As the automotive world heads in the direction of electrification, pure sports cars are becoming a rarer breed of vehicle. The sports car market includes vehicles of many different body types and styles, and each year the standards of a sports car seem to become even more blurry. Nissan has reigned with their Z-line of sports coupes, with roots trailing back to the original 1969 Fairlady Z. The current 370Z is the quickest and, in the NISMO trim, most track-capable Z to date. The little coupe pushes good power and with good handling to match, but there’s just one small problem that shys regular consumers away.



It’s really, really old. I mean, the current-gen Z has been in production since December 2008, being introduced as a 2009 model. Being a young adult who grew up with his heart set on JDM, I can say that the 370Z has remained largely the same since it’s debut. Aside from minor technological changes like the addition of daytime running lights, a decent backup camera, and some safety tech, there has been practically nothing done to it. With all that said though, Nissan was somehow still able to shove a 2020 model 370Z in our faces, and for a pretty penny too; a fully loaded NISMO 370Z will yield you just shy of $50k. And this is a car that, may I remind you, has no Adaptive Cruise Control, no Blind Spot Assist, and no parking sensors. At most, this car has basic Cruise Control and a traction control system. So… what’s the point of a 2012 370Z being branded as a new 2020 model? Why is this car still even in production?



If you ask me, it sells a great experience. The sound of the roaring VQ37 through the NISMO-tuned exhaust, the thrill provided from a verified 4.7 second 0-60 sprint, it’s a coupe that can be anything you want it to be, when you want it to. No limitations from pesky safety tech, just pure driving pleasure. I can personally say that the current Z is one of the last true driver’s cars left standing. Cars like these simply don’t exist anymore. So basic, yet almost unrivaled in simplicity and the driver control it offers. But…



Let’s take a moment to pretend we’re sitting at the drawing board coming up with a new Z. What would we want to see as automotive enthusiasts? Well first, a description of the Nissan Z: a small, two-seater hatchback coupe with sporty handling and aggressive styling. To create a good successor to the 370Z, Nissan would need to retain all of those qualities as well as introduce new tech and driver goodies to the model. Perhaps some GT-R influenced styling, as well? A brand new infotainment system (PLEASE)? There are many areas that Nissan has a chance to improve upon, and the culmination of their efforts will hopefully be in the new Z. But my biggest question, which I’m sure is your biggest question too… What will power this new Z? Will it retain its screaming VQ37VHR? Or will Nissan dive into its parts bin and bring out a revised VR30DDTT for the new Z? As a proud owner of an Infiniti Q50 Red Sport, I can say that the 400-hp variant of the VR30DDTT is no slouch. In my opinion, with GT-R levels of tunability and support from various tuning companies on the way, the new Z mated to that motor could be a tuner’s dream and a very worthy competitor to the new BMW-powered Toyota Supra.



VR30DDTT

Photo: Infiniti

VQ37VHR

Photo: FavCars

The two-door sports car segment is one that Nissan is practically non-existent in with the current 370Z, with vehicles like the Jaguar F-Type and BMW M4 dominating in almost every aspect. Even the NISMO variant of the 370Z doesn’t seem up to par with the rest of the pack, despite its track-ready attributes. Currently Nissan has many of their vehicles riding on their FM platform, including the 370Z, GT-R, Infiniti Q50, and Infiniti Q60. Maybe they’re investing some money into developing a new platform for their next generation of sports cars, or maybe a new Z is just around the corner. Being that the 370Z and G37/Q60 are Nissan/Infiniti counterparts of one another, it’s been a bit of a surprise to me that they haven’t updated the Z to become as high performing and elegant as Infiniti did with the Q60. Let me know your thoughts below, I would love to hear what you think about the Z!

