New car - Non-MB - What do you think?

[shyam27]

Good morning gents,

So firstly apologies if this isn't allowed, delete if that is the case.

I acquired a new vehicle last week, a 1986 Nissan Leopard Ultima 3.0 V6 F31. Not heard of it? Don't worry, I hadn't heard about them either until I stumbled across this one. Yes that's right, this car had me trippin'.

It is essentially a Nissan Skyline R31, they share the same chassis and geometry with 2 inches being added to the front and back of the Leopard. 2 inches doesn't seem like much but you can just tell how much more sharper this motor looks against the R31 Skyline. You will also notice how much the front resembles an R32 Skyline.

Technology? This thing would have made the best of marques tremble in their feet with the level of kit it has got. Honestly, every time I jump in a discover a new button/feature which is awesome because your never quiet sure what you will discover next. So far, I have uncovered the following features:

• Automatic Lights turn on when dark outside
• Automatic Wipers turn on when rain hits sensor
• 2-mode cruise control (not had opportunity to discover what 2 mode is about)
• Super Sonic Suspension which adjusts dampness on monitoring road ahead
• Adjustable Sport, normal and soft suspension settings
• Electric adjustable driver seats
• x3 inflatable air bolsters in driver seat to support lower, mid and upper back
• AC, zonal climate control which I've not fully worked out yet
• Full digital dash
• Height Adjustable rear aerial
• 5 cassette tape changer/player
• Furry soft Wool padded door cards and floor

Probably a couple of things I've missed there. Under the hood, it has a lovely happy sounding 3.0 V6 with 24 valves with quad cams! It purrrs just like a Leopard and goes really well. I've also been informed about 300zx 3.0 twin turbo engines being a straight swap with no fabrication work required in these but not something I would look at until much further down the line.

The best thing about it imho is not the level of technology, or its big 3.0 v6 engine. The best thing by far is the driver satisfaction/feeling. This is the first ever car I've jumped into and actually felt like just driving really slowly. It's such a comfortable place to be, the seats are extremely accommodating and the soft wool is so cosy. It's a wonderful place to be. It sounds and feels like an american muscle car, only it turns much better. Turning circle is fantastic. And when you put your foot down, the spirit of the Skyline emerges and it shifts really well and hold down on the road just like it should considering the Motorsport heritage the Skyline earned.

So your probably thinking theres gotta be some sort catch, it must weigh a few tonnes so must be nothing like a Skyline. Well actually, with all the technology and that big old v6, this car still only weighs 1,500 kg which was pretty impressive, a bit more than an R31 Skyline but still not massively more.

IMO, the looks and lines of this car are simply stunning. I am planning on removing those silly stickers, replacing sun visor sticker with a plain white strip and painting the wheels a dark bronze/gold colour.

Prices....Big grey area here. I tried searching long and hard and can't find another for sale or in ownership in the UK or Europe. Previous owner is 99% sure it's the only one in the country with 1% being you never know what anyone has hidden away in their garages. So I went to Japan to get some price comparisons. Turns out they are seriously sought after and rare in Japan too with pre face-lift models exchanging hands for between £27k - £52k. I won't tell you how much i paid, but it was definitely not that much!

So there you have it... a 1986 Nissan Leopard Ultima. Now lets bring this thing back to MB's for a moment. This car would have competed against the Mercedes W126 (SE/SEC) or the W123. What are your thoughts?

 

[Deleted96908]

Such a good shape. Love the reversed B pillar.

Love your nail varnish too.

Edit. Wouldn't it suit a rectangular front number plate?

 

[shyam27]

Such a good shape. Love the reversed B pillar.

Love your nail varnish too.

Thanks bud.

hahah!! That was my better half having a little play in drivers seat as I was taking a few snaps!

 

[clk320x]

2 inches doesn't seem like much

 

[GeeJayW]

We had a couple of Nissan Leopards on test (four-door version). One of them randomly burst into flames in the car park and was a total loss. Good luck....

 

[Martin 1]

VERY fast - but no class - unlike Mercedes.

 

[Deleted96908]

We had a couple of Nissan Leopards on test (four-door version). One of them randomly burst into flames in the car park and was a total loss. Good luck....

VERY fast - but no class - unlike Mercedes.

yeah and to add to that @shyam27, if you drive it for long enough you'll go blind and have ugly kids

 

[shyam27]

We had a couple of Nissan Leopards on test (four-door version). One of them randomly burst into flames in the car park and was a total loss. Good luck....

Thanks for the warning.

The F31 Leopard was never offered as 4 door sedan. You were testing either the Y32 or Y33 Leopards, both of which not as desirable. They were manufactured when cost saving programmes came into large effect from Automotive industry. This sort of money saving strategies are still causing issues across big manufactures today, especially considering the Mercedes recall last year.

Global recall of 1 million Mercedes cars over fire risk 'could include 75,000 in UK'

 

[shyam27]

VERY fast - but no class - unlike Mercedes.

Haha no class huh. Very subjective and a matter of opinion but what are your thoughts comparing it to W126? I think it looks much more classy and sleeker. W126 kinda just looks like a big ugly Elephant don't ya think?

