As a young boy, the Nissan 350Z was the epitome of sports cars. When it launched in 2002, winning video game street races in Need For Speed Underground 2 was as close to the real thing as I could get. Fast forward to 2020, and Nissan is still capturing the child within me thanks to the unveiling of the brand new Z Proto. Inspired by its past, the prototype for the next iteration of the Nissan Z is here, and it’s got a manual transmission. Vroom, Vroom baby. Launching off the line with a V-6 twin-turbocharged engine, this prototype vehicle signals Nissan’s intent to revive the legendary Z sports car. Virtually revealed at the Nissan Pavilion in Yokohama, the new Z has been remodelled inside and out. With smooth lines and an even beefier engine, even CEO Makoto Uchida Makoto is excited to announce “the next Z is coming.”
“The Z, as a pure sports car, represents the spirit of Nissan,” said Makoto. A critical model in Nissan’s NEXT transformation plan, Makoto is positioning this new prototype as “proof of [Nissan’s] ability to do what others don’t dare to do, from A to Z.” Paying respect to 50 years of Z heritage, this modern sports car boasts a fresh, attractive exterior design with a silhouette that communicates respect for the original model. From pen to production, the design team in Japan combined “a retro theme with one that also projected futurism”. With a paradoxical design brief in hand, the whole process was made even more “challenging” for Alfonso Albaisa, head of design at Nissan. Ultimately deciding that the Z Proto “should travel between the decades including the future,” Albaisa said the “designers made countless studies and sketches” By researching “each generation and what made them a success,” the Proto Z features unmistakable reminders of the original. From the shape of the hood with its canted, teardrop-shaped LED headlights, alongside the rectangular grille, there’s a little bit of everything from all five decades of Z history.
Explaining how the LED headlights harken “back to the Japan market-only 240ZG of the 70s,” Albasia brings our attention to the “clear dome lenses over the headlight buckets”. When illuminated, they give off two circular reflections over each headlight, a “unique characteristic” that they discovered fit naturally with “the Z’s identity.” The most eye-catching throwback to the original Z comes from the prototypes’ side angle. With rooflines that flow from front to back, the squared-off rear applies the distinctive profile of the first-generation Z. Combined with a rear edge that sits slightly lower than the front fender, the unique posture of the Z is unmistakable.
Moving inside the Z, you will find the same interior that brought joy and excitement to sports car owners everywhere. The new, deep-dish steering wheel may not be a pizza from Chicago, it certainly has plenty of feature toppings. Offering drivers quick access to controls, chief product specialist of the Z Proto, Hiroshi Tamura, said the car makes “it easy for customers to enjoy its capabilities and feel as connected as possible”. Recalling the strong dynamic performance of the last 50 years of the Nissan Z lineup, Hiroshi labels the car “a balance of power and agility”. It is a vehicle that creates a connection with the driver not just on the physical level, but emotionally, and responds to the driver’s impulses.” Something Hiroshi believes Nissan has been faithful to through every generation of the Z, preaching firmly, “this is what drives our passion to innovate and challenge the norm.”
Following the launch of the pioneering Ariya EV, Uchida said work is now underway on “bringing drivers the excitement of a pure sports car.” The next Nissan Z will combine the power of an enhanced V-6 twin-turbocharged engine all that power with the grace and control of a manual gearbox. Just like the past, a new breed of performance will define the Z for the next 50. Find out more on global.nissannews.com
As a young boy, the Nissan 350Z was the epitome of sports cars. When it launched in 2002, winning video game street races in Need For Speed Underground 2 was as close to the real thing as I could get. Fast forward to 2020, and Nissan is still capturing the child within me thanks to the unveiling of the brand new Z Proto. Inspired by its past, the prototype for the next iteration of the Nissan Z is here, and it’s got a manual transmission. Vroom, Vroom baby. Launching off the line with a V-6 twin-turbocharged engine, this prototype vehicle signals Nissan’s intent to revive the legendary Z sports car. Virtually revealed at the Nissan Pavilion in Yokohama, the new Z has been remodelled inside and out. With smooth lines and an even beefier engine, even CEO Makoto Uchida Makoto is excited to announce “the next Z is coming.”
“The Z, as a pure sports car, represents the spirit of Nissan,” said Makoto. A critical model in Nissan’s NEXT transformation plan, Makoto is positioning this new prototype as “proof of [Nissan’s] ability to do what others don’t dare to do, from A to Z.” Paying respect to 50 years of Z heritage, this modern sports car boasts a fresh, attractive exterior design with a silhouette that communicates respect for the original model. From pen to production, the design team in Japan combined “a retro theme with one that also projected futurism”. With a paradoxical design brief in hand, the whole process was made even more “challenging” for Alfonso Albaisa, head of design at Nissan. Ultimately deciding that the Z Proto “should travel between the decades including the future,” Albaisa said the “designers made countless studies and sketches” By researching “each generation and what made them a success,” the Proto Z features unmistakable reminders of the original. From the shape of the hood with its canted, teardrop-shaped LED headlights, alongside the rectangular grille, there’s a little bit of everything from all five decades of Z history.
