The 2023 Nissan Z seems like a pretty good deal, the Moskvich might be coming back, 32 Hyundai and Kia owners must be terrified right now. All this and more on today’s issue of The Morning Dump.
Welcome to The Morning Dump, bite-sized stories corralled into a single article for your morning perusal. If your morning coffee’s working a little too well, pull up a throne and have a gander at the best of the rest of yesterday.
We Finally Know How Much The 2023 Nissan Z Costs
Finally, the numbers that everyone has been waiting for. No, I’m not talking about used car prices dropping, I’m talking about pricing for the 2023 Nissan Z. Nissan has issued a press release detailing pricing and honestly, it looks pretty good. Regardless of whether you spec a manual or automatic gearbox, the 2023 Nissan Z Sport rings up at $41,015 including a $1,025 delivery and destination charge, while the Performance trim costs $51,015 including delivery and destination.
If you’re one of the lucky few with an order for a Proto Spec car, this special edition costs $54,015. Now, the armchair critics and Supra fanboys might not be a fan of this pricing, but the Z is priced alright in the context of the segment. The Performance trim may be $10,000 more than the Sport, but it certainly includes a lot of stuff. An aftermarket clutch-type LSD is expensive when done properly, so it’s a welcome addition to the Performance trim. The same goes for a set of huge 19-inch forged wheels and a big brake kit. Re-tuned suspension is also included, along with no-lift shift, a defeatable automatic rev-matching system, a pair of sport seats, and some fripperies like leather, Bose audio and navigation. More importantly, the Z Performance is $1,900 cheaper than the $52,915 2022 Toyota GR Supra 3.0 while offering equipment on par with the $56,065 GR Supra 3.0 Premium.
So what else is out there in this $50,000 to $65,000 coupe segment that isn’t a 1LT C8 Corvette? Let’s say you live somewhere with abominable winter weather and want the sure grip of all-wheel-drive. No worries, the GR Supra’s more practical cousin is coming to the rescue. The new BMW M240i starts at $49,545 including a $995 freight charge, pretty much a bargain. Granted, you don’t get much stuff for that $49,545 base price, but you do get a limited-slip rear differential and big brakes so what else could you ask for? Okay, maybe you could ask to exchange all-wheel-drive for two more cylinders. The 2022 Chevrolet Camaro 2SS 1LE packs a seriously incredible chassis and V8 shove for $50,730 including a $1,195 freight charge.
On the top end of the scale, you could pinch your pennies and pay $64,850 including a $1,450 freight charge for a base Porsche 718 Cayman with absolutely zero options. It’ll be much, much slower than any of the cars listed, but it also only weighs 3,040 pounds and is mid-engined. A GR Supra 3.0 Premium weighs 3,400 pounds and a Z Performance weighs 3,536 pounds, which means the 718 Cayman pulls a $26.28 premium per pound saved over the Z, or $24.40 per pound saved over the Supra. I can’t be mad at that. Still, the new Nissan Z looks to be a bit of a bargain. While it may not be hitting showrooms this spring, expect the new Z to bring Nissan fans a lot of joy when it arrives this summer.
[Editor’s note: We’ll of course give you The Autopian’s take on the Z when the sports coupe hits press fleets. There was a press event for the car a month or two ago, so until we’re able to have a go, definitely check out the Z reviews floating around the internet (specifically Kristen Lee’s, because she’s great). -DT]
The 2023 Chevrolet Bolt Enters Its Hot Topic Phase
You know, I’ve never looked at a Chevrolet Bolt EUV and wished it looked like a pair of Etnies Metal Mulisha skate shoes, but Chevrolet might still be sipping Rockstar energy drinks because here we are. GM’s cute large electric hatchback has gone all dark and angry and Warped Tour-y with the new 2023 Redline Edition.
