New Nissan Z Could Have Retro-Inspired Design And 400 HP

Nissan is working on a new Z and details are starting to emerge about the upcoming sports car.

Autoblog spoke to several dealers who have seen the model and they said it will feature a “heritage-inspired design” that goes back to the Z’s roots.

Details are limited, but the publication says the model will get a retro-inspired front fascia that recalls the 240Z. As part of the makeover, the car is slated to feature a squared off grille and circular headlights.

Also Read: It’s Finally Happening! Nissan Spied Working On A New Z Sports Car

The retro styling cues will continue out back, but they won’t be as old school as the front fascia. Instead, the model is expected to have taillights that echo those on the 300ZX.

While the front and rear fascia will receive significant changes, the overall shape and silhouette will reportedly remain similar to the current model.

Inside, we can expect an all-new interior that adopts a modern infotainment system. It should also come standard instead of the current setup where the infotainment / navigation system is reserved for Sport Touring and above variants.

Unfortunately, it’s not all good news as the cabin is expected to follow in the footsteps of the Altima. This means we can expect higher quality materials, but it’s unclear if the current model’s sporty touches will survive.

Under the hood, we expect a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 engine. That isn’t too surprising as Infiniti already has a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 that produces 400 hp (298 kW / 406 PS) and 350 lb-ft (474 Nm) of torque.

The engine is slated to be paired to a nine-speed automatic transmission, but a manual is also rumored. That could be possible as Nissan unveiled the Project Clubsport 23 at the 2018 SEMA Show. It featured the twin-turbo 3.0-liter VR30DDTT V6 engine paired to a six-speed manual sourced from a 370Z Nismo.

However, at the time, Nissan noted this was a challenge as the engine had “never been coupled to a manual transmission.” As a result, MA Motorsports had to “develop a clutch disc, cover and flywheel assembly to complete the transition all the way back to the NISMO GT LSD Pro-Carbon 2-way differential.” The company also noted “much time” was spent making sure the engine and transmission “properly communicated” with each other.

The report also says sources suggested the upcoming Nismo variant could have around 500 hp (373 kW / 507 PS). Of course, there’s no word on specifics and that number – as well as everything else – should be taken with a grain of salt.