Photo: @layersworks on Instagram
Hinted by design chief Alfonso Albaisa three years ago, the seventh-generation Z Car was revealed as a prototype in September 2020. Longer but not wider than Nissan’s outgoing sports car, the 400Z is expected as a 2023 model in late 2022 due to a couple of pressing matters.
First of all, the Japanese manufacturer is getting its business model together after the financially-burdening scandal over Carlos Ghosn and years of razor-thin profit margins. Secondly, but not in the least, Nissan is adapting its European lineup to heavy-handed emissions legislation with hybridized powertrains such as the Qashqai e-Power that’s going to roll out next year.
The 400Z, which is a low-volume model that presents few incentives to be hurried to market, isn’t of the essence for Nissan. It is an enthusiast special, an oddity in the day and age of the crossover utility vehicle and pickup truck. However, the Japanese automaker will make it very special indeed.
Thanks to @layersworks on Instagram, we now have confirmation about what hides under the hood of the Z Proto that previews the 400Z. Based on the design of the engine cover, the piping, and caps, there is no denying that we’re looking at the twin-turbo V6 used by the Skyline for the Japanese market and two Infiniti models that can be optioned with all-wheel drive.
VR30DDTT is how the 3.0-liter motor is called. The all-aluminum construction makes it relatively light over the front axle, and direct injection translates to more than enough suck-squeeze-bang-blow for this displacement. In the case of Red Sport models from Infiniti, make that 400 horsepower (406 PS) at 6,400 rpm and 350 pound-feet (475 Nm) of torque from 1,600 rpm.
As opposed to every application of the VR30DDTT so far, the 400Z will complement the seven-speed automatic of the torque-converter type with a good ol’ manual transmission demonstrated by the chief executive officer of Nissan for a promo video of the Z Proto. Hearsay suggests the 400Z NISMO will belt out 475 horsepower (482 PS) and feature all-wheel-drive, which is a tantalizing proposition if the rumor is actually based on fact.
Why, I hear you ask? Take a walk down memory lane and remember the ratings for the outgoing generation of the GT-R in the first years of production. In other words, Nissan may surprise us with a mini-GT-R that will cost less than $78,000, the starting price of the 2009 model year R35.
The 400Z, which is a low-volume model that presents few incentives to be hurried to market, isn’t of the essence for Nissan. It is an enthusiast special, an oddity in the day and age of the crossover utility vehicle and pickup truck. However, the Japanese automaker will make it very special indeed.
Thanks to @layersworks on Instagram, we now have confirmation about what hides under the hood of the Z Proto that previews the 400Z. Based on the design of the engine cover, the piping, and caps, there is no denying that we’re looking at the twin-turbo V6 used by the Skyline for the Japanese market and two Infiniti models that can be optioned with all-wheel drive.
VR30DDTT is how the 3.0-liter motor is called. The all-aluminum construction makes it relatively light over the front axle, and direct injection translates to more than enough suck-squeeze-bang-blow for this displacement. In the case of Red Sport models from Infiniti, make that 400 horsepower (406 PS) at 6,400 rpm and 350 pound-feet (475 Nm) of torque from 1,600 rpm.
As opposed to every application of the VR30DDTT so far, the 400Z will complement the seven-speed automatic of the torque-converter type with a good ol’ manual transmission demonstrated by the chief executive officer of Nissan for a promo video of the Z Proto. Hearsay suggests the 400Z NISMO will belt out 475 horsepower (482 PS) and feature all-wheel-drive, which is a tantalizing proposition if the rumor is actually based on fact.
Why, I hear you ask? Take a walk down memory lane and remember the ratings for the outgoing generation of the GT-R in the first years of production. In other words, Nissan may surprise us with a mini-GT-R that will cost less than $78,000, the starting price of the 2009 model year R35.
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