| Any new R&D trickles through is what I'm getting at. The Z8 could just as easily been introduced at the same time as the Z3. BMW withheld introducing their flagship version in order to capitalize on the hype created by introducing only the Z3. The Z3 became the introductory version of BMW's "Z" line of roadsters. When sales started to die down for the Z3, that's when BMW offered the Z8. In a way, trying to pick up on a secondary wave of hype. BMW expected the Z3 would create it's own distinct market with it's styling. And that's what the Z8 is trying to capitalize on. That's marketing today. In Nissan's example, they want to capitalize on the hype of renewing the Z line. So they offer a competent "first" version in order to keep costs down and to maximize market share based on the publicity. When sales begin to slow, that's when, I believe, you'll see the hot-rod version of the 350Z in turbo form. Every major car manufacturor does this - the C5 Vette stock for stock has 40 hp more than when it was first introduced, new Mustang GT's are offered now in the +400hp range, when they were first offered, I don't think they were even 300 hp. You always start with the "new" basic platform and go from there based on sales.
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21:21:46 01/02/03
