Bad News for Fans of the Nissan Z
A new Nissan Z is coming, that we know for sure based on an official teaser posted by the company in May. But with Nissan going through some serious financial troubles right now, the redesigned sports coupe is clearly not among its top priorities.
According to British website Auto Express, the reveal will take place in late 2022 with sales to begin in 2023. For all Z fans out there, this is pretty disappointing, especially since the current generation dates back to… 2009.
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In other words, the launch of new Nissan Z will come 14 years after the old one. In the auto industry, it’s an eternity. And by the way, the almighty GT-R is just as old, having first been introduced in North America as a 2009 model.
What do we know so far about the future generation? Not much, sadly. It’s expected to be called “400Z,” a nod to the new twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 that would generate 400 horsepower. It’s the same engine found in the Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400 and it would be a huge improvement over the 332 horsepower delivered by the naturally aspirated 3.7-litre V6 in the 370Z.
It looks like electrification is not part of the plan for Nissan’s smaller coupe.
As for styling, all signs point to the Z retaining a familiar silhouette while incorporating a larger front grille and heritage-inspired design cues like the more circular headlights. The taillight treatment will be different, too.
The Nissan 400Z will directly rival the Toyota GR Supra and the next-gen Ford Mustang, which is also expected to debut in 2022 as a 2023 model.