The Nissan 370Z has had a good run the past ten years, but let’s face it, it’s time to move on and replace the nimble little roadster with something new. All signs lead to a new 400Z rocket packing near 400-hp, if the recent Nissan Z trademark filing in Canada is any indication.
Nissan cars are still on the table
Unlike other automakers like Ford and Cadillac, for instance, Nissan isn’t abandoning their 4-doors cars in the midst of this crazy crossover and SUV bonanza. The Japanese automaker’s Maxima, Altima, and best-selling Sentra are still on the table, getting major improvements for those who prefer the low-slung driving dynamics and styling of a sedan.
As the company says, “Nissan is about exciting cars.”
What will the Nissan 400Z look like?
Well, we don’t know. And Nissan hasn’t even confirmed they’re building one though we all know their designers are designing away. The company’s product planning head honcho recently stated, “The current car has been a long time in the dealerships, and so you can imagine the designers working on a successor, even if I am not going to confirm it.”
Some speculation suggests the new 400Z will find a 3.0L twin-turbo V6 under the hood found in other Nissan products. Based on the Infiniti Q60 3.0T, we could expect a whopping 399-hp and 350 lb.ft of torque.
Compare this to the current 370Z’s 323-hp and 269 lb.ft of torque, this newcomer will pack some serious heat.
Our biggest complaint with the 370Z has been the soft suspension — so we’ll guess (and hope) Nissan ramps up the newcomer’s driving dynamics.
The 370Z has been on the market since 2009, seeing several refreshes along the way. Despite less-than-favourable sales numbers — selling only 2,384 units last year in the US — we’re pretty excited about what this 400Z has in store. And we’re happy Nissan is keeping the Z nameplate alive…and so should you.
Meantime, here’s a sweet 1992 Nissan 240SX SE packing a Silvia SR20DET implant.
