Would you buy a vettel replica body kit?

[AusFX50s]

So, i'm working with an Australian based specialist whom is confident that he can produce a near exact replica of the Vettel Edition body kit. It would be a 12 piece kit made from the highest quality fiberglass and would be primed and ready for paint. Unlike the actual Vettel Edition, this kit could be matched to your body paint color unless you wanted to go all out and cover it with a carbon vinyl sticker. Here's the parts list...

1x: Front Bumper
1x: Rear Bumper
2x Skirt (L-F)
4x Lower door segments (FL-FR-RL-RR)
4x Wheel Arches (FL-FR-RL-RR)
2x Front LED Running lights
2x Rear Skinny Reflectors
1x Rear Brake Light (F1 Style)
0x Spoiler (Maybe)



So, my question for you. Assuming I myself went ahead as the test subject and the kit came out looking awesome, as pictured in the above render....

A: Would you buy it and B: What would you expect to pay for it?

It's early days, i'd really appreciate your feedback. Obviously this kit would only be available for the same model year FX50 and QX70.

Note that in the render the chrome and the roof rails have been color matched.

 

[jbaker1121]

Get a price estimate and you'll have more accurate answers in your Poll. I don't want to say yes and it ends up being a $10k kit...

 

[RIPnFX]

Get a price estimate and you'll have more accurate answers in your Poll. I don't want to say yes and it ends up being a $10k kit...

+1 I agree

 

[Dracula]

if its going to cost around 10k, rather supercharge it!

 

[AusFX50s]

Get a price estimate and you'll have more accurate answers in your Poll. I don't want to say yes and it ends up being a $10k kit...

Working on it, personally i'd be prepared to spend $7000.00 including paint and fitment. So for you lot I guess the price would need to sit around the $6000.00 mark yes?

if its going to cost around 10k, rather supercharge it!

Why is everyone so keen to add ridiculous levels of performance to these cars? Isn't 390HP enough?

 

[jbaker1121]

No, 390hp isn't enough... I would rather spend $10k on engine mods than a bodykit. - for luxury sport SUVs although the FX is among the cheaper choices compared to it's competition (cayenne S/turbo for example) it's also slower. (It would be more than $10k for a custom setup on the 50)

I guess it depends on your priorities. Even $6k is double the factory aero kit and you'll probably have a tough time getting more than 5 people to agree to buy the kit to be honest if it's even $5k. Guys on here barely want to spend $1k on coil overs let alone a bodykit.

I don't love the vettel edition enough to spend another $5-7k on making it look a little different, it's not drastic enough a change and I don't want a knockoff vettel edition, unless i have the power to back it up. I would rather go custom with a diffuser and lip of my choice...

If you like the look and have decided you want it, I say go ahead and get it done - it will get the attention of people and probably open up the market to the Russian/UAE FX50 owners who would love a Vettel edition. Good luck!

 

[AusFX50s]

No, 390hp isn't enough... I would rather spend $10k on engine mods than a bodykit. - for luxury sport SUVs although the FX is among the cheaper choices compared to it's competition (cayenne S/turbo for example) it's also slower. (It would be more than $10k for a custom setup on the 50)

I guess it depends on your priorities. Even $6k is double the factory aero kit and you'll probably have a tough time getting more than 5 people to agree to buy the kit to be honest if it's even $5k. Guys on here barely want to spend $1k on coil overs let alone a bodykit.

I don't love the vettel edition enough to spend another $5-7k on making it look a little different, it's not drastic enough a change and I don't want a knockoff vettel edition, unless i have the power to back it up. I would rather go custom with a diffuser and lip of my choice...

If you like the look and have decided you want it, I say go ahead and get it done - it will get the attention of people and probably open up the market to the Russian/UAE FX50 owners who would love a Vettel edition. Good luck!

Fair enough, personally I didn't buy the car to be a fast & furious street racer or to prove something to Porsche owners or people with faster cars; i'm 28 years old and have outgrown that kind of thing. If I wanted absurd power I would have just bought the Macan Turbo S. If speed was your priority why on Earth did you buy this car in the first place? There are faster cars which you could have purchased for far less. It's my opinion that the FX50s and the Infiniti brand is all about elegance, form and maturity; all of the kit's I've seen turn it into an obnoxious ricer looking thing. The same can be said about making the exhaust note sound like a muscle car or a super sport; it goes against the brand and it's identity. The factory aero kit looks like a cheap bolt on ebay product, and it is. I'm willing to spend good money to get quality and substance that fits my personality, that's why I bought the car in the first place. In any case, it's half the price of the other kits on the market.

When all is said and done, the stock car looks like it's missing something; and I think the Vettel kit is the perfect compliment. There really are very few alternative options.

I know you won't agree with me, and you don't have to. It's just my opinion. Good Luck to you.

 

[RIPnFX]

Honestly the Vettle kit is sick but on black and especially blacked out doesn't make a whole lot of difference in looks. On lighter colors like white you can totally tell there is a kit on there. I'm sure others will agree as well. Regarding increased hp, who doesn't want it??? I could have bought something quicker and faster but it's the styling that appealed me to the fx. It stands out from the crowd.

