FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW: Nissan teases 370Z-replacing Gripz concept
Concept inspired by Datsun 240Z rally car and fast bicycles. Production SUV will replace V6 coupe and roadsterNissan has released another teaser of the controversial SUV that will replace the 370Z coupe and roadster.
Now called the Nissan Gripz, the new image -- released late last night, ahead of its official unveiling next week at the Frankfurt motor show -- is inspired and painted in the same red/black colour scheme as the 1971 East African Safari-winning Datsun 240Z rally car.
As well as the 240Z, Nissan’s designers announced the new concept was also inspired by the “sleek two-wheel world of road cycling”.
Originally, it was thought the ageing 370Z coupe and roadster would be replaced by a lightweight, turbocharged four-cylinder coupe, possibly based on the 2013 Tokyo motor show iDx coupe concept, but the writing was on the wall that Nissan had changed its mind following remarks earlier this year by its chief creative officer, Shiro Nakamura: “We need to take another path. I feel Z needs more revolution than evolution.”
The result is an angular, squared-off design that “explores a new sporty direction for a crossover concept”.
Said to be “conceived to create an innovative new driving sensation”, the production car that will follow will almost certainly be based on the latest Renault-Nissan Alliance’s CMF B platform and be similar size to the Nissan JUKE.
It’s not known yet if the Gripz will be a rakish, three-door coupe-cum-SUV or a more conventional five-door crossover.
Set to be significantly cheaper than the current 370Z, which is priced in Australia from around $57,000 for the coupe, the swap to a crossover design is thought to have been driven to attract younger US buyers to the Nissan brand.
Say goodbye to the current 370Z’s 245kW/363Nm 3.7-litre V6. The new Gripz is primed to be powered by the 162kW/260Nm 1.6-litre turbo-petrol four that's currently used in the Renault Clio RS 220 Trophy.
Like the Clio RS, it’s expected to come with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic ‘box (this time with all-wheel drive), although the concept car revealed at Frankfurt is more likely to feature an advanced plug-in hybrid powertrain.
The production version, meanwhile, will be on sale in just 18 months with the Gripz arriving as soon as early 2017.
Stay tuned next week for more news on the all-new Nissan Z car brought to you live from the Frankfurt motor show.
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