Will the next Nissan Z car be a crossover, Autoweek

Will the next Nissan Z car be a crossover?

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After scrapping production plans for the Nissan IDx coupes, there is now a very real possibility that the next Z car will be a crossover. Autocar reports that not only will it be previewed in concept form at the Frankfurt Motor Showcase, but that it will go on sale in 2017.

How did we get to this point?

For starters, the current 370Z will be permitted to expire by 2017. As its replacement, Nissan had been considering a smaller coupe as a possibility, previewing it in concept form at the two thousand thirteen Tokyo Motor Showcase. The IDx would have been powered by a four-cylinder engine, and would have been a throwback to the packaging suggested by the Datsun Z cars of the 1970s.

The company has chosen not to go that route, and has indicated that it will instead market a petite sports crossover.

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The Z crossover may adopt some styling elements of the Kicks concept, which seemed remarkably similar in aim. Photo by Nissan

Nissan executives have indicated that the company will not be rehashing the same formula or attempting to improve upon the 370Z directly.

“I don’t think the next one [Z car] is going to be the 390Z," the company's creative officer, Shiro Nakamura, recently told the Australian media. "It’s not growing because it’s already big enough. You know, three hundred fifty commenced with 240, 300, three hundred fifty and then came 370. I don’t think we should go higher."

Why might this signal a switch in vehicle type? Nissan executives already feel that a fresh treatment is needed for the Z to avoid pushing the car up against the Nissan GT-R.

"We need to take another path," Nakamura continued. "I feel Z needs more revolution than evolution. I think GT-R has to stay the most high-performance symbol of Nissan technology and Z is a more affordable sports car or a sporty car to get the junior people."

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The next Z car will attempt to come back to its roots as an affordable pocket racer. Photo by Nissan

Autocar reports, citing an insider source, that the crossover will make use of Renault-Nissan's CMF B platform, and that it's expected to use the 1.6-liter turbo engine presently found in the Renault Clio RS two hundred twenty Trophy, which in the French hatch produces two hundred twenty hp and one hundred ninety one lb-ft of torque. That means the Three.7-liter V6 will be out, getting the fresh Z car down a few branches on the price tree, which the 370Z had been climbing as it gained power and luxury materials.

The Z crossover, when it debuts, is expected to be around the same size as the Nissan Juke, and will likely borrow the six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission from the Renault Clio RS two hundred twenty Trophy, this time pairing it with all-wheel drive.

When might we see it on sale? Autocar predicts it'll be out right around the time the 370Z goes out, in early 2017.

Jay Ramey – Jay Ramey is an Associate Editor with Autoweek, and has been with the magazine since 2013. Jay also likes to kayak and bike.

Will the next Nissan Z car be a crossover, Autoweek

Will the next Nissan Z car be a crossover?

Share

After scrapping production plans for the Nissan IDx coupes, there is now a very real possibility that the next Z car will be a crossover. Autocar reports that not only will it be previewed in concept form at the Frankfurt Motor Display, but that it will go on sale in 2017.

How did we get to this point?

For starters, the current 370Z will be permitted to expire by 2017. As its replacement, Nissan had been considering a smaller coupe as a possibility, previewing it in concept form at the two thousand thirteen Tokyo Motor Display. The IDx would have been powered by a four-cylinder engine, and would have been a throwback to the packaging suggested by the Datsun Z cars of the 1970s.

The company has chosen not to go that route, and has indicated that it will instead market a puny sports crossover.

Car News

Report: Nissan GT-R-engined Juke-R Two.0 tipped for production

We like the Nissan GT-R Nismo's Three.8-liter twin-turbo V6 right where it is; under the bondage mask of the Nissan GT-R Nismo. But Nissan is reportedly willing to bet that some customers would like to see .

The Z crossover may adopt some styling elements of the Kicks concept, which seemed remarkably similar in aim. Photo by Nissan

Nissan executives have indicated that the company will not be rehashing the same formula or attempting to improve upon the 370Z directly.

“I don’t think the next one [Z car] is going to be the 390Z," the company's creative officer, Shiro Nakamura, recently told the Australian media. "It’s not growing because it’s already big enough. You know, three hundred fifty began with 240, 300, three hundred fifty and then came 370. I don’t think we should go higher."

Why might this signal a switch in vehicle type? Nissan executives already feel that a fresh treatment is needed for the Z to avoid pushing the car up against the Nissan GT-R.

"We need to take another path," Nakamura continued. "I feel Z needs more revolution than evolution. I think GT-R has to stay the most high-performance symbol of Nissan technology and Z is a more affordable sports car or a sporty car to get the junior people."

Car News

The $5K Datsun Go is a go in India

Sales of Datsun cars officially restarted Wednesday after the brand’s 30-year dormancy, with the very first cars being delivered in India. Datsun of India announced pricing of the fresh Go hatchback, which .

The next Z car will attempt to comeback to its roots as an affordable pocket racer. Photo by Nissan

Autocar reports, citing an insider source, that the crossover will make use of Renault-Nissan's CMF B platform, and that it's expected to use the 1.6-liter turbo engine presently found in the Renault Clio RS two hundred twenty Trophy, which in the French hatch produces two hundred twenty hp and one hundred ninety one lb-ft of torque. That means the Three.7-liter V6 will be out, getting the fresh Z car down a few branches on the price tree, which the 370Z had been climbing as it gained power and luxury materials.

The Z crossover, when it debuts, is expected to be around the same size as the Nissan Juke, and will likely borrow the six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission from the Renault Clio RS two hundred twenty Trophy, this time pairing it with all-wheel drive.

When might we see it on sale? Autocar predicts it'll be out right around the time the 370Z goes out, in early 2017.

Jay Ramey – Jay Ramey is an Associate Editor with Autoweek, and has been with the magazine since 2013. Jay also likes to kayak and bike.

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