Versa Note SE-R?

About a year ago I speculated on an SE-R version of the Versa. Now that they've replaced the hatchback with the new better-looking Note, this would be a good time for Nissan to come up with a competitor to the Fiesta ST. Is there a sporting bone left in Nissan's body? The 1.6 turbo and 6-speed trans from the Juke with a stiffened suspension would make this car.

It will never happen. And if in the remote chance in which it does, it will have a stupid CVT and will strictly be a trim/sticker package.

Nissan has lost its way.

When that abomination is the better looking option, things are pretty bad.

Not sure about that - the Juke Nismo is available with the 1.6 turbo and a 6 speed.

That all sounds good to me (For years I've thought that a Versa SE-R would be pretty sweet-even if it just had the 2 liter from the base Sentra!), but unfortunately the way Nissan has been doing things I doubt it will ever happen. I think the car looks pretty good, practically the same as a Fiesta, 2, Fit, etc. Can't really tell the difference from a distance! Here's hoping Nissan does something cool! You should write them a letter and pitch the idea!

Sorry, that thing is just as ugly as the Versa. I don't care how fast it could be or how well it could handle. Do Not Want.

While that would be very nice, they didn't do it with the old version of the Versa hatchback, I don't see why they would with this one. And that would have been simple, since it's platform was the same as the Sentra.

Nissan has really lost their way.

jstein77 wrote: Not sure about that - the Juke Nismo is available with the 1.6 turbo and a 6 speed.

I am glad the picture didn't show up.

I have seen a Puke Nismo in real life and I vomited.

I agree that the Nissan is not a good looking car. Ford really hit one out of the park with the fiesta

Hmmm...definitely uglier than the Note...it looks like a catfish!

mad_machine wrote: I agree that the Nissan is not a good looking car. Ford really hit one out of the park with the fiesta

You mean that Aston Martin front end?

I won't say the Fiesta is good looking, but next to the Nissan it's a winner.

This reminds me of how i have wished for a Cube with the Juke motor.

Gearheadotaku wrote: I won't say the Fiesta is good looking...

I will.

Gearheadotaku wrote: I won't say the Fiesta is good looking, but next to the Nissan it's a winner.

They're both pretty similar, but I agree that the Fiesta has been a little better integrated. What it lacks is a limited slip differential like the Torsen I've got in my Spec V. I would hope that Nismo would include that, though they didn't in the Puke.

jstein77 wrote:

Gearheadotaku wrote: I won't say the Fiesta is good looking, but next to the Nissan it's a winner.

They're both pretty similar, but I agree that the Fiesta has been a little better integrated. What it lacks is a limited slip differential like the Torsen I've got in my Spec V. I would hope that Nismo would include that, though they didn't in the Puke.

You can't even get a real LSD in the Focus ST. It's all "e-diff" malarkey now, which works okay on the street and is abysmal on the track.

Of course, Nissan won't make it anyway, so who cares.

mad_machine wrote: I agree that the Nissan is not a good looking car. Ford really hit one out of the park with the fiesta

So this is bad:

And this is good?

jstein77 wrote:

mad_machine wrote: I agree that the Nissan is not a good looking car. Ford really hit one out of the park with the fiesta

So this is bad: And this is good?

That's a Honda Fit.

This:

Is a Ford Fiesta.

And this:

is the Ford Fiesta ST with the Turbo 1.6L.

Nissan was once an important car to enthusiasts. The 5-speed Maxima was billed as a "4-door sports car", and it was. Awesome car for a family man who loved cars.

The SE-R was another big hit, the ultimate coupe version of the hot hatch.

Nowadays, Nissan seems no longer interested in catering to enthusiasts. Given this interesting new Versa Note hatch, the only way Nissan will sell it to you with a stick shift is in the base model, crank window version. If you want a decently-equipped Versa Note, you're stuck with the CVT.

Nissan clearly doesn't want the enthusiast's money.

I know it's a Fit; I was just commenting on the similarity of the design.

I'm hoping the Nismo influence will change Nissan's mind about catering to enthusiasts. Though its ugly and incomplete, the Juke Nismo is a positive step in that direction.

I will say that the Versa Note looks better than the previous incarnation of the Versa hatchback. The older one was just too blah and meh looking for me. The only good part about it was the 6 speed manual. That is the key thing missing from all the econo boxes in this class. The thing where the Fit takes the cake is storage options. The magic seat system in the Fit is fantastic. I keep my backseats folded up more than down. I can fit my bike in the backseat (front wheel off) with the bottom of the backseat folded up like a jump seat. This configuration leaves me cargo room in the back untouched for groceries or whatever else I need to haul.

I might get shot for this but I like the Juke but the lack of cargo room and only way to get manual trans. is with a sunroof package kills it for me.

Nissan clearly doesn't want the enthusiast's money.

I think Nissan's argument would be "Oh, you wanted a 2700lb turbo/manual fwd 4dr hatch? Let me show you the Juke!"

And to be fair, the Juke is a better enthusiast car in sum, than a Versa Note with a turbo.

EvanR wrote: Nissan was once an important car to enthusiasts. The 5-speed Maxima was billed as a "4-door sports car", and it was. Awesome car for a family man who loved cars. The SE-R was another big hit, the ultimate coupe version of the hot hatch. Nowadays, Nissan seems no longer interested in catering to enthusiasts. Given this interesting new Versa Note hatch, the only way Nissan will sell it to you with a stick shift is in the base model, crank window version. If you want a decently-equipped Versa Note, you're stuck with the CVT. Nissan clearly doesn't want the enthusiast's money.

This.

I think the GT-R would qualify as a sporting bone. Maybe that didn't come out quite right.

Doesn't Nissan still make the 370Z? I thought I have read about that one in some car magazine.