Future Models - Nissan 2008 GT-R
Nissan GT-R slips over $150K
Fast mover: The Nissan GT-R's price moves fast, too.
Nissan's GT-R supercar price goes up before it even arrives
27 January 2009
By PHILIP LORD
NISSAN’S keenly anticipated GT-R supercar will be hit with a price rise even before it goes on sale here, tipping it over the $150,000 mark for those customers who wait for the coupe’s arrival on April 1.
Nissan announced pricing, specification and launch timing details for the Australian-specification GT-R last October to hose off criticism that Nissan was leaving the gate open too long for privately imported GT-Rs to be sold here.
Unfortunately, the prices were calculated before the Australian dollar collapsed against the yen and the ensuing two per cent price increase across most of the model range on January 1.
Nissan will not levy the increase on those customers who have already put down a deposit on their GT-R, but Nissan Australia’s marketing general manager Ross Booth told GoAuto that those who decide to buy the car when it arrives in April could face an increase of “around one to two per cent”.
Left: Nissan Murano II
This will add between $1500 and $3000 to the GT-R’s price, increasing the entry-level GT-R from $148,800 to at least $150,300 and the GT-R Premium from $152,800 to at least $154,300.
Mr Booth said Nissan was holding 140 orders for the GT-R and, unlike other premium sportscar brands, he claims no orders have been cancelled.
Despite the currency exchange pressures, Nissan’s just-released Murano has gone against the trend by being up to $4000 cheaper than the previous model’s sticker price.
While Nissan will not admit it set the price too high for Murano on introduction in 2005, it claims the market has since become more concerned about value.
“A lot has changed since 2005,” Mr Booth said. “Competitors have come in and, quite frankly, changed the value proposition of crossovers in the Australian market.”
Yet when asked if the currency pressures will also affect Murano pricing, Mr Booth said “absolutely” – but added that these increases would be “in line with the market”.
Read more:
First Oz drive: Nissan Murano smoothed over
Price cheque for Nissan GT-R