TheBuzz
TheBuzz
Head-turning updated
blasts from the pastWe have retro music, retro clothes and increasingly, retro cars to ride in while listening to and wearing the tunes and threads. Too bad retro gas prices aren't in effect.
The Prowler, PT Cruiser and Thunderbird have helped to pave the way for the reintroduction of the Nissan Z car with the 2003 350Z; the 2004 model year will see the return of the Pontiac GTO.
The first of Hawaii's allotted 80 350Z cars arrived Monday, one week ahead of the national roll-out, according to Eric Miyasaki, chief executive officer of Nissan Motor Corp. in Hawaii Ltd.
The first customers to take delivery will be Lynn and Brian Ishii of Kailua. They placed their order in January after reading an article about its impending roadway reprise. Their Z of choice will be silver, loaded and includes a 6-speed manual transmission.
The other new Zs are spoken for as well.
PHOTO COURTESY OF PONTIAC
Pontiac is planning to introduce an updated GTO muscle car for the 2004 model year.
"We've received the shipment, but they're all sold out already," he said. "We're all excited. The 350Z represents the soul of Nissan and we're glad that we got it back."
Apparently, it's good to be CEO as Miyasaki got to take a new 350Z for a spin. "I took it up the H3 to Kailua and back. It handles so well," he said.
The 350Z starts at about $26,300, according to Nissan, with a fully loaded package topping out at more than $34,000.
Its forefather, the 1970 Datsun 240Z, was introduced at the New York International Auto Show in 1969. After years of production and various incarnations Nissan ceased production of the 300ZX in 1996. Increasing government regulations and compliance issues "basically made the vehicle uneconomic to produce and market," Miyasaki said.
For similar reasons, Pontiac discontinued production of the GTO in 1974, having introduced the car in late 1963 for the following model year.
The GTO was named after the Grand Turismo Omologato racing series in Italy and was the first American muscle car, according to Pontiac.
General Motors and its Holden division in Australia have an agreement where the new GTO will be manufactured down under, taking design and specification cues from the Holden Monaro, an Aussie sports car.
Hawaii dealers were unavailable to provide details on local availability, pricing or pre-sale options.
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin.
Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached
at: eengle@starbulletin.com
