Nissan 370Z Replacement?

After seeming to be content to let the 370Z wither and die and be the last of it's kind, then rumors that the next Z be a hybrid sport crossover, now the rumor (which seems all but confirmed) is that we are getting a proper Z car, internally named the Z35, and already dubbed the 400Z The rumors entail a Z60-based 400hp twin-turbo 3.0L V6, RWD model for 2020, with a 475hp AWD Nismo variation coming in 2021. Hopefully Nissan doesn't beat it too hard with the ugly stick, or make it equipped only with a CVT, or gets the Infiniti steer-by-wire straightened out.

I'll believe it when I see it.

Fortunately Nissan doesn't do the 5-10 year teaser thing so we won't hear promises about it until it goes into concept/production ready state.

In reply to The0retical :

With Tokyo Auto Salon coming up, I'd bet they unveil it then if it's real

In reply to NickD :

I certainly won't hate it if they do bring out a 400hp hybrid monster. Nissan needs a little bit of obtainable fun in their lineup.

In reply to The0retical :

I don't think it'd be hybrid. The Q60 makes 400hp with a regular gas drivetrain, and this is going to be on the Q60 chassis. 

In reply to NickD :

My mind went to the esflow concept from a few years ago. Not sure why, so I had hybrid on the mind (even though the EsFlow was supposedly full electric.)

Sharing a platform with the Q60 wouldn't be a bad thing from everything I've read about them.

In reply to The0retical :

I think the biggest issue with the Q60 platform is the stupid steer-by-wire, which is absolutely devoid of any feedback whatsoever.I have other issues with that system too. What if the module or BUS that the steering module is on goes down or a sensor fails? You just have a car that doesn't steer anymore? Or the alternator dies and you have to coast off the road?

The0retical said:

In reply to NickD :

I certainly won't hate it if they do bring out a 400hp hybrid monster. Nissan needs a little bit of obtainable fun in their lineup.

Agreed.  I liked my 370Z quite a bit, but drove one recently and it does seem pretty dated now  It's no wonder they are dumping them so cheap.  Mine listed for $44k when new in 2011, a similar one now I could have driven off the lot for the low $30's.  If anyone still wants one of the current ones, they were marking them down drastically.  Maybe they are making room for something new.  Nissan doesn't have much these days that I'd walk across the street for.  Even the GTR is getting long in the tooth.

In reply to NickD :

I know for the Q60 there's a failsafe clutch in the column. My understanding is it operates similarly to a relay where it snaps together should a fail condition be detected or if power is off. I do understand the lack of feedback though. 

I haven't had the chance to drive one yet so I don't have too many opinions on it.

Iirc there is a US regulation that the steering wheel still has to be connected to the box. So they still have a column iirc

I had a couple G35s, and I'm a closet Nissan fan, and I think the Q60 is pretty sexy.  But why?  Why the electric steering? What actual reason is there for this bit of tech?  Does it make it easier to tie stability sytems etc together?  Like throttle by wire makes traction control way easier.  Does steer by wire have similar advantages that way?  Or is it tech for the sake of tech?

Interesting.  That TT V6 seemed ripe for dropping in to a Z car.  It would differentiate it from the Camaro and Mustang, although all the Euro cars have turbo 6s (340/m3, s4, c43).  I don't really get the AWD Nismo version, just a watered down GT-R basically?  

doc_speeder said:

I had a couple G35s, and I'm a closet Nissan fan, and I think the Q60 is pretty sexy.  But why?  Why the electric steering? What actual reason is there for this bit of tech?  Does it make it easier to tie stability sytems etc together?  Like throttle by wire makes traction control way easier.  Does steer by wire have similar advantages that way?  Or is it tech for the sake of tech?

Reduced driver fatigue from making constant minor adjustments due to uneven road conditions, not having to steer into the crown of the road, reduced snap back from hitting something like a pot hole, continuously variable steering ratios, and no steering lash among other things.

It's not a bad idea as long as it's properly implemented. Plus you can do cool stuff with it like Quadrasteer.

Also steer by wire let’s you place the wheel trans and motor any where they want with no regard for its relationship to each other. Assembly is made easier and offering a right and left hand drive version of the car is much easier. . 

