By Andrei Avarvarii
June 9, 2008
The new GT-R from Nissan is a media darling, and deservedly so; a gran turismo with enough usable performance to tackle the Porsche Turbo. My question: does the GT-R still leave room for a smaller sports car like the Z-Series? The 350Z's decreasing sales and the increasing age (five years) tells us that the car will need a replacement soon. Hence Nissan test mules showing slightly longer and wider bodies. This "up-sizing" game has always amused me; the spot left empty by an enlarged car is often filled by a new "compact" model. Anyway, it seems the sixth Z will be a bigger, badder sports carl. I imagine the trademark sharp lines of the Z mixed with carbon-fiber parts (a CFRP roof would make sense), eye-catching LEDs and just a bit of GT-R. Enough to tell the two are brothers but not so much as to make the Z a GT-R wanna be. Let's see if fame runs in the family.
[For more Avarvarii photochopistry, click here]
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POWERED
June 9th, 2008 at 11:33 am
I never understood why a 2-seater would benefit from growing in size.
June 9th, 2008 at 11:42 am
@ carlisimo
More to show off? :)
June 9th, 2008 at 11:44 am
Uggg…that photochop is terrible! Looks like its trying too hard to be a baby GT-R.
As badass as the new GT-R is, it’s not very pretty. The Fairlady on the other hand is pretty damn sexy (for a Nissan).
I hope the Z stays close to the current size, keeps it’s pretty flowing lines, and maybe sheds a couple of hundred pounds.
June 9th, 2008 at 12:23 pm
“Slightly longer”? All the spy reports (and spy shots) show the next gen Z losing a couple of inches in the wheelbase.
June 9th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
It looks like there is a new trend in Nissan’s head lights design(see the new maxima sedan). I’ll bet you the 350Z and any new nissan model will follow that. I guess you should include that in your chops.
June 9th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
What, no ugly-ass Z-shaped slash in the headlights?
June 9th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
“…does the GT-R still leave room for a smaller sports car like the Z-Series?”
Why wouldn’t there be room for a sports car that provides a majority of the fun for half the price (not including dealer markup) of the GT-R? If the GT-R brings people into a Nissan dealer, those customers could walk out with a Z car instead (Unlike Lexus with the LF-A where, if the LF-A brings people into a dealership, there is nothing resembling a “LF-A Lite” for those that can’t afford one).
June 9th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
The Fairlady is still a great eye catcher whenever you see one on the road. That was an impressive, time-standing design.
June 9th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
I miss the third-gen RX-7. Rather than go for a fat, 300ZX/Corvette-style big GT, Mazda made it smaller, leaner, and meaner. Granted, they went a little too far in some areas — fragile paint, punishing ride (at least the R1), suspension that wouldn’t stay bolted together, terrifying wet-road handling — but it was sleek, gorgeous, and wicked fast. The current Z isn’t a bad-looking car, but it looks like a linebacker, not sprinter, and fails to inspire lust.
June 9th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
I am a fineschmecker! Give me a Nissan Gt-R v-spec sibling under infiniti . The weight you save on v-spec, could be used on infiniti version luxury gizmos! I guess, I am toooo pervert.
June 9th, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Autocar says the new 370 Z will have a shorter wheelbase.
Also, Nissan is planning a $25k RWD Silvia replacement to take on the Toyobaru coupe.
So, it’s actually getting somewhat smaller in the name of improved handling, despite the development of a smaller, cheaper RWD offering. I’d say the signs point to Nissan heading in the right directions.
June 10th, 2008 at 7:26 am
@Edward
Yeah, I heard the same thing as well about the Z getting a shorter wheelbase. Nissan did the same thing with the Maxima and resisted increasing all but the width of the car to enhance the driving dynamics. I hope Nissan does the same with the [370]Z.
June 10th, 2008 at 11:46 am
@ Paul Niedermeyer
In here it looks longer and wider.
@ incitatus
The Z models are usually quite distinct. I sure hope the lights of the future Z will look nothing like those on the new Maxima. That’s an example of highly perishable design.