 

[AusFX50s]

Honestly the Vettle kit is sick but on black and especially blacked out doesn't make a whole lot of difference in looks. On lighter colors like white you can totally tell there is a kit on there. I'm sure others will agree as well. Regarding increased hp, who doesn't want it??? I could have bought something quicker and faster but it's the styling that appealed me to the fx. It stands out from the crowd.

Yes, my original concern was that the only reason the Vettel looks so appealing was because of the white to carbon contrast. But after doing the render, I can see a notable improvement to the car. In any case, here in Australia people aren't familiar with the Infiniti brand and most have never seen this car before. So to them, they're not going to make that comparison anyway. In the end, I just want to find an elegant, yet sport and confident aesthetic that compliments the existing body. None of the other kits can do that for me.

You're right, it doesn't change the look of the car dramatically. That's the whole point. It doesn't need to. Subtle yet effective changes that improve the car VS altering it entirely.

I don't care about increased HP, 390 is more than enough for me. There's no way for me to gain additional performance without risking my warranty anyway.

 

[ocal21]

I say do it

 

[AusFX50s]

I say do it

Yay! A supporter!

 

[Mongolian]

I personally think the vettel kit is ugly. OEM Aero piece looks so much better. OEM Aero pieces just flow better, I believe.

 

[neva4self]

Yay! A supporter!

I like it also, if the final product ends up looking like your avatar that is. I would definitely be interested in buying one also.

 

[AusFX50s]

I like it also, if the final product ends up looking like your avatar that is. I would definitely be interested in buying one also.

According to the fabricators, this isn't overly complex compared to some of the other stuff they've done. They're confident that they can do a perfect replication, if not better quality than the original. They're the people responsible for doing the body and art work for the Australian Nissan V8 Supercar Team, so I believe that their confidence has merit. They're not sure about the spoiler though, they agree that it will look ricerish and stupid. I don't think i'm going to bother with it, looks stupid on the real Vettel edition too.

They did have some concerns about removing the long chrome inlay because that crevice is actually a part of the door that will need to be changed, after I get it into the shop we'll know more. I'd obviously like to avoid having to alter the actual body of the car, if this isn't as easy as removing the stock fitment and bolting on the new gear then it's going to be a pain in the ass. Might have to keep the long chrome strip where it is. Hope the bottom of the car doesn't look to busy...

 

[Yerbol]

you need to remove roof rails from the car to make rear spoiler noticeable

 

[AusFX50s]

you need to remove roof rails from the car to make rear spoiler noticeable

Hmm, good point. I'm going to keep my blacked out rails and cross bars on, I like how they look. Plus, i'm painting an Infiniti Roof Box to match the Obsidian black for long work trips.

 

[jbaker1121]

Fair enough, personally I didn't buy the car to be a fast & furious street racer or to prove something to Porsche owners or people with faster cars; i'm 28 years old and have outgrown that kind of thing. If I wanted absurd power I would have just bought the Macan Turbo S. If speed was your priority why on Earth did you buy this car in the first place? There are faster cars which you could have purchased for far less. It's my opinion that the FX50s and the Infiniti brand is all about elegance, form and maturity; all of the kit's I've seen turn it into an obnoxious ricer looking thing. The same can be said about making the exhaust note sound like a muscle car or a super sport; it goes against the brand and it's identity. The factory aero kit looks like a cheap bolt on ebay product, and it is. I'm willing to spend good money to get quality and substance that fits my personality, that's why I bought the car in the first place. In any case, it's half the price of the other kits on the market......


....You're right, it doesn't change the look of the car dramatically. That's the whole point. It doesn't need to. Subtle yet effective changes that improve the car VS altering it entirely.

I don't care about increased HP, 390 is more than enough for me. There's no way for me to gain additional performance without risking my warranty anyway.

Honestly the Vettle kit is sick but on black and especially blacked out doesn't make a whole lot of difference in looks. On lighter colors like white you can totally tell there is a kit on there. I'm sure others will agree as well. Regarding increased hp, who doesn't want it??? I could have bought something quicker and faster but it's the styling that appealed me to the fx. It stands out from the crowd.

RipN basically answered perfectly, but I don't understand your logic. You're so worried about the warranty that you don't want to touch performance.....but then you're willing to spend ~$10k to alter almost every body panel on the car? You know that will likely void the warranty, right?

Also, RipN is right, and you concurred, that this kit doesn't really alter the car much and it's subtle. You can replicate the look of the Vettel Edition simply by buying a few generic aerodynamic parts online and painting/mounting them correctly to mimic the Vettel styling.... your claim that "the factory aero kit looks like a cheap bolt on ebay product, and it is" is also hilarious....and at least the factory aero kit won't void any part of my warranty So you're going to spend spend ~$10k just to make a subtle difference to the styling, knocking off a special edition of the car - which you then won't back up with performance - possibly voiding your warranty in the process?

