Photo: Akbar Hatta on Instagram
Try to think of classic Japanese sports cars, preferably from the ‘60s and ‘70s. Toyota had the jaw-dropping 2000GT but it’s unfortunately too rare. Mazda wowed with the RX-7, but rotaries have always played second fiddle to conventional engine designs. As for Nissan, it’s worth remembering that both the Fairlady Z and Skyline GT-R entered production in 1969.
Though not as diverse as the pony car scene in America and European exotica like the Porsche 911 and BMW E9, the Japanese were doing their own thing back then. And they still do, setting trends just like the Z car din when it launched for the 1970 model year with a 2.0-liter straight-six mill.
Codenamed Z34, the sixth generation will celebrate 12 years since its reveal in December 2020. A rather old design by modern standards, but nevertheless, the 370Z is a thriller in the twisties and pretty fun in a straight line thanks to a 3.7-liter V6. On paper, the mill is pretty similar in terms of performance to the 3.6-liter engine in the ‘Maro.
However, Nissan can’t stick to this recipe any longer. Look at the GR Supra and other sports cars at this price point or a little bit higher than that, including the C8 Corvette in Stingray flavor. As the headline implies, the 400Z is coming next year with twin-turbo setup and six cylinders in order to fend off the competition.
Previewed towards the end of May alongside all-new and redesigned Nissan models such as the Rogue, the 400Z is understood to ride on an evolution of the FM platform that can be traced back to the V35 Skyline. Even the R35 GT-R uses it, but as opposed to Godzilla, the Z car can be had with a good ol’ manual tranny.
The newcomer, however, may or may not ditch the stick shift. VR30DDTT is how the 3.0-liter engine is called, introduced by Infiniti and capable of 400 horsepower in the Q50 sedan and Q60 coupe. Neither, however, are available with a manual, and both feature gimmicky steering technology in the guise of steer-by-wire.
Given the lack of official information and credible rumors on what hides under the skin of the 400Z, it’s high time we talk about the newcomer’s styling. Taking inspiration from Nissan’s teaser, automotive illustrators Josh Byrnes and Akbar Hatta came up with realistic renderings of the front-engine, RWD sports car.
The profile is probably the most telling part of the vehicle in terms of heritage, combining the sloping roofline and glasshouse of the 370Z with the unmistakable lines of the 240Z that started it all. A more classically correct design than the GR Supra which has one too many fake vents, the Z35 won’t go all retro as far as the finest of details are concerned. The full-LED headlights are proof to that, along with goodies such as Intelligent Cruise Control and so forth.
Of course, the 400Z NISMO will follow suit. Nobody knows what to expect from the go-faster model, but hearsay suggests that 475 horsepower and all-wheel drive (!!!) are on the menu. That’s five ponies shy of the first incarnation of the R35 GT-R, translating to a tantalizing proposition in a car that’s lighter than Godzilla.
Codenamed Z34, the sixth generation will celebrate 12 years since its reveal in December 2020. A rather old design by modern standards, but nevertheless, the 370Z is a thriller in the twisties and pretty fun in a straight line thanks to a 3.7-liter V6. On paper, the mill is pretty similar in terms of performance to the 3.6-liter engine in the ‘Maro.
However, Nissan can’t stick to this recipe any longer. Look at the GR Supra and other sports cars at this price point or a little bit higher than that, including the C8 Corvette in Stingray flavor. As the headline implies, the 400Z is coming next year with twin-turbo setup and six cylinders in order to fend off the competition.
Previewed towards the end of May alongside all-new and redesigned Nissan models such as the Rogue, the 400Z is understood to ride on an evolution of the FM platform that can be traced back to the V35 Skyline. Even the R35 GT-R uses it, but as opposed to Godzilla, the Z car can be had with a good ol’ manual tranny.
The newcomer, however, may or may not ditch the stick shift. VR30DDTT is how the 3.0-liter engine is called, introduced by Infiniti and capable of 400 horsepower in the Q50 sedan and Q60 coupe. Neither, however, are available with a manual, and both feature gimmicky steering technology in the guise of steer-by-wire.
Given the lack of official information and credible rumors on what hides under the skin of the 400Z, it’s high time we talk about the newcomer’s styling. Taking inspiration from Nissan’s teaser, automotive illustrators Josh Byrnes and Akbar Hatta came up with realistic renderings of the front-engine, RWD sports car.
The profile is probably the most telling part of the vehicle in terms of heritage, combining the sloping roofline and glasshouse of the 370Z with the unmistakable lines of the 240Z that started it all. A more classically correct design than the GR Supra which has one too many fake vents, the Z35 won’t go all retro as far as the finest of details are concerned. The full-LED headlights are proof to that, along with goodies such as Intelligent Cruise Control and so forth.
Of course, the 400Z NISMO will follow suit. Nobody knows what to expect from the go-faster model, but hearsay suggests that 475 horsepower and all-wheel drive (!!!) are on the menu. That’s five ponies shy of the first incarnation of the R35 GT-R, translating to a tantalizing proposition in a car that’s lighter than Godzilla.
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