Nissan is working on a new Z
and details are starting to emerge about the upcoming sports car. Autoblog
spoke to several dealers who have seen the model and they said it will feature
a “heritage-inspired design” that goes back to the Z’s roots. Details are
limited, but the publication says the model will get a retro-inspired front
fascia that recalls the 240Z. As part of the makeover, the car is slated to
feature a squared off grille and circular headlights.
The retro styling cues will
continue out back, but they won’t be as old school as the front fascia.
Instead, the model is expected to have taillights that echo those on the 300ZX.
While the front and rear fascia will receive significant changes, the overall
shape and silhouette will reportedly remain similar to the current model.
Inside, we can expect an
all-new interior that adopts a modern infotainment system. It should also come
standard instead of the current setup where the infotainment / navigation
system is reserved for Sport Touring and above variants. Unfortunately, it’s
not all good news as the cabin is expected to follow in the footsteps of the
Altima. This means we can expect higher quality materials, but it’s unclear if
the current model’s sporty touches will survive.
Under the hood, we expect a
twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 engine. That isn’t too surprising as Infiniti already
has a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 that produces 400 hp and 474 Nm of torque. The engine is slated to be paired to a nine-speed
automatic transmission, but a manual is also rumored. That could be possible as
Nissan unveiled the Project Clubsport 23 at the 2018 SEMA Show. It featured the
twin-turbo 3.0-liter VR30DDTT V6 engine paired to a six-speed manual sourced
from a 370Z Nismo.
However, at the time, Nissan
noted this was a challenge as the engine had “never been coupled to a manual
transmission.” As a result, MA Motorsports had to “develop a clutch disc, cover
and flywheel assembly to complete the transition all the way back to the NISMO
GT LSD Pro-Carbon 2-way differential.” The company also noted “much time” was
spent making sure the engine and transmission “properly communicated” with each
other.
The report also says sources
suggested the upcoming Nismo variant could have around 500 hp. Of course, there’s no word on specifics and that number – as well as everything
else – should be taken with a grain of salt.