Also, has no Nissan Emblems, instead it sports Leopard branding. So people wouldn't be able to put it into a 'low-status' class without knowing it's a Nissan first ey.

 

[Doodle]

You will also notice how much the front resembles an R32 Skyline.

How much alcohol do I need to drink before this happens? Because squinting doesn't seem to be cutting it.

Volk splits sit well though.

This car would have competed against the Mercedes W126 (SE/SEC)

Depends on the area of competition. From a technical perspective it's a tour-de-force of gizmos and gadgets. But the sort of people who would have been buying Mercedes wouldn't have even considered domestic product.

 

[Charles Morgan]

Very cool, shades of early Honda Preludes, but admirably different. Enjoy!

 

[shyam27]

yeah and to add to that @shyam27, if you drive it for long enough you'll go blind and have ugly kids

Hold your horses bud, I still have an W123 280CE so my kids will be stunning. As for my eyes, well mehh lol

 

[shyam27]

How much alcohol do I need to drink before this happens? Because squinting doesn't seem to be cutting it.

Volk splits sit well though.

Thanks Doodle. I have realised the issue here. You need not any alcohol. Maybe this is the issue and you no longer see clearly. Look again when sobered up. ....Kidding

Take a look at the front of a R32 Skyline and then look at R31 Skyline front and then F31 Leopard front. Design cues taken from both but seems to have been taken more from Leopard F31. Anyway, my friend bought this to my attention and I can totally see it myself.

 

[shyam27]

Very cool, shades of early Honda Preludes, but admirably different. Enjoy!

Thanks for your encouraging words as always Charles. I just couldn't help myself haha.

 

[Doodle]

Thanks Doodle. I have realised the issue here. You need not any alcohol. Maybe this is the issue and you no longer see clearly. Look again when sobered up. ....Kidding

Take a look at the front of a R32 Skyline and then look at R31 Skyline front and then F31 Leopard front. Design cues taken from both but seems to have been taken more from Leopard F31. Anyway, my friend bought this to my attention and I can totally see it myself.

F31 to R31 is unquestionably clear. I think your friend needs to go to Specsavers on the R32 link though.

Or did they mean the C32?

 

[Martin 1]

- - - - - - - still no class !

 

[shyam27]

F31 to R31 is unquestionably clear. I think your friend needs to go to Specsavers on the R32 link though.

Or did they mean the C32?

C32 was manufactured simultaneously to F31 the design cues would have been shared anyway. On the subject of it being purely visual, i think we will agree to disagree here.

On your point with comparing w126 and the Nissan and it being a domestic product, can you explain why Mercedes products are not domestic products?

Let's be real then, German metal quality was much better than the quality of metal japs were using (I lucked out on the rust department with this car but I admit Jap cars to like to rust). That's where the positives stop. In parameters of everything else, reliability, driving pleasure, comfort, economy, cost of new parts, functionalism, electrical reliability, engineering, features, feasibility of working and servicing your own car etc, I think the Leopard surpasses, by far, Mercedes in all those departments.

On the contrary, when I drive my w123 280ce i seem to turn the heads of plenty of old gentlemen. However, when I'm cruising in the Leopard, I've been turning the heads of lots and lots of pretty ladies so there's another statistic for ya.

So yeah I can agree, the choice of vehicle would totally come down to the kind of person you are. If you a grease monkey who likes working on their own cars, appreciate lots of quirky features, don't want to stress on the back of your mind about electrical faults so you can concentrate your time and efforts on fine tuning and doing other work on your car than the Leopard is the winner. However, if your one of them chums who prides themselves on status/status symbols, who doesn't really know how to work on cars at all, and like being ****ed in the **** by dealership for part prices and labour costs etc, then yeah, Mercedes would be the correct choice to go for.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

I love the interior gadgets and gizmos and how “it’s of it’s time” but, good grief, the exterior is a dogs dinner in my eyes! Also love your sense of humour comparing it to a W126...

Having said that, I do have a soft spot for rare and quirky cars (I have a strange hankering for a Cadillac Seville...)

 

[shyam27]

- - - - - - - still no class !

Yes because a 05' CLK 200 auto is much more classy mate.... especially silver with blue hood. Total class man, you are an expert!

I don't want to hear anymore about status and class, couldn't care less about how much 'class' and 'status' you got because those things don't entertain me at all. And it also reflects how miserable you must be inside to hold that standard and judge anyone on that basis. If someone is out there in a shit banger Vauxhall Corsa or similar, that doesn't make them any less of a person than you are. So class and status are completely subjective, please leave it out.

 

[shyam27]

I love the interior gadgets and gizmos and how “it’s of it’s time” but, good grief, the exterior is a dogs dinner in my eyes! Also love your sense of humour comparing it to a W126...

Having said that, I do have a soft spot for rare and quirky cars (I have a strange hankering for a Cadillac Seville...)

Thanks bud, interior really takes me back, it's like a time warp! I can appreciate that the looks aren't for everyone, especially when considering the lovely artistic and proportional lines and curves of pre 80's classic Mercedes. However, I think I love it for that reason of being, boxy, simple yet effective. The W126 was massively more ugly I'd say, that thing just looked like a fancy Volvo. haha