Next Z car looking straight at the Porsche Cayman

[autom?vel]

Auto Express

Nissan Raises Stakes On Z-car

Dmand for Nissan's 350Z has never been greater, but that hasn't stopped the firm from thinking about its next generation of sports cars. As well as preparing a facelifted 350Z Roadster for launch early next year, the company has revealed plans for its replacement, due in 2009.

The former, pictured in this week's mag, is mechanically identical to the current car, but will get new-look headlamps, LED tail-lights, a revised front bumper and increased specification for no extra cost.

But it's the latter news which will really excite enthusiasts. The new car will take the current 350Z and add a more involving chassis and punchier engine. Olivier Paturet, chief product specialist at Nissan, told Auto Express he wanted the next Z to be a more hardcore machine, targeted squarely at Porsche buyers.

"We've seen what Porsche is doing with the Cayman, and I would like our new car to have more power, less weight and be more driver-focused," he said. "There's certainly a market in Europe for such a machine - it's simply a matter of convincing our US and Japanese divisions that this is the way forward."
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Well, they've convinced me.   :P  

[El Barto]

450z?   :o  

[Raza]

Screw the V8, give me twin turbochargers!

[giant_mtb]

450z?   :o

That would probably make it ridiculously expensive and it would be alienating it's original customers who bought the previous Z cars...and the reason they bought them was for a good reliable car for a relatively cheap price that could keep up with the best of the class out on the track...giving it a V-8 is overkill, IMO.

[footoflead]

Screw the V8, give me twin turbochargers!

Give me a V8 w/ twins   B)          

[Submariner]

Screw the V8, give me twin turbochargers!

Give me a V8 w/ twins   B)        

V8?  Meh...pathetic.  



This is where it's at.    

[280Z Turbo]

I wish it would get a straigh six again. It won't, but I wish it would. Nissan is known for great inline sixes.

V6s are more space efficient, but there is an undeniable appeal when it comes to straight sixes. V6s are fine in minivans, but I'd like something a bit more exotic in a sports car.

[Raza]

I wish it would get a straigh six again. It won't, but I wish it would. Nissan is known for great inline sixes.

V6s are more space efficient, but there is an undeniable appeal when it comes to straight sixes. V6s are fine in minivans, but I'd like something a bit more exotic in a sports car.

There's nothing exotic about a straight six--rare doesn't mean exotic, otherwise an inline 5 would be exotic.  

The V6 is more space efficient (remember the M3's 3.2L I6 is about the size of an LS1) and the main advantage to an I6 is smoothness--not necessary in a sporting car.

[280Z Turbo]

I prefer inline sixes for a number of reasons. Durability, spark plug access, the bassy tone (better than a V6 for sure), and the fact that there's only head, one exhaust manifold, etc. They're so nice to tune and work on.

Just about everything has a V6, so it doesn't really interest me. It's like going to a hot rod show where every car has a Chevy 350 and slushbox. A deuce roadster with an old Flathead Ford will likely attract more attention because it stands out from the crowd. Of course, it's less efficient, but it's fun, it's different, it's cool! Last time I checked, that was the whole reason for having a fun car!

You're a new car fan, so you probably don't care about most of that stuff.

[JYODER240]

2009 seems too far away  

[SaltyDog]

SooooooooooOOOOOoooooooooo underpowered.

[footoflead]

2009 seems too far away

thats what i thought in 2002(thinking about grad year in 2007) now its just around the corner..and i have no idea where all that time went  

[Run Away]

I wish it would get a straigh six again. It won't, but I wish it would. Nissan is known for great inline sixes.

Nowadays, Nissan is more known for their great V6s.

I prefer inline sixes for a number of reasons. Durability, spark plug access, the bassy tone (better than a V6 for sure), and the fact that there's only head, one exhaust manifold, etc. They're so nice to tune and work on.

All good reasons for sure (except the sound one - think of what a 350Z or G35C sounds like  B) ) but you have to look on the other side of things:
The engine is more compact, and how many people actually will change their spark plugs, remove the intake or exhaust manifold, or even the head?
Barely any. THey'll get a dealership to do it.
So for the average consumer, and also for Nissan, it makes more sense to use a V6.

Makes more money for the dealers that work on them too, the more complicated it is, the more they can charge.

[280Z Turbo]

Nissan is still known for inline sixes. Case in point:


Remember I gave reasons why I like straight sixes. Not why everybody else should.

Don't think that straight sixes are out-dated, though. BMW still uses inline sixes, and they are considered to be among the best engines in the world. Plus, BMWs are still compact and well-balanced.

I can't remember how it sounds off the top of my head, but a lot of people think the VQ sounds like crap because of resonance.

You're a Honda fan, so you must have acquired a taste for that. :P

[Run Away]

The stock exhaust on 350Zs sounds wonderfull. I'll let anyone else who has heard one here chime in.

