Skyline coupe/G35 coupe and somehow managed to stick a 4.5L V8 in there, how much of a threat it could be for the Monaro priced right? If they brought over the sedan it could pose a threat as well, again its just down to the pricing.

[Blitz_]

yer pricing is a bitch, i thinks i read up a guy in melbourne imported like a r33 or r34 ( not 2 familiar wif skylines ) but it was the "godzilla" skyline and it costed him close to 200k, or perhaps over that amount.

[shadow]

yay! i like the soarer. btw, i like this thread, its more...civil.