What really matters about the just-unveiled Nissan Z Proto: According to the world-wide digital unveiling, the prototype features a six-speed manual transmission behind a twin-turbo V6.
After that, does anything else matter? Scroll down for the full release.
YOKOHAMA, Japan – Th…
But will the manual actually make it to "'Merica!"? Could be that dealers don't order any that way and tart them all up to top of the line models with tons of ADM so that no enthusiast actually would own one...
Edit: Or maybe I'm just cynical in my old age...
Looks fantastic!
Looks good to me. Let's see how the real version stacks up when it actually comes out.
I like it more than the current 370 or past 350. Or pretty much any Z model since the 240 - which is what they are obviously aiming for.
I am cautiously optimistic that cars like this - mainly a weekend car for most buyers - could start to see more manual transmissions. Why? Well, for the same reason the GMA T-50 supercar has an H-pattern manual - because more buyers are are less concerned with all-out performance (that they can't really use anyway) and more about the driving experience.
If they can deliver it close (enough) to that prototype I'm am completely on board. Thank god they're giving it a manual. I'm sort of shocked Nissan of all companies is doing that when other manufacturers and left it off their dedicated sports car platforms (looking at you GM & Toyota). With turbos on the engine I wonder if it'll be in the same price category as the 370 or knocking on GR Supra territory?
Rooting for this car to be successful.
Hope it looks like that at production, and keeps the stick.
How about an 'entry-level' car with a NA V-6? Turbo cars don't make very good club racers, too much heat.
dxman92 said:Looks good to me. Let's see how the real version stacks up when it actually comes out.
I hope this does not happen.
Red5 said:How about an 'entry-level' car with a NA V-6? Turbo cars don't make very good club racers, too much heat.
Since Nissan has a "Super car" something along these lines would be nice. Make it simple, give it power, make it handle.
A V6 Nissan version of a BRZ/FRS.
Red5 said:How about an 'entry-level' car with a NA V-6? Turbo cars don't make very good club racers, too much heat.
And it hurts sales. Granted the timing was poor as well, but Mazda really shot themselves in the foot when the 3rd generation RX-7 was only available as a twin turbo. So overall production was really low, which makes all the non-drivetrain parts expensive.
For some reason I like that a lot more than I do the regular 370 or the GTR. Maybe it is the 240Z-like rear aspect? I like the front, the back but not the black top that makes it look like a Jaguar.
It would be interesting to know what the gears are - did they go for useful performance like BMW with 5th being direct and 6th a reasonable (i.e. a useful OD of around 0.8) or will they do the rather silly American thing of sticking in a ratio for 5th that is good only for bragging rights in fuel economy tests (usually around 0.6), but pretty useless for performance purposes?
Pete. (l33t FS) said:Red5 said:How about an 'entry-level' car with a NA V-6? Turbo cars don't make very good club racers, too much heat.
And it hurts sales. Granted the timing was poor as well, but Mazda really shot themselves in the foot when the 3rd generation RX-7 was only available as a twin turbo. So overall production was really low, which makes all the non-drivetrain parts expensive.
I get wanting something simpler and more reliable for the track. I won't argue there.
The flip side of the sales argument is that they've already done the NA V6 thing and it's constantly derided as overpriced and underpowered compared to the stang & crammit V8s. You can probably also blame the age of the 370 platform, but you're always going to have people shopping on hp/dollar ratio. If your point(s) are to offer both then that would be cool, but also more expensive to launch and maintain for Nissan. I guess I'd be surprised if they would go to the trouble.
Pete. (l33t FS) said:Red5 said:How about an 'entry-level' car with a NA V-6? Turbo cars don't make very good club racers, too much heat.
And it hurts sales. Granted the timing was poor as well, but Mazda really shot themselves in the foot when the 3rd generation RX-7 was only available as a twin turbo. So overall production was really low, which makes all the non-drivetrain parts expensive.
Maybe, but my WAG is having to run another powertrain through the Federalization process is why companies are leery of offering multiple engine options for low production models.
Pete. (l33t FS) said:Red5 said:How about an 'entry-level' car with a NA V-6? Turbo cars don't make very good club racers, too much heat.
And it hurts sales. Granted the timing was poor as well, but Mazda really shot themselves in the foot when the 3rd generation RX-7 was only available as a twin turbo. So overall production was really low, which makes all the non-drivetrain parts expensive.
I never thought about the FD like that. Yeah that was a tragedy, a 200 hp naturally aspirated FD would have been amazing.
Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:Pete. (l33t FS) said:Red5 said:How about an 'entry-level' car with a NA V-6? Turbo cars don't make very good club racers, too much heat.
And it hurts sales. Granted the timing was poor as well, but Mazda really shot themselves in the foot when the 3rd generation RX-7 was only available as a twin turbo. So overall production was really low, which makes all the non-drivetrain parts expensive.
Maybe, but my WAG is having to run another powertrain through the Federalization process is why companies are leery of offering multiple engine options for low production models.
This is also true, and not just for certification.
All the same, imagine if the only SW2x MR2s that Toyota sold were turbo, at $70k a pop.
It's amusing to me how some are comparing the looks to the F-Type. Well... consider the F-Type is something of a throw-back to the E-Type - which was more or less what Nissan was aiming for when they styled the original 240Z. So it would seem natural that some 50 years later, the descendants would still share some of the same styling DNA.
Another amusing tid-bit I just read: When the 370Z hit Nissan showrooms, Chevy was still selling the C5 Corvette.
In reply to Ian F (Forum Supporter) :
I agree, I have always thought that the F-Type looked so good because it looked so much like a modern rendition of the 240Z. Even more styling queues if you look at the new Z from all angles, even a little bit of the new Mustang from the side profile. Here is the link to the whole video. Start at 4:40 to avoid the deadspace at the beginning.
https://www.thenissannext.com/en/z-proto.html
Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:Another amusing tid-bit I just read: When the 370Z hit Nissan showrooms, Chevy was still selling the C5 Corvette.
370Z came out in 2009. That was well into the C6 run. 370Z is old, but not that old.
I would take one of these in a heartbeat.
I am hoping like crazy to see a near carbon copy of this on the roads of the USA soon! Only change I'd advocate is to soften up the rectangular front grill somehow. Other than that, spot on, Nissan !!! Oh, and please keep the MT !!!!!!
turtl631 said:Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:Another amusing tid-bit I just read: When the 370Z hit Nissan showrooms, Chevy was still selling the C5 Corvette.
370Z came out in 2009. That was well into the C6 run. 370Z is old, but not that old.
I didn't back-check the article I read, but the timeline did seem off.
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