Nissan has announced it will stop production of the Fairlady Z Roadster (sold as the 370Z Roadster outside Japan) for the Japanese market on September 30, 2014. Introduced in October 2009 in the country, the open-top version of the 370Z coupe wasn’t really a hit among consumers, with local sales totaling 798 units as of April 2014.
So how will this decision affect the 370Z Roadster’s presence in other markets? Well, at least in the United States, the 2015 model will carry on. “The announcement was for Japanese market only. There is no announcement regarding – and there’s no effect on – 2015 370Z Roadster production for any other market, especially the US,” a Nissan spokesman told Leftlane News.
Following the demise of the roadster, Nissan will focus its efforts on making the Fairlady Z (370Z) coupe more performance-oriented in the few years left before an all-new 370Z takes over.
The first proof came last week with the refreshed 2015 Nissan 370Z Nismo, which is the flagship model of the 370Z lineup. Since its introduction in Japan in 2009, the Fairlady Z Roadster used the same 3.7-liter V6 engine producing 350 hp and 276 lb-ft (374 Nm) of torque as the coupe.
For the next-generation model, Nissan is planning a smaller and lighter vehicle with a downsized engine. This will mark the first time Nissan will reduce the engine’s displacement since the 240Z in October 1969.
By Dan Mihalascu
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