Nissan has all but confirmed that its upcoming Proto Z sports car will use a manual and turbocharged V6 in its latest preview video. Six days before the car is revealed, the latest clip shows a manual lever displaying an H-pattern gearbox layout with six speeds, to the background noise of what’s almost certainly a turbocharged V6 engine being revved. Good news all round, we’d say, even if no actual official information has been supplied.
As mentioned when the last preview video went out (scroll down for earlier stories), the Proto Z is expected to share its underpinnings and motor with Infiniti’s performance saloons. But the fitment of a manual with that circa-400hp engine will make the Proto Z unique in Nissan and its sister brand’s line-up; and a whole lot more attractive to those who prefer the workload of three pedals, especially if they've been longing for a 370Z replacement.
It’s thanks to that old car’s performance and the capability shown by the V6 in Infiniti’s Q50 and Q60 that we’re so confident the incoming machine will have around 400hp. That would place it smack bang on par with the Audi TT RS, but thanks to rear-wheel drive – also anticipated because of those Infinitis – and the manual, not to mention the Zed car’s unique design, Nissan’s offering looks well placed to play a more substantial role in the segment. But, pleasingly for us lot, it looks like the focus is first and foremost on the enthusiasts.
Previous story: 07/09/2020
Nine days before Nissan pulls the covers off its Z Proto sports car, the manufacturer has posted a video that seems to show a manual gear lever on the transmission tunnel. Oh yes. The blink-and-you’ll-miss-it clip, presumably there to get us all excited about the Z Proto’s gearbox, features an actor’s hand that grabs a lever in the manner of a manual ‘box. It’s the first potentially tangible piece of evidence to back all of the speculation behind Nissan’s upcoming two-door.
The car is also expected to come with a turbocharged V6 engine, borrowed from Infiniti’s Q50 and Q60 performance models with a circa 400hp output. The platform itself is also expected to be shared with those models, making us pretty confident that the Z Proto will be rear-drive, too. A V6-powered, manual rear-drive coupe from Japan is something everyone, not just fans of the Zed lineage, can understand the significance of, especially in 2020.
Aside from the gearbox hint, today’s video does little to prove or disprove the predictions for the model’s technical setup. Earlier previews have shown that its two-door body will place its occupants in the middle, behind an extended bonnet and in front of a taut rear-end. That bodes well for balance and weight distribution, and while much of it looks new, we spot some design influences from the car's forebears, particularly at the rear.
It all has us very excited for what's to come. Rest assured we'll be keeping a close eye on Nissan’s digital channels for any more information in the coming days. All things suggest the 16th September reveal will be one well worth tuning in for.
Original story: 01.09.2020
It's been a long time coming, but now there is confirmation from Nissan that the next Zed sports car - or the Z Proto preview, at least - isn't that far off: all will be revealed on September 16th.
Which, for those of us seduced by front-engined, rear-drive, six-cylinder Nissan sports cars over the past half a century, is excellent news. Because not only have there been some real heroes over the past 50 years - the original 240 and the 350 of 2003 spring to mind - we've been waiting an eternity for a new one. There are 370Zs out there on an '09 plate, fundamentally the same package as is still available with a 2020 registration. And the Zed wasn't without flaws in the first decade of the 21st century, so it's desperately due an overhaul now.
Hopefully this Z Proto will give a good indication on what to expect; all that's seen of it in this video is the vaguest of silhouette and headlight profiles. The vid is instead dedicated to the Zed history, the enormous of amount of heritage and success that Nissan will hope to influence the new car with. Because while there have been some less than great Zed cars, if this new one can combine the best attributes of the good'ns - brawny performance, great looks, fun handling - then you'd have to assume that Nissan would be on to something. Even if the commonly accepted idea of a coupe nowadays seems to have a raised ride height and a kerbweight in excess of two tonnes.
Whether it's a 400Z, electrified or not, a conventional two seater or 2+2, the right blend of Zed characteristics will surely see Nissan right in a new car. We won't know anything more about that car for a couple of weeks, though; best then to settle in and bask in the Nissan sports car heritage. And if 58 seconds is insufficient, then there's definitely permission granted to watch Tokyo Drift as well; after all, it's not every day a new Nissan Zed car is announced...
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