Nissan 400Z debuts as Z Proto

The hotly-anticipated all-new Nissan 400Z has emerged in all its glory with the unveiling of the stunning near-production Nissan Z Proto.

After countless computer-generated images and fantasy renderings released by fans over recent months, the Nissan Z Proto – a close-to-final prototype of the new Nissan 400Z – emerged in Japan this morning with a striking design that taps into the brand’s rich Z-car history and deftly balances modern and retro styling cues.

More than 50 years after the original Nissan Fairlady/Datsun 240Z hit the streets, Nissan has also confirmed its latest two-door rear-drive Z sports car will return to twin-turbo six-cylinder power and offer a six-speed manual gearbox.

Full technical details are still to be confirmed, but the new Z35-series 400Z is almost certain to be powered by a Toyota Supra-bashing 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 engine codenamed VR30DDTT – and which can easily generate 300kW of power.

Video of the new model also reveals a 7000rpm redline.

Expected to enter production and be released in Australia by the end of 2021, the new Nissan 400Z, as defined by the Z Proto, is longer, wider and lower than the current Z34-generation 370Z.

The design will be a hot topic of conversation as it blends visual cues from several different Z cars over the decades.

Toyota Supra vs Nissan 400Z

Nissan’s creative design team led by global design boss Alfonso Albaisa has channelled several elements of the original 240Z, starting with the stylised circular headlights and long bonnet.

The square grille is a tip of the hat to the current 370Z, but the rest of the car features modern interpretations of classic Z-car design.

For instance, the car’s side profile looks similar to the original 240Z, the sleek roofline joining the squared-off rear end.

Unlike the Supra, there’s no ducktail rear spoiler.

Other unmissable features include the pumped rear wheel-arches and Nissan 300ZX-inspired tail-lights that blend retro ’80s design with modern 3D LED sculpture.

Riding on staggered 19-inch alloy wheels shod with Dunlop SP Sportmax rubber (255/40 R19 front and 285/35 R19 rear), tightly wrapped by the car’s smooth bodywork, the Japanese coupe’s muscular, ground-hugging stance should please the Z-car faithful.

50 Years of Nissan Z cars

“Our designers made countless studies and sketches as we researched each generation and what made them a success,” said Albaisa.

“Ultimately, we decided the Z Proto should travel between the decades, including the future.”

The cabin of the Nissan Z Proto is clearly production-ready for the 400Z, featuring a neat and tidy layout with minimal controls and a small steering wheel.

Sports seats with yellow pinstripes are fitted in the prototype, referencing the bright-yellow exterior paintwork, while other key elements in the cockpit include a central multimedia touch-screen, a trio of performance gauges on top of the dash and a new 12.3-inch LCD screen replacing the analogue instrument dials of the 370Z.

Video footage of the new Z coupe also reveals a large central rev counter.

Now that Nissan has confirmed a twin-turbo V6 engine will be used, and it’s almost certainly going to be the 3.0-litre bi-turbo bent-six (VR30DDTT) from the discontinued Infiniti Q60.

In that application, the V6 pumped out 298kW of power at 6400rpm – more mumbo than the Toyota Supra – but slightly less torque at 475Nm over 1600-5200rpm.

However, Nissan refers to the Z Proto’s beating heart as an “enhanced V6 twin-turbocharged engine” which suggests it could be a new development of the VR30DDTT block.

The Nissan Z Proto puts power to the ground via a six-speed manual gearbox, but an automatic transmission with launch control and rev-matching is likely to be offered as well.

For the record, the Toyota Supra is auto-only.

If the Nissan 400Z is serious about landing a haymaker on the Supra, it will need to go close to the Toyota sports car’s 4.3-second 0-100km/h dash, and this will depend on how much mass the new Nissan coupe is carrying.

The new Z will clearly win plenty of fans based on its retro design, but performance and bragging rights will also make a difference and the new model is likely to be based on the same FM platform architecture as the current 370Z – albeit with a few tweaks.

Nissan is keeping tight-lipped on the new Z’s dynamics, but Hiroshi Tamura, chief product specialist of the Z Proto, promised the coupe will be engaging to drive.

“Z is a balance of power and agility. It is a vehicle that creates a connection with the driver not just on the physical level, but emotionally, and responds to the driver’s impulses,” Tamura said.

“The Z has always been a strong dynamic performer, making it easy for customers to enjoy its capabilities and feel as connected as possible to the car.

“This has been true through all its generations, and this is what drives our passion to innovate and challenge the norm,” he said.

Nissan’s global CEO Makoto Uchida added that the new Z is a crucial new entrant for the brand and the first in a series of revised models that will include upgrades to the Patrol 4WD, Navara ute, X-TRAIL SUV, among others.

“With the Z, we’re bringing drivers the excitement of a pure sports car,” said Uchida.

“For more than 50 years we have been creating the legend of Z together. I’m glad you’re with us for the next exciting chapter. The new Z is on its way.”

Stay tuned for more news on the Nissan Z.