Nissan is Back! New Skyline, Xterra and Juke! GT3 Convertible Is Here! THIS CAR POD! EP107

TL;DR

The crew covers Nissan's revival with new Skyline, Xterra, and Juke announcements alongside the new Porsche 911 GT3 Sport Cabriolet debut.

Key Points

• 1.The Porsche 911 GT3 SC is the first proper convertible GT3, manual-only by engineering necessity. To meet homologation weight targets matching the GT3 Touring with PDK, a manual transmission was required; it uses the same 4.0L naturally aspirated engine with 500 hp and 340 lb-ft.
• 2.The GT3 SC is priced roughly $20,000–$30,000 cheaper than a comparable GT3 coupe. Base price is approximately $275,000, though hosts expect dealer markups will push transaction prices well above $400,000.
• 3.Nissan is bringing back the Skyline, to be sold in the US as the Infiniti Q50. It is expected to use the engine and manual transmission from the Nissan Z Nismo, with the GTR reportedly already in development.
• 4.Hosts credit Porsche's 911R and manual GT3 revival for inspiring other brands to return to manual transmissions. BMW, Infiniti, and Aston Martin's manual Vantage are cited as downstream effects of Porsche proving manuals drive brand credibility and sales.
• 5.Nissan is also reviving the Xterra, arriving second half of 2028 on a next-gen Frontier platform shared with Mitsubishi. Powertrains will be a V6 and V6 hybrid — no four-cylinder — a deliberate contrast to Toyota's $80,000 four-cylinder TRD Pro 4Runner.
• 6.The new Nissan Juke has been revealed with a funky, angular design faithful to the original's character. It will be built on the Leaf platform making it electric, but is expected to be Europe-only; no confirmed US market return.
• 7.The Chevy Corvette Grand Sport returns with a new 6.7L LS6 V8 producing 535 hp, up from the Stingray's 495 hp. It starts at $88,495, with the track performance package bringing it to approximately $109,000; the base Stingray already does 0–60 in 2.9 seconds.
• 8.Rolls-Royce revealed the Nightingale, a 100-unit coachbuilt electric two-seater stretching 18.9 feet — longer than a Suburban. Based on the Spectre platform with at least 577 hp, it features 10,000 illuminated interior stars with a lighting rhythm inspired by a nightingale's song; estimated price is around $6 million.
• 9.The Chrysler Pacifica off-road concept was re-shown at the New York Auto Show, prompting the hosts to wish Toyota would adopt the package. Discussion noted that no manufacturer has committed to a true performance or off-road minivan despite repeated SEMA teases.
• 10.Lucid Motors hired Sylvio Napoli as its new CEO, most recently head of Schindler Group, the elevator manufacturer. He will initially work from Zurich due to visa timing, receives $1 million in relocation expenses, and was chosen for manufacturing discipline and capital allocation skills despite no direct auto industry experience.
• 11.Kenan is selling a friend's 2003 Porsche 986 Boxster manual on Cars & Bids under his own username. The car comes with exceptional service documentation; Kenan handled the listing himself after successfully presenting his own SL65 and Ferrari on the platform.