Explaining how the LED headlights harken “back to the Japan market-only 240ZG of the 70s,” Albasia brings our attention to the “clear dome lenses over the headlight buckets”. When illuminated, they give off two circular reflections over each headlight, a “unique characteristic” that they discovered fit naturally with “the Z’s identity.” The most eye-catching throwback to the original Z comes from the prototypes’ side angle. With rooflines that flow from front to back, the squared-off rear applies the distinctive profile of the first-generation Z. Combined with a rear edge that sits slightly lower than the front fender, the unique posture of the Z is unmistakable.
Moving inside the Z, you will find the same interior that brought joy and excitement to sports car owners everywhere. The new, deep-dish steering wheel may not be a pizza from Chicago, it certainly has plenty of feature toppings. Offering drivers quick access to controls, chief product specialist of the Z Proto, Hiroshi Tamura, said the car makes “it easy for customers to enjoy its capabilities and feel as connected as possible”. Recalling the strong dynamic performance of the last 50 years of the Nissan Z lineup, Hiroshi labels the car “a balance of power and agility”. It is a vehicle that creates a connection with the driver not just on the physical level, but emotionally, and responds to the driver’s impulses.” Something Hiroshi believes Nissan has been faithful to through every generation of the Z, preaching firmly, “this is what drives our passion to innovate and challenge the norm.”
Following the launch of the pioneering Ariya EV, Uchida said work is now underway on “bringing drivers the excitement of a pure sports car.” The next Nissan Z will combine the power of an enhanced V-6 twin-turbocharged engine all that power with the grace and control of a manual gearbox. Just like the past, a new breed of performance will define the Z for the next 50. Find out more on global.nissannews.com
As a young boy, the Nissan 350Z was the epitome of sports cars. When it launched in 2002, winning video game street races in Need For Speed Underground 2 was as close to the real thing as I could get. Fast forward to 2020, and Nissan is still capturing the child within me thanks to the unveiling of the brand new Z Proto. Inspired by its past, the prototype for the next iteration of the Nissan Z is here, and it’s got a manual transmission. Vroom, Vroom baby.
Launching off the line with a V-6 twin-turbocharged engine, this prototype vehicle signals Nissan’s intent to revive the legendary Z sports car.
Virtually revealed at the Nissan Pavilion in Yokohama, the new Z has been remodelled inside and out. With smooth lines and an even beefier engine, even CEO Makoto Uchida Makoto is excited to announce “the next Z is coming.”
“The Z, as a pure sports car, represents the spirit of Nissan,” said Makoto. A critical model in Nissan’s NEXT transformation plan, Makoto is positioning this new prototype as “proof of [Nissan’s] ability to do what others don’t dare to do, from A to Z.”
Paying respect to 50 years of Z heritage, this modern sports car boasts a fresh, attractive exterior design with a silhouette that communicates respect for the original model. From pen to production, the design team in Japan combined “a retro theme with one that also projected futurism”.
With a paradoxical design brief in hand, the whole process was made even more “challenging” for Alfonso Albaisa, head of design at Nissan. Ultimately deciding that the Z Proto “should travel between the decades including the future,” Albaisa said the “designers made countless studies and sketches”
By researching “each generation and what made them a success,” the Proto Z features unmistakable reminders of the original. From the shape of the hood with its canted, teardrop-shaped LED headlights, alongside the rectangular grille, there’s a little bit of everything from all five decades of Z history.
Explaining how the LED headlights harken “back to the Japan market-only 240ZG of the 70s,” Albasia brings our attention to the “clear dome lenses over the headlight buckets”. When illuminated, they give off two circular reflections over each headlight, a “unique characteristic” that they discovered fit naturally with “the Z’s identity.”
The most eye-catching throwback to the original Z comes from the prototypes’ side angle.
With rooflines that flow from front to back, the squared-off rear applies the distinctive profile of the first-generation Z. Combined with a rear edge that sits slightly lower than the front fender, the unique posture of the Z is unmistakable.
Moving inside the Z, you will find the same interior that brought joy and excitement to sports car owners everywhere. The new, deep-dish steering wheel may not be a pizza from Chicago, it certainly has plenty of feature toppings. Offering drivers quick access to controls, chief product specialist of the Z Proto, Hiroshi Tamura, said the car makes “it easy for customers to enjoy its capabilities and feel as connected as possible”.
Recalling the strong dynamic performance of the last 50 years of the Nissan Z lineup, Hiroshi labels the car “a balance of power and agility”. It is a vehicle that creates a connection with the driver not just on the physical level, but emotionally, and responds to the driver’s impulses.”
Something Hiroshi believes Nissan has been faithful to through every generation of the Z, preaching firmly, “this is what drives our passion to innovate and challenge the norm.”
Following the launch of the pioneering Ariya EV, Uchida said work is now underway on “bringing drivers the excitement of a pure sports car.”
The next Nissan Z will combine the power of an enhanced V-6 twin-turbocharged engine all that power with the grace and control of a manual gearbox. Just like the past, a new breed of performance will define the Z for the next 50.
Find out more on global.nissannews.com