So does the Bolt EUV Redline Edition come with a copy of Attack Attack!’s debut album? Does it add snakebite piercings or a disdain for its stepdad? Not really. Instead, the Redline edition is a visual package consisting of grayscale paint, black wheels with red accents, black and red emblems, red accents on the mirror caps, and black leather with red stitching. Nothing too crazy, but just enough to be on-trend with the highly-desired appearance of not having unlocked a car in a video game yet. Honestly, it’s a very strange treatment for an entry-level electric vehicle but it was only a matter of time before the Redline Edition treatment came for the Bolt EUV. Honestly, it might be the shot in the arm that the Bolt EUV needs. With several months off the market due to a massive battery recall, the Bolt EUV’s image is a bit shaken. Cheap pricing, good availability and a fresh appearance package can only help rebuild the Bolt EUV’s formerly strong sales figures.
If you’re the type of person who’s unbelievably stoked for My Chemical Romance’s new single, you may be wondering what this Bolt EUV will cost. Well, we don’t know yet. Chevrolet hasn’t divulged pricing. Someday will come suddenly, so expect pricing to be announced sometime later this year. We wouldn’t be surprised if the 2023 Bolt EUV will stick close to the 2022 model’s $34,495 base price which includes a $995 freight charge.
Renault’s Russian Asset Write-Off Gets Weirder
With Renault handing over control of its Russian facilities to the power-crazed state, I wondered what the hell Russia would do with an extra modern car factory. Well, according to Reuters, it looks like Russia’s planning on reviving the Moskvich. What the hell?
Look, if you told me last Christmas that the invasion of Ukraine would resurrect the Moskvitch nameplate, I wouldn’t have believed you. Yet, that’s exactly what Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin claims will happen now that Renault’s Russian plant has been taken by the state. Honestly, it seems doomed to me. Autostat head Sergei Tselikov claims it would cost $1 billion over two years to develop a new Moskvich and I just don’t see that timeline and budget being sustainable when the Russian Ruble’s less valuable than Roblox’s in-game currency. Then there’s the whole situation around the possible Moskvitch revival. Look, I’m generally all for weird new cars hitting the market, but the circumstances here are a little out of the ordinary. It’s one thing to build the Tata Nano in response to a burgeoning car market in a developing country, it’s another to use unprovoked invasion of a sovereign territory to jump start a Moskvich revival. Without Renault pulling out of Russia, the country wouldn’t have had a conveniently spare plant to build a new car in. A car partially paid for in civilian blood? Thanks but no thanks. Maybe this explains why I’m not a huge fan of the Beetle.
Hyundai And Kia Recall 32 Cars For Steering Problems
It goes without saying that your steering column should stay connected to your steering rack, but for owners of 32 Hyundai and Kia products, this important connection might not hold together. Yeah, this is a pretty weird recall, not only due to its small scope but also due to its nature. Let’s take a look at exactly what’s going on here.
According to recall documents, Kia has recalled Rio subcompact cars produced between Sept. 8, 2021 and Feb. 21, 2022 and 24 Forte compact cars built between May 28, 2021 and March 8, 2022 for improperly-torqued lower steering column u-joint bolts. On the Hyundai side of things, the numbers are even smaller with only two Hyundai Accent sedans built between June 22, 2021 and Feb. 22, 2022 reportedly affected. Going by the recall chronology, Kia first discovered this issue on March 24 during an assembly plant test drive of a 2022 Rio where the affected car made a noise from the steering column. Now, there haven’t been any crashes, warranty work or complaints, but a good steering column that doesn’t fly off of the steering rack while you’re driving is a good thing, so Hyundai and Kia are voluntarily recalling the affected models. Imagine plunking down your hard-earned cash on a new car only to find out that someone forgot to tighten the steering column u-joint bolt. I’d be mortified. Then again, owners are likely more terrified than mortified. The availability of a fix isn’t expected until July so hold tight (hopefully) until then.
