Nissan Z Proto unveil

I don't hate it and I think it looks a lot better then the Supra. Also big things over the Supra not made by BMW and has a proper gearbox. Also I think it looks a lot better then a Mustang.

I think it looks great from the side profile. There it reminds me of the F-type, which in copy Jag styling cues is in the spirit of what they did with the 240z. There's something funny going on with the front profile. I'm not sure if the color is affecting things. I really like that they went with clean lines, but as others have said it almost seems like there's a lack of detail at the front, an almost unfinished look.

We should all be thankful that Nissan decided to push out a new Z. This kind of car is key to our shared interests. Manual transmission too. Other than the next gen 86/BRZ, this might be the last new design with a manual transmission.

In terms of power, weight, etc., they're sharing bits with the Infiniti stuff. I think a reasonable guess would be ~400hp +/-20hp and 3400lbs +/-100lbs.

I'm not thrilled that they made it longer. I think one of the important improvements from 350z -> 370z was making it smaller. Short wheelbase is fun.

I thought it was cool the CEO showed a picture of himself when he was younger and had a Z.   Hopefully he can make it happen.  
 

What did the past guy drive?  A green Mini Cooper?

93EXCivic said:

I don't hate it and I think it looks a lot better then the Supra. Also big things over the Supra not made by BMW and has a proper gearbox. 

Yup!

I think it looks great.  I also really like that they're not forcing extra creases and fake vents as seems to be the current trend in Japanese automotive design (Civic Si I'm looking at you).  

In a sea of CUV's and Trucks, the fact they're bringing a sporting coupe to market with fairly clean lines and a proper manual makes me smile.  

mtn (Forum Supporter) said:

I need to see more pictures in different colors. In the yellow that I've seen, it looks like a 64-bit rendering of the car. Not a fan yet, but I could be.

They need to offer some classic 1970s colors (Richard Nixon green and Roger Waters orange)and the Z32 TT , pearl yellows and whites. In fact Can I PayPal somebody to photoshop a new Z with this crusty ass green paint and GRM livery? I want to visualize a new one when it's abandoned in 40 years. 

crankwalk (Forum Supporter) said: 

Remember these are twin turbo and so any opening will be jam packed with front mounted intercoolers very soon after purchase.

Which would be awesome except that I guarantee 50% of that opening will be solid fill with fake shadow lines over it to look like an intake.  And you won't even be able to open it up because the core support will be right behind it.

Looking at it with fresh eyes, I like the subtle work on the hood but that paint does not showcase it very well at all. I don't love the rear end, I want to see more yellow back there and less black both above and below the taillights. The black bubble top is still hideous to my eye, way too Tesla-y and out of nowhere. Reminds me of researching a new cell phone, glass is NOT a "premium" material. With the exception of that ugly roof, I really dig what they're doing with this car and I applaud them for seeming to stay true to the originals. 

I wouldn't buy one, mostly because I have no room for another car and they'll assuredly price this well out of my modest range. If they fixed the roof, and the designers keep that retro inspiration, I could see myself eyeing one. 

JoeyM said:

Jesse Ransom said:

Having seen the side view, that's way too little greenhouse. By miles.

...and a bit more greenhouse would let them mirror the pretty curve in the 240 roofline more closely

Which would give it an unacceptably high, by modern standards, drag coefficient.

Duke said:

crankwalk (Forum Supporter) said: 

Remember these are twin turbo and so any opening will be jam packed with front mounted intercoolers very soon after purchase.

  And you won't even be able to open it up because the core support will be right behind it.

 

When has hacking a core support ever stopped any other Japanese car from a big intercooler? Lol somebody will find a way

So overall I like it, but what is the market for this car. What is it going to compete with, Mustang? I don't see this being successful for Nissan other than maybe a halo car.

D2W said:

So overall I like it, but what is the market for this car. What is it going to compete with, Mustang? I don't see this being successful for Nissan other than maybe a halo car.

I could see this being a mustang/Camaro/ civic type r/ STI alternative. The guy who wants something great for 40k and not cross shopping BRZs or 911s. That's a pretty good space. GTRs will be the halo and that's been pretty consistent for the last 50 years.

crankwalk (Forum Supporter) said:

D2W said:

So overall I like it, but what is the market for this car. What is it going to compete with, Mustang? I don't see this being successful for Nissan other than maybe a halo car.

I could see this being a mustang/Camaro/ civic type r/ STI alternative. The guy who wants something great for 40k and not cross shopping BRZs or 911s. That's a pretty good space. GTRs will be the halo and that's been pretty consistent for the last 50 years.

