If true, I suspect it is the beastie, in a large part, behind recent Hassy moves 'to DSLR' the MFDB market.
No issues with the argument re:glass. One could only hope that the new WA G zooms are indicative of what they would plan for their 'tweener. Launching a new glass line - no big a deal, actually less so, for Nikon vs. say Leica. Nikon has the economies of scale. There is also the chance (who knows) that they have an arrangement with another glass player.
This would be in addition to FX. FF is becoming the new APS-C as sensor costs drop, MP counts on same approach MFDB territory and high-ISO ceilings on 24x36 start looking harder and harder.
The MX tactic also gives them the ability to go at Canon from the top-down (until Canon enters anyway) -- snipe higher-end (1DS3esque) users who need/want the MP count on a large sensor and are starting to wonder what they're getting for their $8000 in a (now) 5DII world. With MX, they can do more than go after the 5DII in some stupid price war and have 'more' than the upcoming D3x to go after the 1Ds3 user with. Pick some cream off the top of the Canon installed base for as long as possible. get them switched and invested before Canon gets it's act together.
If anyone is going to give the 'tweener/MFDB markets a hard injection of ice water in their pricing norms, it will be Nikon (or Canon). Their is not the same cache around the name Nikon as there is around Leica, Hasselblad, Mamiya, Sinar, etc and they will have a hard time pricing the gear at the same prices as the S2, lower-MP count Hassy units, etc. Some tough times and consolidation is probably inevitable among the existing MFDB players. I suspect the MX (and whatever Canon eventually releases) will be the Lexus & Infinity (vs. the Ferrari/Bentley/Lambo/Jaguar) of the luxo auto market.
It's actually interesting how Nikon and Leica approach the market re: their respective strengths and weaknesses (greatly simplified):
Leica
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(Pros): Lens reputation, no AA filter CCD (was with great advantage w/R10, but now all MFDBs are sans AA filter, so...).
(Con): Economies of scale (almost bespoke shop), S&S structure/speed, price, distribution network size/presence, electronics in prior models, miniscule installed base of customers (vs. Cankon). Teething issues handling with M8, presence in rental shops.
Nikon
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(Pros) - Economies of scale, distribution network presence, S&S structure, electronics, massive installed base of target customers, new market traction with D3 and D700, presence in rental shops.
(Cons) - Lens quality (but improving with new WA Zooms), AA filters will be a no go - must walk, talk and chew gum like comparable MFDBs.
A marriage made in heaven...