The Flush
Whelp, time to drop the lid on this edition of The Morning Dump. While a $10,000 trim walk-up on the new Nissan Z seems steep, pricing for the Performance trim isn’t bad and that $10,000 walk-up is largely similar to the trim level gap between the old 370Z Base and its loaded Sport Touring counterpart. Honestly, I’m really excited for the new Nissan Z. Any new performance car with a manual gearbox is cause for celebration but as a former six-speed G35 owner, this feels a bit personal. It’s Ridley Scott’s famous banned 300ZX commercial, college memories, and a decades-long history of fun rear-wheel-drive Nissans all rolled into one. Needless to say, I can’t wait to try it. Which begs the question, what new car are you most excited for? From the Volkswagen ID.Buzz to the next BMW M2, there really is something for everyone coming over the next few years.
Lead photo credit: Nissan
The Flush
I’m actually geeked about the new Dodge electric cars to come out the Belvedere Assembly plant for 2024. We’ve all seen the teaser video, but I’m excited to see the actual car revealed at Roadkill Nights later this year.
Pleeeaaase! Bring back T-Tops. We have the technology. The automotive world has never made a better accidental pot stash than the pockets in the locks of old Z T tops.
You could easily stash an eighth on each side and lock them closed with a key that could easily be lost… I’ve heard..
“A car partially paid for in civilian blood? Thanks but no thanks. Maybe this explains why I’m not a huge fan of the Beetle.”
Geez, you bought into that myth? Good grief. While the Beetle may be tangled up, nearly inextricably, with the Third Reich it was an idea whose time had come so it was going to happen regardless of Hitler’s involvement especially since development was already well underway before all hell broke loose. The Beetle was going to happen no matter what & in fact was delayed by its misappropriation. And no civilian Beetles were actually ever produced before post-war reparations had the British taking over the VW factory where the early years of actual Beetle production were basically a British undertaking (as for the British Empire having blood on its hands that’s a different story for another time…) So one can argue that no civilian blood was shed per se in the actual formation of VW & the Beetle.
Love the shout-out to Kristen Lee, she is indeed fantastic and I already read her First Drive review earlier today! I like to think that The Autopian is the kind of operation with enough self-confidence to give well-deserved props to its colleagues at other outfits. You’ve got plenty of your own flavor going on, The Drive is great but it serves a different niche. I read both.
I’m looking forward to the Z, but only because I want Nissan to remember what it’s like is to build an excellent car.
Early news says the Z will be the best they’ve built in at least 20 years. That’s a long, long time to survive while making such bad decisions.
Russia will need to replace all those Nissan Z’s they exported to Ukraine, most of which seem to be completely wrecked with their turrets blown off. Perhaps they can build them at the former Renault plant.
Definitely read the Kristen review, and also the Supra theorhetical comparo.
I’m conflicted. I know it’s inevitable, but I hate the bloat. 3600 lbs on the base model is porky for a 2-seater. It’s expensive – even the base is in the 40k range. The gas mileage is terrible for a brand new car in 2022 that’s going to be getting in the hands of people who actually care about fuel costs, especially in the secondhand market.
But, I’m really excited about the styling, the interior upgrades, the insanely flat and low power curve, the endless potential for aftermarket improvements, and also the familiarity of the platform which I’m sure will be a similar driving and wrenching experience to a modded up Z33/Z34.
I’m just not sure that it’s that much of an upgrade overall for me. It sounds like from Kristen’s review that a properly modded 350 or 370 with an aftermarket blower or snail would basically be this car… for far cheaper.
But the looks… *drool*
“Autostat head Sergei Tselikov claims it would cost $1 billion over two years to develop a new Moskvich” – a billion ruble? Post-invasion? What is that now, like $6.50 USD?
“I just don’t see that timeline and budget being sustainable when the Russian Ruble’s less valuable than Roblox’s in-game currency”
You may want to double-check you contemporaneous knowledge of exchange rates. The Russian Rouble more than recovered from the initial-war-shock exchange rate spike. It was trading at around 75:$1 pre-invasion and it returned to about that level in mid-April and is even lower this week – trading in the 60s. The currency is doing just fine – there’s a lot of other problems they’re going to run into over the next 2 years but the value of the currency isn’t one of them.
Now that I think of it…I’d love to see an article about all of those other reasons and also how Garage 54 would solve them.
It’s being propped up at the moment, but that’s hardly a long-term strategy.