I’m not confident in nissans ability to not screw it up, but I’m open to being pleasantly surprised.

Why the electric steering? What actual reason is there for this bit of tech?

Like most modern 'features' that are of dubious usefulness for actual human drivers, this is primarily roping humans into involuntary beta testing of autonomous tech. BUT, it does have many many uses such as 'infinitely variable steering ratio', infinitely variable amount (if not quality) of feedback, major packaging freedom, improved stability control functionality, etc etc.  

Other recent articles with quotes from folks at Nissan have suggested the economics simply aren't there for a new Z-car. I tend to think this makes sense. At the moment manufacturers have to invest a ton of money into electric drivetrains and autonomous systems. I don't think there is much money available for a car that amounts to a marketing statement. In the past manufacturers felt that fun cars improved the public's overall impression of their brand. Do all these people moving to crossovers even care about fun cars?

There was a recent rumor that the next Toyota 86 might be on the ND Miata platform. I tend to think that sharing engineering and design efforts might be the only way for affordable sports cars to survive. Perhaps there will only be one platform that each company builds its efforts off of

Even the Mustang and Camaro sales are struggling, but selling the cars globally has helped. GM can amortize Cadillac components to the Camaro, but Ford basically has a dedicated platform for the mustang. Why not share more?

It seems that the Z is headed back the way it went before, getting more powerful, complex, and expensive before getting axed. I would like to see Nissan come up with a BRZ fighter. A resurrected 240sx of some sort

I've read a few articles lately where cars in general are probably under threat.  Ford announced its Lincoln car platforms are halting development, which also includes several Ford platforms I understand.  Sedan sales are flat or shrinking for most companies, and they are moving more towards SUV and trucks, which are up.  They are not the only company considering this from what I have read.  Where is this going to leave cars like the Mustang and 370Z, etc. if all of their shared platforms go away?

In reply to racerdave600 :

Eventually, every manufacturer will just have the same shared platform and the world of GT racing will become spec Miata. Basically, no one wants 31 flavors of ice cream, so there will just be one flavor, and for those that want ice cream, this is it. 

How many buggy manufacturers were out there after  the car killed the horse and buggy?

It all comes down to what people want to buy.  If something is selling well, they will continue to make it, if it doesn't, away it goes.  Cars have become like TV shows, if there aren't instant sales, there's no reason to wait around in case people "discover" it.  I'm in my mid 50's now, and this is probably the biggest shift in transportation since I've been alive.  I don't think it will be one shared platform for all cars, but I think most car companies would like to only have one or two.  This brings up another question and maybe should be a new topic, if autonomous vehicles become the norm, will anyone care what they look life or what you buy?

^ We're not at the autonomous stage yet, but so many vehicles sold now have are odd or unattractive appearances. How many crossovers actually look good? For some reason no one cares. It's sort of the same reason why almost all cars are grey, white, black, silver; people don't care enough to demand something they like, as opposed to something that's good enough.

To the point about Ford's platforms; The conventional wisdom is that all manufacturers should be "full line." If Ford only makes money selling crossovers and trucks, why bother selling cars? If they drop the Fusion and Focus it leaves more room in the market for the likes of Honda and Mazda for their products to flourish and hopefully develop interesting cars. Chrysler has backed off cars, dodge has been relegated to special enthusiast vehicles. Perhaps the future Mustang uses the ATS/CTS platform and transmission to save money. Ford and GM have already co-developed multiple transmission mechanicals, but handled the the control tuning individually. There would be plenty of room to develop a unique vehicle from there.

Engines are another one. Plenty of fun cars like the Z have used engines that are shared with other vehicles from the manufacturer, but why does every company need to develop all of their own engines, particularly when the engine in question is just okay and not engineered to be part of a unique value proposition. Why don't say Nissan, Hyundai and GM all use the same turbo 2.0L I4? That said the tech in the Nissan variable compression ratio engine is pretty cool, it could be unique enough to deserve its own existance, but it doesn't seem to yield much in the way of results.

Part of me thinks Nissan now needs the Z more than ever. What is unique about Nissan? What does it do that would make you want to buy one of it's mainline vehicles? None of its regular vehicles seem to be exceptional in any way. I do like the exterior design language of Infinitis.