Nissan
- The aged Nissan 370Z sports car’s replacement will be the production version of the Z Proto prototype, unveiled on Tuesday.
- The prototype has a twin-turbocharged V6 and a manual transmission.
- Nissan didn’t release any other specifications about it at this time, but the prototype itself looks great.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
At long last, Nissan has given us a look at the next car in its beloved and iconic Z lineup. This is the new Nissan Z Proto — for now, a prototype of what will replace the aging (but brilliant) 370Z.
Unveiled on Tuesday evening from Yokohama, Japan, the Z prototype wears a shade of pearlescent yellow paint and, to the relief of enthusiasts and Z fans everywhere, maintains the classical, sloped fastback Z design.
Nissan’s Z cars have always represented driver-focused sportiness, but the current Z car, the 370Z, came onto the market in 2009 and has been long criticized for its age. Still, throughout its lifetime, the car has always offered enthusiasts a rewarding driving experience.
The new Z has big shoes to fill, since the car-enthusiast niche is famously a picky and nostalgia-filled one. Nissan was mum on many of the Z Proto’s stats but did mention that it has a manual transmission mated to a twin-turbocharged V6 engine.
Read on to see more of the Nissan Z Proto.
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The eventual production version of the Z Proto will replace the aged Nissan 370Z.
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The Z Proto represents the next chapter in the Nissan Z story, which began with the Datsun 240Z in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
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The prototype wears a pearlescent coat of yellow paint as a tribute to a popular paint available with the first-generation 240Z and 300ZX.
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Nissan also says the rear of the prototype is inspired by 300ZX tail lights.
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From the front, it looks similar to the 350Z from the 2000s.
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Like this guy right here.
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Here’s a closer look at the front grille.
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There will be a powerful, twin-turbocharged V6 beneath the new Z’s long hood.
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Since each generation of Z is more powerful than the last, it’ll probably have at least 332 horsepower, since that’s what the 370Z makes.
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There will also be a manual (!) transmission (!!).
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Nissan did not announce stats or performance figures, however.
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Nissan does currently make a twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V6 in the form of the GT-R’s VR38DETT engine. It would be interesting if the new Z used a version of that engine, though nothing has been confirmed.
When viewed in profile, the similarities to the rest of the Z cars are most striking.
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The Z Proto keeps the classically sloped fastback design and long hood silhouette.
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It wears the Z badge along its B-pillar.
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The hood shape is inspired directly from the original 240Z.
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As are the teardrop-shaped LED headlights.
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The prototype wears 19-inch alloy wheels.
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There are also carbon-fiber trims on the side skirts, front lower lip, and rear valance.
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The prototype is 172.5 inches long (14.4 feet), 72.8 inches wide (6 feet), and 51.6 inches tall (4.3 feet).
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Judging from those dimensions, it sounds low-slung and wide, as a sports car should be.
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The Fairlady badge is a nod to the name Nissan gave to a sports car it exported to the US in the early ’60s — named after the Broadway musical “My Fair Lady.”
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Source: Nissan
Inside, Nissan said it aimed to blend modern technology with vintage Z aspects.
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There’s a 12.3-inch digital information cluster for the driver, along with yellow accents all throughout the cabin.
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The new steering wheel is described as “deep dish” and offering a driver “quick access controls without losing its vintage aesthetic.”
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Keep in mind that the Nissan Z Proto is still just a prototype, though it looks very close to production.
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It’s not immediately clear when we’ll see the production version, but if it’s the same as this prototype, then there’s a lot to look forward to.
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