I agree, I would likely take one of these over a current Mustang/Camaro/Civic/etc... so long as they keep the pricing competitive. I would love to see them offer a stripper base model, or even just a barebones option, and embrace the aftermarket. I could see a lot of these showing up to track days as a lighter/cheaper alternative to Camaros and 'Vettes. (And better looking, too)

Wow, you guys are a harsh crowd.   One day its why doesn't anyone build a rwd coupe anymore, to no one will buy this.     I kinda like it.  The fact that anyone wants to build a V6 manual coupe is good news in my opinion, and I don't mind the looks.  I'm sure there will be tweaks when it is released.  I would like to know the price to understand where it fits in the market.  Personally, I don't think the Mustang is the same however, as I would not consider one if I were shopping for this type of car.  I still think it is going to be either selling against lower end cars like the Miata and 86 twins, or upmarket against the Supra, Z4, Cayman crowd.  It will probably lie somewhere in between like the 370Z does currently.   Having owned and cross shopped Mustangs, they really are not the same kind of car at all, nor are the buyers usually the same type.  Not a slam at all, but they are different.  Different tools for different uses.  As good as they have become, Mustangs are still a big car that drives like a big car.  I'm hoping the new Z is far more like a twin. 

racerdave600 said:

Wow, you guys are a harsh crowd.   One day its why doesn't anyone build a rwd coupe anymore, to no one will buy this.    

That's kind of my takeaway from this thread. It's got more power than a Frisbee (which all you guys complain about being slow), its not laden with funky faux vents and dorky wings like the CTR and Zupr4 (another common gripe) and it has a manual transmission.  The styling has a funky angle or two, but this is just the concept, it might change between now and then, and if it doesn't then the aftermarket will likely cook up all sorts of kits to change the appearance.

In reply to yupididit :

I'd love for Mazda to, but they're cash strapped and running out of potential dance partners. With Toyota in bed with BMW and Subaru for sportscars, Honda with GM. A Porsche Mazda partnership on a vehicle would be amazing and the amateur motorsports support from the entities would be outstanding, but Porsche would never do that to VW, even with VW not producing anything rwd. Ford doesn't care about the sportscar market, focusing on pony cars and volume trucks and cuvs instead. And nobody else is liquid enough to go in on such a venture with Mazda. Volvo's chinese ownership group is the only one I could see considering it, but feasibility wise I don't see it happening. If they were to do a rotary hybrid, a partnership with an electric producing, storage and distribution company that's not in the automotive world would make more sense then a partner who's involved with automotive production. 

It’s not an aesthetic monstrosity, from the company that gave us the Juke. It’s got a manual, from the company that likes to stick awful cvts in everything.  Somebody at Nissan knows the Z legacy means something.

It could have been much much worse. It could have been a “sporty” crossover like the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross thing.

It actually looks pretty good and I’m curious to see actual weight and performance numbers for the production version.

Error404 said:

crankwalk (Forum Supporter) said:

D2W said:

So overall I like it, but what is the market for this car. What is it going to compete with, Mustang? I don't see this being successful for Nissan other than maybe a halo car.

I could see this being a mustang/Camaro/ civic type r/ STI alternative. The guy who wants something great for 40k and not cross shopping BRZs or 911s. That's a pretty good space. GTRs will be the halo and that's been pretty consistent for the last 50 years.

I agree, I would likely take one of these over a current Mustang/Camaro/Civic/etc... so long as they keep the pricing competitive. I would love to see them offer a stripper base model, or even just a barebones option, and embrace the aftermarket. I could see a lot of these showing up to track days as a lighter/cheaper alternative to Camaros and 'Vettes. (And better looking, too)

Cheaper, maybe (but probably not, considering the price of a Mustang or Camaro).

Lighter, I hope you are right, but given that the current one is like 3,300 lbs I'm not holding out for a BRZ competitor.   

Still, for $30 grand that's a lot of car if they get it right!

I like it. I really like it.

It's a car I would be interested in shopping when the time comes for me to look at purchasing myself my first 'new, off the lot' vehicle.

Hey, good news, my daughter graduates college in 2025.  Maybe this can be my retirement gift to myself assuming it's out by then.  

In reply to Dave M (Forum Supporter) :

If it's 30 grand with the 6-speed manual and twin turbo V6, it could look like a burlap sack and I'd consider it if it's under 3, 300 lb

Looks cool. How much will it weigh? How much will it cost? How much less is it than a C8?

The smooth voice guy said he had many questions from around the world and he said to let folks ask.  He said many have questions......power train, sales timing, availability......

Then he cut to the people and they asked questions but power train and sales timing never got asked.  

captdownshift (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to Dave M (Forum Supporter) :

I'd consider it if it's under 3, 300 lb

Good friggin luck. 
 

I generally like the looks, which is saying something as I believe every other offering from Nissan (GT-R barely excluded) is competing for ugliest machine of the century. Way better than the Zupra, way way WAY better than the newest Blah-mero. Curious to see how many they sell. 

In reply to barefootskater :

I'm in the minority of loving the Zupra looks, I've said all along that I feel like looks like a Japanese Alfa, and to me at least, that's a good thing. It's definitely more a GT car then a sportscar though. 

captdownshift (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to barefootskater :

I'm in the minority of loving the Zupra looks, I've said all along that I feel like looks like a Japanese Alfa, and to me at least, that's a good thing. It's definitely more a GT car then a sportscar though. 

The new Supra may be one of the few cars that I think looks worst in real life then pictures imo.