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Nissan produces fresh new concept for the 240SX sports coupe
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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Fans of classic rear-wheel-drive auto action and the non-compromising styling of a 2-door sports coupe, check it out: Nissan, the Japanese automaker with a trendy California styling studio backed by its technical center in Atsugi, Japan, has crafted a new entry in this rare category, then took the unusual step to make it affordable.
Nissan calls this new sports coupe the 240SX, borrowing the label from its previous compact sports machine that last year was offered strictly as a convertible crammed with out-dated technical systems.
The new 240SX, with wheelbase stretched by 2 inches and track expanded by 1.5 inches, rides on a far stiffer platform than the previous edition and wears a slick new jelly-bean-round sheetmetal shell.
It can streak down a straightaway like a skittish pony or rip around corners like a cat on carpet.
What a fun coupe Nissan has created.
My first peak at the stretched and restyled 240SX occurred at the New York Auto Show last March, but I had to wait several more months before getting my hands on a prototype and putting it through some tricks on the road.
To be candid, though, I wasn't expecting much of a thrill because my mind was still crowded with visions of the former 240SX, which in recent models had been eclipsed by far more technologically proficient competitors.
Still, it looked low and sleek and primed for action.
A walk-around tour of the new car revealed that its new shape appeared as slippery and contemporary as anything on the road today.
The exterior design featured curvaceous fenders and sporty hoodline bulges followed by a tier of banked glass with rear window tapering to the wraparound tail treatment with spoiler attached to the up-level SE edition.
A quick interior trek strengthened the favorable exterior impressions due to such highlights as the sport-oriented twin front bucket seats and a magical instrument display with bold black-on-white analog gauges.
That bright look to the instrument package, a standard feature of 240SX SE, includes reverse-to-electroluminescent lighting to produce the most legible display on the market.
The back seat, a tight space with cramped leg space but room for two in a pinch, reinforced the image of Nissan's dominant market target for this car: Affluent career women who don't have to carpool the kids and seek a personal automotive statement in addition to genuine sports thrills.
Yes, that sums up 240SX -- thrills on wheels.
Quick-shifting the tight gear box, I set this newest Nissan flying up the broad Texas boulevard, bound for fast lanes of a freeway in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
Power -- streaming to the rear wheels from a twin-cam 4-cylinder plant with 16 valves, multi-point fuel injection and an output of 155 horsepower -- resulted in quick off-the-line action and excellent low-end torque for running through the five forward gears.
The suspension, with independent movement for each wheel, felt tight and sporty, yet stable. Hardware encompasses a MacPherson strut assembly with coil springs and stabilizer bar up front, and a multi-link arrangement at the back with more coil springs.
That longer wheelbase served to smooth out rough spots, while the wider track allowed this car to carve quick cuts around snaky curves of the boulevards traveled as I popped from lane to lane between lesser traffic, moving at all times in a seemingly effortless manner.
Steering, with power-assisted rack and pinion mechanism in play, enabled those quick slips from lane to lane without undue wheel turn or elbow effort.
The brakes, with four discs aboard and optional anti-lock system available, performed quickly and quietly, with steadfast deceleration and straight-line tracking.
In addition to optional ABS, safety systems include dual airbags up front, 3-point safety belts and an energy-absorbing steering column. A steel-braced passenger compartment connects to front and rear crumple zones, and there are reinforcements in side doors and roof pillars.
Put all of these systems together into this compact package, and the result becomes a slinky coupe that will delight the enthusiast driver.
I particularly enjoyed slinging the 240SX's rear end around hard corners, then releasing its sport steering wheel to allow this car to correct itself and find its true line of action. That rear slippage, only available in rear-drive vehicles, and the ensuing hands-off corrections revealed a nice balance, with weight dispersed fairly evenly over front and rear wheels.
This predicates predictable driving characteristics, an important point for any automobile that strives to establish itself as a sports performer.
To develop the new platform and its curvy exterior shapes, design teams at Nissan situated in California and Japan employed sophisticated satellite hookups and Cray supercomputers to advance through rapid prototyping and 3-dimensional computer models, which were then translated into clay models for wind tunnel tests and refinements.
My own wind tests at freeway speeds revealed a solid ride quality and stunningly quiet interior, made possible by Nissan's extensive efforts to harness engine noises and isolate vibrations, then insulate the passenger compartment with sound-deadening material.
In overall assessment, the 240SX rides and performs like an expensive, high-quality sports car, which makes Nissan's handiwork look all the better when you consider that the entry-level pricing adds up to $16,999.
That figure produces a lot of car with significant standard content of convenience features like reclining bucket seats, tilting steering column, folding rear seatback, power windows, remote releases for trunk and fuel door, interior courtesy lights, intermittent windshield wipers and electric rear window defroster.
My preference would be the upgraded 240SX SE edition with its rear spoiler, larger 16-inch alloy wheels and performance tires, rear stabilizer bar and sport-tuned suspension, plus fog lamps and more interior conveniences such as air conditioning, cruise control, keyless entry and a compact disc player coupled to the stereo sound system.
The SE edition lists for $20,679, with options like an automatic shifter and leather upholstery increasing the tab.
1995 NISSAN 240SX
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 1995 NISSAN 240SX Specs |
| Description: |
Compact sports coupe |
| Model Options: |
Compact sports coupe |
| Wheelbase: |
99.4 inches |
| Overall Length: |
177.2 inches
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| Engine Size: |
DOHC 2.4-L I-4 16v
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| Transmission: |
Manual/5, Auto/4 |
| Drive: |
Rear |
| Braking: |
Power 4-disc/opt. ABS |
| Airbags: |
2 |
| Gas Mileage: |
22/28 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 17,000 to $ 22,500 |
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