Nissan’s range of Z-cars, or Fairlady Z as some of you may know them, have been with us since the very end of the 1960s and the current offering of the Nissan 370Z is due to hand the baton to an all-new Z-car, the 400Z.
Let's take a closer look at the new Nissan 400Z.
The New 400Z Will Replace The 370Z
While the 370Z has enjoyed a fair share of the market worldwide, it has been on the block for some time now, with the first models hitting the roads way back in 2008. Whilst a replacement model had been hinted at by Nissan in 2018, the rumor mill really fired up when it was reported that Nissan had trademarked two new logos in March 2020.
One was a change to the current Nissan badge, the other a new take on the iconic Z-car logo. A preview of the new Nissan lineup landed on their YouTube channel, complete with a sneak peek at the new Z-car, but we didn’t see a prototype until September of last year.
Throwback Design And Twin-Turbo V6 Engine
Since seeing the prototype, the hype among Nissan fans has been real! And while no definitive specifications or pricing have been released, there is a consensus on what is to be expected.
Like the 370 and 350Z before it, the 400Z is set to have a V6 under the hood, unlike the previous two models however, the new Z will be using a twin-turbo setup. This is due to Nissan using an existing motor from the Infiniti Q60 coupe.
The 3.0 liter twin-turbo V6 engine is likely to be paired for the most part with a six-speed manual transmission which will no doubt utilize rev-matching as the outgoing 370Z does. It's believed an automatic variant will also be available, although no confirmation yet as to what we might see here, it could be a dual-clutch transmission, but there is a likelihood a traditional automatic transmission could make an appearance.
Just looking at the lines of the car you can see hints of its pedigree too. The long muscular front end looks every part a Z-car with the teardrop headlights a definite throwback to this car's great grandad, the legendary 240Z.
Moving to the rear of the car, it is again the lights that take you back in time, the taillights look as though they have been taken straight from a mid-nineties 300ZX. But that’s no bad thing, the 300ZX was the last Z-car that utilized twin-turbos and a 3.0-liter motor and was bestowed with plenty of awards and accolades in its heyday.
A Sporty And Practical, Yet Unexciting Interior
From what we’ve seen of the interior so far, among the most notable changes from previous models would be the lack of analog dials. These have been ditched for a digital version made up of a 12.3” display to replace the speedometer, rev counter, temperature, and fuel gauges, although the analog dials aren’t entirely missing, with a few still being utilized to monitor boost pressure among other things.
The infotainment system is expected to have all the usual features, navigation, Apple car play/Android Auto integration, and even a radio! Otherwise, it has to be said, the interior looks to be somewhat dull. The seats look supportive, as you would expect of a two-seater sports car, but there doesn’t appear to be a great deal of ‘wow factor’ inside the 400Z.
The Nissan 400Z Might Be More Powerful Than The Toyota Supra
The new Z is reportedly going to be priced at around $40,000, around the same price as the current Toyota Supra, reigniting an old rivalry. OK, so the Z isn’t a GT-R, but it certainly looks as though it may be able to hold its own against the modern-day Supra.
Again, whilst no definitive specs have been released it is widely accepted that the 400Z will be producing around 400 horsepower, a decent step up from the 370Z, which is no slouch and produces 339 Horsepower with a 0-60 miles per hour time of 5.2 seconds.
Rumors of an output of 444 horsepower are unfounded, but we can remain hopeful, that said, the Z-car could be more powerful than the Supra with the Toyota putting out 382 horsepower from the 2021 six-cylinder model. It could be lighter too, with a curb weight around 3,250 lbs rumored compared to the Supra which is around 150 lbs heavier.
That said, the Supra can hit 60 miles per hour from a standing start in under four seconds, with an official time of 3.9 seconds. That is quite the target and there no doubt there will be plenty of comparison videos on YouTube soon after the Nissan’s release that should make for some good viewing. Rumors have even started rumbling already in regard to future models, including a convertible and even a Nismo edition.
Not Available In Europe... For Now
There is some bad news regarding the new 400Z though, at least for those across the pond. It is highly unlikely, in fact, it has been all but been confirmed that the 400Z will not be available in Europe. This is solely due to the tighter emissions restrictions in place there, with Nissan unable to meet those requirements with this model. All may not be lost though, alongside the Nismo and convertible models rumored, a Hybrid is also being talked about, which should certainly fit the bill for Nissan Europe and hopefully meet those emissions standards too.