400z What we know so far.
There is not much information out on Nissan's newly designed 400z, but what we do know is that it will pay respects to the classics from what Nissan's Global Designer Alfonso Albaisa said during a video conference. Nissan stated that the 400z will have some resemblance to the 240z and the 300zx. In the teaser video we clearly see a whole new design from the modern traditional Z we all know from recent days. The front end surely gives a nod to the Datsun 240z with the oval headlights and the grill. What about an electric 400z?
Many have wondered if Nissan would develop an electric 400z to compete against Ford's Mach-e and Tesla's roadster, well Nissan has confirmed that it will not happen any time soon. Ivan Espinosa, Nissan’s VP of Global Product Strategy, explained that he does not believe that the EV technology is fully developed to meet the standards of Nissan for an electric sports car. He thinks that battery technology still adds too much weight to the vehicles. Espinosa said that Nissan continues to develop and test new technology while they continue to participate in the modern motorsport Formula E, which is similar to Formula 1 except the race cars are fully electric. Espinosa also mentioned that the 400z might dabble with a hybrid version sometime down the line, but the vehicle that is set to be unveiled will be equipped with a traditional internal combustion engine.
Many people are saying that Nissan might use a current Infiniti engine that is currently in the Q50 and Q60. The engine that these vehicles have is a 3.0 Liter Twin Turbo V6 that produces around 400HP. This seems like the engine to go with if you want the horsepower to correlate with the name. Now, this is just a suggestion or idea if you will, but would it be a good idea for Nissan to make the 400z a mid engine vehicle to compete against the C8 Corvette? Many purist will say that this will tarnish the tradition of the Z, but I believe that it can cause a huge media stir and spark sales. Who knows, I'm just a car enthusiast that can dream. I know that the FM platform gives the car an almost 50-50 weight distribution, but it's a fun idea to think about.
Rumors circulating the internet suggest that the 400z is very close to being unveiled. Only time will tell, but if the rumors are correct then it is a very exciting time for sports cars. Thanks for reading, stay buzzed.
-Bear 07.30.2020
Photo credit: Nissan