Well this leaves me in the same condition re: Z or Supra. I like the dash on the Z better. But the Supra is hella sexy. It’s going to come down to driving each before I decide.
Cars I’m excited for enough to consider taking a stupidly long loan: VW ID.Buzz. It’s like a minivan but retro and electric. On paper it ticks all my boxes. I sure hope it comes with some sort of even rudimentary VTL capacity to use as a rolling battery. That would be awesome for camping.
The Bolt needs a sunroof.
The new Z needs T-tops and a rear wiper like the old 300ZX. Also, it’s already better than the BMW “Supra” because it’s actually a Nissan. It’s funny because Nissan does a lot of shit with Mercedes now
Bolt…. Bold New Graphics. A time honored product update when there is nothing new but need to scream nothing for attention. I wonder who buys those things anyways….? Never hear mention of them by car people….
Z. Another case where the simpler the better (‘cept I’d want the LSD on a base model….). Over the last 5 or so years values of used 370z’s have really jumped. Even the 350’s. Betting there is some demand.
The Bolt isn’t a bad car; I just have zero desire to own a jellybean econobox.
I’m excited for the new Z, but most of the ones I was waiting for (Bronco, Maverick, Toyobaru, basically this included) are here already.
I would normally be excited for a new Accord, but no coupe and no manual transmission option relegated it to “just another car” since 2018 for me. Yeah, it’ll be many times better than Altima and Sonata, but sales will continue to fall for all. We’re in another malaise, folks. With few exceptions.
So GM is putting a badge used on quick Saturns on a car that doesn’t have a redline.
You know what? Sure, why not. Go nuts. World is a fuck.
Yes. Not to mention the base model starts at $35k and supposedly the Equinox EV they teased today will supposedly start at $30k…so why is this thing even a thing at all? GM gonna GM.
Said supposedly twice, supposedly (lol). We need an edit button.
Reminds me of the discussion about the Taycan “Turbo”.
“Redline” obviously refers to the discharge limit of its battery.
…definitely check out the Z reviews floating around the internet. -DT]
Translation: Go give Fancy Kristen some clicks b/c she’s got the scoop while we were still ramping up.
While I hesitate to call you “Classy Tracy” for obvious reasons, this is a very classy move, DT!
I can’t read her reviews anymore.
I. Just. Can’t.
Not a fan of that website? or… ?
Her…style. if it’s the same Kristen I’m thinking of.
She plays it straight over at The Drive. Fancy Kristen seems to have died when she left Jalopnik. She does a quality review, no gimmicks.
“You can’t tell her what to do, her breakfast of imported endangered quail eggs, artisanal avocado toast, and pure edible gold leaf”
“Quail” eggs? Faberge’ or GTFO. Servants have been savagely beaten and sacked without references for suggesting less.
Avocado toast? You must have misunderstood “Alligator heart” as”Alligator pear”. It’s a common mistake as “Alligator pear” is another name for avocado. No avocados here, only the still beating hearts from critically endangered Chinese alligators. That’s how you know they’re fresh. Delicious with or without toast.
And gold leaf? That’s for homeless shelter soup lines or dog food. Only the finest 99.999999999999999%+ rhodium leaf will do.
You know, I can’t really say anything, because I loved when they kept the Turbo moniker for the Taycan, but ‘Redline’ seems a bit silly when applied to EVs. There’s so many fun alternatives out there! Just imagine a Bolt ‘Mario Kart Drift Boost’ edition…with the EUV, it’d be about as top-heavy as Bowser.
In the context of the Bolt, the red line being referenced is an elevated thermometer reading.
I thought it was dumb because it was an appearance package and decided not to think about it. Now that you point this out it is worse. I still like the Bolt conceptually but appearance packages are for profit and not much else to me
> appearance packages are for profit and not much else to me
And as long as some people keep buying cars because of their appearance, it’ll continue.
(When I got a Kia Soul as a rental, my first impression was “that’s the ugliest car I’ve ever seen”. Now I own one. It’s still ugly, but everything else is pretty good. And since I don’t spend much time looking at the outside, that’s fine.)