It's like the guys that get mugen body kits for their honda civics but don't update any of the motor components to mugen.... you'll have the "bark" (your mufflers and bodykit" but not the "bite" (increased performance/handling etc) of the Vettel edition.

also, your Macan Turbo "absurd power" argument is funny. The Macan's figures are 400-horsepower v6 - 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds.... for another ~$20k over the FX50's MSRP. (the Macan, the lower edition that is the same price $50k as the FX50, is actually a bit slower) so you get 10 more hp and .5 seconds faster to 60... for $20k...I don't think your argument that "If I wanted to go fast, I would have gotten that" really makes sense. Another $20k in the FX50 would arguably be another 100hp along with other modifications.... Maybe you wanted the Macan but couldn't afford the better one? (that's why I got the FX50, I couldn't afford a Cayenne Turbo S or an ML63 since they're over twice the price)

Of course you could buy a cheaper car that is faster. I can buy a fox body mustang that runs 10's in the 1/4 for $10k...but is it an Infiniti SUV? No. I can buy an FX50 on top of that and still pay less than a Macan S....

Overall, it seems that you got the FX50 for the same reason a lot of us did - it's different, great looks, and priced competitively compared to its competition. However, I can't really agree with your reasoning for any of your arguments regarding warranty, etc. because you contradict them....

I think it's great you want to make a knockoff Vettel kit - and power to you - I'm just saying that it will be tough to get a bunch of FX owners to do it also, especially from the history of users on this site not wanting to spend X amount of X item, even if it's a deal....

however, I'm looking forward to seeing a black Vettel edition. Keep us updated. I'm a big supporter of people modifying the FX50, especially those who pioneer new parts, etc. It's cool to make something custom because you can't find it available for the car - this a big problem because there isn't much aftermarket support compared to a lot of other vehicles. Im not trying to fight with you or go against you or anything, I'm just trying to rationalize.

(Maybe you should contact your dealer or Infiniti AU regarding the modification of 80% of the body panels and how that effects warranty - in the past I know that nissan/infiniti has voided warranties for body kits, etc.(friend's 370z, g37) because by removing panels and altering their shape, flow of water draining, etc. you may open up electronics to get wet that shouldn't, dirt getting into places it shouldn't, etc. I would do my research if you are truly worried about the warranty...my one friends power train warranty was voided because he put on a vented hood, however my warranty was never voided on my last car even though I had a ton of bolt-ons)

 

[SCY7H3]

Personally I would rather get a proper body kit made of ABS plastic. Fibreglass is yesterday's news and it comes with varying problems that are just not worth investing regardless the cost of the kit.

 

[jbaker1121]

Personally I would rather get a proper body kit made of ABS plastic. Fibreglass is yesterday's news and it comes with varying problems that are just not worth investing regardless the cost of the kit.

This too... fiberglass is old tech. Atleast my "ebay" Factory Aero kit isn't fiberglass.

 

[AusFX50s]

Christ.... A novel. First, changing body panels is strictly cosmetic; not effecting mechanical systems or it's warranties in any way and this has been confirmed with the dealership. Thanks for your very empty concern. You've then proceeded to rant quite redundantly from there on in, and you've managed to have a pretentious, arrogant and snarly teenage disposition all the while. How old are you? Sorry, but this is just an asshole comment; normally in this instance i'd ask you what your problem is and ask you to step outside. But that's obviously not possible in this instance, clearly I've offended you somehow and managed to shake you and your very sensitive disposition.

The Aero kit IS cheap and it IS a bolt on, is this debatable? The Vettel kit is simply the best looking aesthetic available for the car, need more be said? Exactly what level of "biting" performance would I need to have in order to legitimize my desire to have a Vettel kit on the car, a measly 30HP which is nothing more than an exhaust change and a quick tune that has little to no real world effect on the cars performance? Nice one pal, not exactly hardcore is it? Hold on, that's exactly what you've done! Sorry, didn't mean to take all of the glory away from your insanely awesome hardcore modifications mate!

I'm not going to debate the rest of your comment, because you're clearly an asshole with a personal issue of some kind. I don't really care for your attitude problems, please keep them to yourself. I'll be blunt, I don't value your feedback and I don't think that in the future you're going to try to achieve anything other than to offend me or to try to build up you own ego at my expense. So please do try to avoid my posts if at all possible. It would be greatly appreciated.

---------- Post added at 06:25 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:18 AM ----------

Personally I would rather get a proper body kit made of ABS plastic. Fibreglass is yesterday's news and it comes with varying problems that are just not worth investing regardless the cost of the kit.

I don't think that a body kit being made from fiberglass makes it any less "proper" sir. It's simply not realistic in this situation to create a mold for something that will be a one off, they're very skilled and knowledgeable in the use of their chosen materials and will no doubt choose the best material for the situation. If they want to make more of these kits in recognizing a commercial opportunity and see the benefit in going the ABS route, then that's fine with me. Thanks for your CONSTRUCTIVE input, i'll surely voice your opinion when I meet with them next week.

---------- Post added at 06:27 AM ---------- Previous post was at 06:25 AM ----------

This too... fiberglass is old tech. Atleast my "ebay" Factory Aero kit isn't fiberglass.

Again, I don't appreciate your childish, immature attitude. Keep it to yourself. Constructive feedback only, not interested in your personal issues. Nothing wrong with fiberglass, excellent material.