08.17.21. Save the date! Remember the Nissan Z Proto concept that was unveiled in September 2020? Well, the Japanese automaker has finally confirmed through Twitter that it would unveil the production version of its next Z sports car on August 17. Nissan has a horrible habit of letting its cars age and go stale, like what happened with the 370Z. So this should be nothing less than a surprise that the new Z car made it to production form in less than a year. (Well done Nissan!)
Nissan’s Z range was introduced in 1969 and has gone through six alterations since its inception. The two-door sports car that will be introduced in August this year will be the seventh-generation Z sports car. Interestingly, not just the Japanese automaker had revealed new Z’s interior layout and details about the car’s features earlier, but it has also spilled beans about the new Z’s powerplant. Oh Boy. Does Nissan have become the Tom Holland of the Car Universe? And on top of that, several leaked pictures of the production-ready Nissan Z 2021 has already found their way to the internet. (God bless these angels with smartphones and internet connection.)
The new-gen Nissan sportscar will replace the current 370Z model that has been in production for nearly 14 years now. And if speculations are true, it will be christened as the 400Z. The leaked pictures of the 2021 Z reveals an incredibly similar design to the Z Proto revealed last year. The sportscar stayed true to the overall design of the prototype and has adopted retro design elements carried over from its elder siblings like the 240Z and 300ZX.
In its yellow paint, the new Z pays homage to the original Z. It retains the charm and sleekness of the original Z, with a roofline that flows from the nose to the squared-off rear. Even the teardrop-shaped headlamp of the sports car and the overall silhouette are reminiscent of the first-gen Z from 1969. Things are a little different on the back though, as the taillights look inspired by 300ZX. The flaring front and rear fenders add aggressiveness to the whole character and the rocker panels feature a carbon fibre lip to contrast the styling lower down on the profile. The carbon fibre treatment on the side skirts and front lower lip only add a complementary contrast to the overall look, so do the 19-inch alloy wheels and dual exhausts. Also reminiscent of previous Z cars is the distinctive hood. I know you all want to know about what’s under this hood.
Well, it is said to be powered from a 3.0 litre twin-turbo V6 engine that’s found on the Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400. However, this engine has been re-tuned to churn out 400 hp of maximum power (the name starts making sense now, isn’t it?) and 475 Nm of torque. For comparison purpose, the outgoing 370Z delivers 332 hp and 366 Nm from a 3.7-litre naturally-aspirated V6 powertrain. While the Nismo version of the outgoing model churns out 350 hp and 374 Nm. So the new Z is going be real fast. With the uprated twin-turbo unit, expect it to do a 0-100 kmph sprint close to four seconds. For transmission, a manual will be offered as standard while an automatic transmission will also be available as an option. The new Z is expected to be presented in only a rear-wheel-drive layout.
The 2021 Nissan Z’s cabin also looks quite familiar to the concept’s with a driver-focused layout, a digital instrument cluster, slim central air-con vents, a large touchscreen and analogue dials atop the centre console. The interior may feel a tad outdated compared to the tech loaded new Tesla and Mercedes, but it looks modern enough in itself. Going by the pictures, the seats look nicely contoured and the upholstery also seems good. We expect it to come with heated functionalities. But we won’t make any ‘bold claims’ right now, we’re not TESLA, so let’s wait it out for another two months when we finally have the official specs sheet on our hands.
Orders for the new Toyota Supra and the BMW Z4 competitor will allegedly begin on Nov. 15, 2021, although with the state of global supply chains, who really knows. Well, we all know what happened to the Bronco deliveries, again and again. Nissan is already clearing out its 370Z stocks from dealerships, but a formal date for deliveries has not been made public. Expect it to be disclosed during the launch event along with the pricing.
India launch? While Nissan did previously offer the 370Z as a halo model between 2010 and 2014, the hopes for the new Z to make it to our shores is very bleak. The automaker currently has two models on sale in India, the Kicks mid-size SUV and the Magnite compact SUV, which is enjoying quite a sale and popularity in the Indian market.
Nissan has plans to roll out 10 new models in 20 months in the global market under its NEXT strategy. Apart from the new Z, this fleet will include the all-new Ariya electric SUV that was recently delayed, the 2022 Frontier and 2022 Pathfinder, and the updated Armada and Kicks. The Japanese automaker is aiming to inject some much-needed life into Nissan’s global lineup with its new strategy that will make the brand more competitive, hopefully.
