“Nice job, Nissan,” exclaimed the entire world in unison at the sights of the new Nissan Z Proto — if not so, almost.
More than a decade since the launch of the last Nissan 370Z — and more than 50 years since the launch of the first member of the Z family (the Nissan 240Z) — one of the most respected acronyms in Japanese brand history is back. And the first indications are encouraging.
Nissan Z Proto. courage of nissan
In an industry with increasing constraints, launching a sports car developed from scratch is an act of courage and love for cars. And Nissan officials have shown they have these two ingredients in substantial doses — Toyota didn't go that far with the Toyota Supra.
Before we talk about the engine — here we go… — let's first look at this Nissan Z Proto. It's worth it, don't you think?
Its yellow bodywork pays homage to the first 240, while the elongated bonnet, rounded LED headlamp shape and square grille will draw inspiration from other members of the Z family. There's even a “Fairlady Z” emblem on the rear.
Fortunately, not everything is reminiscent of the past. The bodywork uses some carbon fiber panels, we have two proud exhausts at the rear, and some well-appointed 19-inch wheels.
At the front, the square grid will be the element that gathers the least consensus. Regarding proportions, this Nissan Z Proto is slightly larger than the current Nissan 370Z.
«Old School» Engine
At the heart of the Nissan Z Proto is a V6 engine powered by a pair of turbos. As it is a prototype, no specifications were announced, but we can put forward hypotheses.
The most likely candidate will be the block we found in the Infiniti Red Sport, so it is possible that the power of the new Nissan Z will surpass the 400 hp barrier.
Electrification? No sign of her. Manual cashier? Obviously.
This increase in power — if confirmed — will be a huge «upgrade» compared to the current Nissan 370Z, which develops “only” 332 hp of power.
With more than 400 hp of power, the new Nissan will certainly be able to ask many questions to its most direct rivals: the Toyota Supra and the Porsche 718 Cayman.
When will you arrive in Portugal?
UPDATE [12:00, 09/16/2020]: It's official. The new Nissan Z will not arrive in Portugal
Another question for which there is still no definitive answer. We should have to wait until the end of 2021 to see the production version of this Z Proto, and until 2022 to see the new Nissan Z on national roads — and also on Razão Automóvel's Youtube channel.
A wait that will be relatively long, but that shows us that the passion for cars is still very much alive. This Nissan Z Proto is confirmation of that. Sports still fill the hearts of fans and also the minds of responsible brands.
