Share

Edmunds Gets a Closer Look at the Upcoming Nissan 370Z

The next Z car is causing quite a stir in the automotive landscape, and as the days roll by, more information is coming in. What we know for sure so far is it will be getting all the new drivetrain upgrades found on its Infiniti G37 cousin, including that sweet 3.7-liter V6 and the 330 ponies that come with it.

Also, this will be a decidedly more hard-core car than the 350Z. While the 350Z was a great car, it was a bit soft around the edges. Too much weight coupled with too much wheelbase gives you a stable, but unexciting drive. The 370Z will be markedly shorter between the wheels and a good deal lighter too. It’ll be less GT and more GP, if you know what I mean.

This is a formula for really upsetting Porsche 911 and Cayman owners. They claimed Porsche-matching prowess with the last one but fell just a bit short. Still, it was nothing that its $50,000 cheaper price couldn’t hide. These shots collected by the crew at Edmund’s InsideLine.com show that this is a much more muscular, more taunt, Nissan Z. Those wheel arches are the stuff of exotic cars and the whole car’s stance screams speed.

It incorporates a few nods to the legendary 240Z in its design language, but ultimately it stays rather faithfull to the current 350Z’s overall shape. Nissan probably did not want to alienate current 350Z owners by making this model far more superior and different looking. This way, a Z is a Z, no matter how far away you look at it.

Expect an official debut at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show. Nissan is betting this new Z will bring back customers to its showrooms and put the Z back in the automotive spotlight, at least for a little while. I, for one, can’t wait to take one for a spin!

nissan370zdetails10nissan370zf34500jpgimg.jpg

nissan370zdetails10nissan370zactr34500jpgimg.jpg

nissan370zdetails10nissan370zint1500jpgimg.jpg 

Looks like the boys at Nissan know not to ruin a good thing.

Source: Edmund’s Inside Line

Photos: Scott Jacobs for Edmunds