Nissan Z car
Toyota Supra rival due in 2022 – in US
Nissan has revealed the production version of the new Z sports car, which features a 400bhp twin-turbo V6 powerplant and new retro-infused design.
Previewed in September last year by the Z Proto, the new Toyota Supra rival will be the seventh generation of the Japanese firm’s Z-car line, following the 370Z. It will go on sale in the US next year, but due to what Nissan has previously referred to as “a shrinking European sports car market and specific regulations on emissions”, it won’t be offered in the UK or Europe.
The rear-wheel-drive Z switches from the 3.7-litre V6 of the 370Z to a new 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6, also used in the Infiniti Q60 coupé. As well as delivering 68bhp more power than the 370Z’s engine, the new unit produces 350lb ft of torque at 5600rpm, 30% more than the previous model’s.
Developed under the Z34 model designation, the new
Z is offered with a six-speed manual gearbox or a ninespeed automatic. Both ’boxes have a ‘performance-grade’ launch assist control system and manual models feature a carbonfibre composite driveshaft and a downshift rev-matching function.
Nissan said a key focus for the new Z was to build on the handling traits of previousgeneration models. Chief product specialist Hiroshi Tamura said: “More than just powerful and agile, the all-new Z is designed to be [at] one with the driver, for the car to be a ‘dance partner’ for their on-road adventures.”
Nissan said the new model has better body rigidity than the 370Z, along with a new electronic power steering system and wider front tyres to boost cornering performance. The front and rear dampers use a new monotone shock absorber design, which, Nissan claims, results in a reduction of damping force of around 20% to improve stability. The double-wishbone aluminium suspension has also been revised. Standard models sit on 18in wheels and 19in wheels are fitted to higher-end versions.
Automatic variants will offer Standard and Sport drive modes, with Sport delivering faster acceleration, sportier steering, sound enhancement and revisions to the car’s dynamic control settings.
The new Z features styling elements that echo the original model, which went on sale in 1969, and it maintains the long bonnet and short rear that are hallmarks of the Z model line. Nissan design boss Alfonso Albaisa said the new design is intended to “travel between the decades, including the future”.
The new coupé gains LED headlights, which feature two half circles that reference those of the 1970s Fairlady 240ZG, while the design of the front of the car has a profile based on the original model. There is also an aerodynamically honed front splitter and higher-end Z Performance models also feature a rear spoiler.
The interior is intended to blend modern technology, including an 8.0in infotainment touchscreen, with classic Z design elements. There is an analogue driver display set-up and Nissan said it sought advice from racing drivers to hone the interior layout. This move, it added, is apparent in the configuration of the 12.3in customisable digital display.
The Z will be launched in the US market with Sport- and Performance-grade models, with the latter featuring 19in wheels and extra bodywork elements. A limited-edition Z Proto Spec will be offered at launch, complete with yellow brake calipers, bronze aluminium alloy wheels and other bespoke styling elements inspired by the prototype. In the US, it is expected to cost around $40,000 (£29,000).
The Japanese-market version of the car, which will be called the Fairlady Z to continue the nomenclature used by previous generations, will be revealed later this year.