US dealers have apparently had a sneak peak at Nissan’s long-awaited 370Z replacement. They claim it has a twin-turbo V6 under the bonnet.

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The Nissan 370Z sports car is expected to have twin turbo V6 power when it eventually goes on sale some time in the next couple of years. Nissan dealer sources in the US, who have reportedly seen the new model, told Autoblog the next-generation Zed car – rumoured to launch in 2021 or 2022 – will use a version of the twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 from the Infiniti Q50 and Q60 Red Sport. Although the twin-turbo is only available with a seven-speed automatic in the Infinitis, a manual transmission is expected be made available in the next generation Zed. In Infiniti's Red Sport models, the twin-turbo V6 produces 298kW and 475Nm. That’s a decent jump from the naturally-aspirated 3.7-litre V6 in the current 370Z, which produces 245kW and 363Nm.

An even more powerful Nismo version is also reportedly in the works, expected to produce close to 500hp (372kW). Nissan previewed a one-off 370Z at SEMA 2018 (above) which also used the twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 and a six-speed manual transmission. However, it never reached production. Dealer sources reportedly told Autoblog the silhouette and overall shape of the next Zed closely resemble that of the current 370Z. Thanks largely to its squat proportions, the 370Z’s exterior has arguably aged well for a car that traces its roots back to 2002.

The next-generation model is expected to have a “heritage-inspired design” with a square mouth and rounded headlights at the front, reminiscent of the 240Z, and taillights that resemble those of the Z32 300ZX. While the 370Z’s exterior has held up, its interior has fallen behind the competition – and the rest of the Nissan range – in terms of design and technology. In some markets, entry-level 370Zs don’t even come with an infotainment system, featuring a storage cubby where the screen would be. The next-generation model is said to represent a huge leap, introducing an interior design similar to the recently redesigned Altima.

As recently as late last year, Nissan was debating whether the next-generation Zed car would become a hybrid or battery-electric vehicle. The reports from Autoblog indicate they’ve steered away from battery power for now. We shared spy photos last October of a 370Z mule at the Nürburgring. Extra cooling was visible, suggesting a more powerful engine was under the bonnet. Nissan has generally said a replacement is planned but never committed to a timeframe or painted a picture of just what it would look like. With this report out of the US – based on dealer sources – we may finally have some clarity on the seventh-generation Zed car.

It’s also reassuring a replacement appears to be in the works, following recent reports Nissan plans to trim at least 10 per cent of its global range. Nissan told Autoblog it plans to introduce 12 new products in the next 20 months, though it didn’t commit to the next-generation Zed car being one of them. That tally likely also includes models that won’t be introduced in Australia, such as the upcoming replacement for the Frontier ute. Nissan has made only detail changes to the 370Z over its 11-year run, like a new infotainment system in 2011 and a minor facelift in 2013.

Last year, Nissan sold 178 examples of the 370Z in Australia. That was somewhat of a drop from the roughly 300-400 sales it clocked up each year for the past few years. It also meant the 370Z was outsold by more than 20-to-1 by the similarly-priced Ford Mustang. MORE: Nissan 370Z news, reviews, comparisons and videos

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