There is no more demanding job inside Nissan than designing the next Z. Nissan's financial future may or may not rest on the success of the Z, but its image most certainly does. The Z is far more than a car, it is an icon--a car that excites the American public like no other car Japan has ever offered--a car with a history that would be the envy of any other carmaker. Over 26 years of production, over a million people bought Zs, and there is a danger in that fact. Every single one of those people will have a different idea of what the next Z should be like. Pleasing everybody is going to be tough.
Performance will make that job easier, though. Horsepower unites all, so let's start with what we know about the powerplant. Not all that much, really. We do know the VQ35DE will be under the hood. Translated, that means a lightweight, all-aluminum, naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6--a larger version of the Maxima's engine. We don't know how much power it will make. The VQ35 has already been built to 260 hp for an upcoming performance model of the Maxima (so the Z will have at least that much power) but that may be pushed closer to 300 by the time it reaches production. The engine will be mated to a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission and will, naturally, drive the rear wheels.
The Z will ride an all-new chassis, but it is a chassis we will see again. Part of Nissan's plan to return to financial solvency has involved consolidating platforms, so there will be only one high-performance rear-drive platform that will likely be the basis of the next Skyline as well as some more accessible sports sedans. Nissan hasn't revealed any specifics about that platform yet, and despite our prying eyes, we weren't able to learn anything by scrutinizing the show car. The car pictured here is really nothing but a styling buck assembled with 240SX parts; the real deal is still hidden from view.
Fake or not, the car shown here is very close in appearance to the production version. The Z, as it sits, is the result of a collaborative effort between Nissan's design studios in La Jolla, Calif., Geretsried, Germany and Atsugi, Japan. After the lackluster reaction to the last Z concept car, it was decided that the design heritage of the two Z cars that both framed and defined the Z, the first 240Z and last 300ZX, had to be retained without actually going retro. There are countless Z styling elements hidden in the new body, but it takes a close look to find them. The C-pillar, for example, recalls the Z32 (the last of the 300ZXs), and the rear window and the roofline from the rear recall the 240Z. The longitudinal creases in the hood recall the long, bulging hood of the 240Z without actually using any of the same shapes. The same is true of the side profile. Somehow, when the light hits the beltline just right, there is a remarkable resemblance to the Z32, though one is hard-pressed to say why.
The styling elements lifted from earlier Zs are not the ones most commonly recognized; it takes someone familiar with the Z to find them. That, in itself, is a sign the Z is moving forward, rather than pandering to nostalgia. With all its history and iconic status, the new Z must be able to stand on its own, and to do that, it must not only look and perform right, it must be affordable. The 240Z's early success in a market suspicious of Japanese industry can be credited to one thing: its cost was half that of its European competition.
Despite the fact that being Japanese is now more asset than liability, price will still determine its success.
Naturally the final price is far from set, but the official word is it will be under $30,000; the best indications are that the real target is as low as $28,000. That would mean the Z could be up to $4,000 cheaper than the already bargain-priced S2000, and would again laughably undercut its European competition like the M Coupe and Boxster.
But will it be able to run with those cars? Answering that question requires a peek into the crystal ball.
The name may not actually be 350Z when it finally reaches showrooms in the spring or summer of 2002, though we are optimistically using that name until we hear otherwise. The rumor mill has brought the name "Z 3.5" to the surface, a label Z purists will no doubt protest strongly. There will also be a convertible version available at the same time. The last Z convertible had significantly reduced performance, compared to the fixed-roof Z, but there is no word yet whether the next Z convertible will be sports car or cruiser.
For production, expect the same basic look, but with smaller fender flares and without the cartoonish, overweight 20-inch wheels. Production cars will come with either 17-inch or 18-inch wheels, and the fender flares will still be big enough to look aggressive. The nose should see some refinement before production as well. The big, bar-and-slat grille should disappear, for example. The basic proportions are correct, though, which means a wide footprint, minimal overhang, and, presumably, good weight distribution. That assumption comes from the short front overhang and the fact that the VQ engine series is compact enough that it should sit largely, if not entirely, behind the front wheel centerline. The VQ's light weight should help as well. There is no word yet on expected curb weight, and the thick, almost chunky styling suggests some undue heft. That may not be the case, however. Steel is lighter than glass, so a big, airy greenhouse doesn't offer the lightness it suggests.
The best hint at the Z's potential, however, came from Nissan vice president of design, Shiro Nakamura. When pressed on whether the Z would compete on an even footing with the 250-hp Boxster S, Nissan North America's vice president of marketing and product planning, Jack Collins coyly admitted that yes, they may make a fair match. Upon hearing that, Nakamura let out an involuntary and somewhat incredulous chuckle, along with a single word.
"Better."