My point is, inline 6s is nissan back in the 60s, 70s and 80s.
Now, they're V6 people, so that's what they're more recognized for. Maybe not in the Z community, but elsewhere it is.
Case in point: The new skyline is ditching the R26 (as you pictured) for....a twin turbo V6.

Lastly, I never said I6s were outdated. Just that Nissan has moved on from them.

[MX793]

Nissan is still known for inline sixes. Case in point:


Remember I gave reasons why I like straight sixes. Not why everybody else should.

Don't think that straight sixes are out-dated, though. BMW still uses inline sixes, and they are considered to be among the best engines in the world. Plus, BMWs are still compact and well-balanced.

I can't remember how it sounds off the top of my head, but a lot of people think the VQ sounds like crap because of resonance.

You're a Honda fan, so you must have acquired a taste for that. :P

It's a shame the RB series is dead, leaving Nissan with no current inline 6 in their bag of tricks.  I like I6s, but Vs do have some advantages.  If the current Z used an inline 6, it would likely be more front heavy as they wouldn't be able to situate the longer engine completely behind the front axle as they have managed to do with the V.

[280Z Turbo]

I never said you said that they were outdated. You didn't say that, so why would I say that you said that? Many people would say that however, so I was just making a general comment.

[280Z Turbo]

If the current Z used an inline 6, it would likely be more front heavy as they wouldn't be able to situate the longer engine completely behind the front axle as they have managed to do with the V.

That's why I mentioned BMWs. If they're known for 2 things it's precise poise and balance and amazing inline sixes.  

[Run Away]

I never said you said that they were outdated. You didn't say that, so why would I say that you said that? Many people would say that however, so I was just making a general comment.

I know you didn't say that I said that inline 6s were outdated....

I was just covering my own ass in case someone walked into here and read through quickly. :P

[Run Away]

BMW does alot of wierd stuff. Stuff like using MacPherson stuts instead of (what many people consider superior) unequal length double A-arms.
Hell, using MacPherson stuts + I6 is kind of stupid....MacPherson struts are mostly used on FWD cars to save space. Not only are BMWs RWD, the inline 6 configuration means a long hood, with plenty of space on either side of the block.

You'll notice BMW also never wins any interior space awards.
But they make it all work nicely.

[giant_mtb]

The stock exhaust on 350Zs sounds wonderfull. I'll let anyone else who has heard one here chime in.
...

[chime] I absolutely love the exhaust note on 350Z's... :o [/chime]  

[Fire It Up]

The stock exhaust on 350Zs sounds wonderfull. I'll let anyone else who has heard one here chime in.
...

[chime] I absolutely love the exhaust note on 350Z's... :o [/chime]

My sisters friends dad has a G35 6 speed. Absolutely amazing sound.

[Fire It Up]

And personally, I think if they want to up the Z, they should get the power N/A or supercharge it. Those S/C Stillen Z's are pretty awesome.

[Raza]

I prefer inline sixes for a number of reasons. Durability, spark plug access, the bassy tone (better than a V6 for sure), and the fact that there's only head, one exhaust manifold, etc. They're so nice to tune and work on.

Just about everything has a V6, so it doesn't really interest me. It's like going to a hot rod show where every car has a Chevy 350 and slushbox. A deuce roadster with an old Flathead Ford will likely attract more attention because it stands out from the crowd. Of course, it's less efficient, but it's fun, it's different, it's cool! Last time I checked, that was the whole reason for having a fun car!

You're a new car fan, so you probably don't care about most of that stuff.

I love old cars, just not hot rods.  I don't understand the attraction (just like rice).

[Raza]

The stock exhaust on 350Zs sounds wonderfull. I'll let anyone else who has heard one here chime in.
...

[chime] I absolutely love the exhaust note on 350Z's... :o [/chime]

Sounds even better from the driver's seat with the top down, I can tell you that for sure.  

[280Z Turbo]

I prefer inline sixes for a number of reasons. Durability, spark plug access, the bassy tone (better than a V6 for sure), and the fact that there's only head, one exhaust manifold, etc. They're so nice to tune and work on.

Just about everything has a V6, so it doesn't really interest me. It's like going to a hot rod show where every car has a Chevy 350 and slushbox. A deuce roadster with an old Flathead Ford will likely attract more attention because it stands out from the crowd. Of course, it's less efficient, but it's fun, it's different, it's cool! Last time I checked, that was the whole reason for having a fun car!

You're a new car fan, so you probably don't care about most of that stuff.

I love old cars, just not hot rods.  I don't understand the attraction (just like rice).

Well I just used that for the sake of the argument.

I think it would be sweet to have a bare-bones, traditional, flathead powered deuce roadster someday. But I must agree that those over-chomed, slushbox cruisers are stupid.