New Nissan Z car could get massive power for rangetopper

Wednesday, 6 May 2020

It's a pretty poorly kept secret that Nissan is working on a successor to the ten-year-old 370Z. Last we heard, the new Z car would use the twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 from the Infiniti Q60 and make just shy of 300kW, or 400 horsepower to give it the 400Z moniker. Now it looks like the wick could be turned up to 358kW for a range-topping 480Z.

The rumour comes from Japan's Spyder7, which doesn't cite a source so take this with even more salt than usual.

Tantalisingly, the Japanese report adds that a Nismo version will touch 500hp (372kW), which would put the lighter Z car within spitting distance of the aging GT-R. The elder sports car currently makes 421kW in base trim or as much as 447kW in Nismo form.

The next-generation Nissan Z car could look something like this.

The Z naming scheme has changed slightly, with the numeric part referring to the car's horsepower. Previously, the numbers were linked with engine displacement, with the 240Z using a 2.4-litre straight-six and the 350Z using a 3.5-litre V6.

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The 400Z will supposedly take styling cues from previous Z cars like the 240Z and bring them into the modern age.

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According to an earlier report from Autocar UK, the 400Z will get a manual option for the enthusiasts as well as the two-pedal version to please both sides of the coin. Performance should be a notch quicker than the 1700kg Infiniti Q60 Red Sport which can crack 100kmh in about 4.6 seconds with its seven-speed automatic.

The official debut of the 400Z could happen within the next twelve months, although with coronavirus still doing its thing, that could be pushed back. The sports car could be one of the first to wear Nissan's new corporate badge, along with the fresh new Z logo that was recently trademarked.

Rumour has it the styling of the 400Z will hark back to the original 240Z with modern cues. The interior will be completely revamped compared to the 370Z as well. Hopefully, it'll look a bit like these renders by Leyang Bai.

Additionally, Nissan is working on a successor to the GT-R, which has been around since 2007. We'll be waiting a bit longer for that one though as development has stuttered in the powertrain department and Nissan's Carlos Ghosn-shaped woes have put a sizeable dent in the company's bank account. And that's before accounting for the economic smack coming from coronavirus.