While we're dreaming, how about a carbon fiber hard top vert, a la the new M3 vert?

 

IIRC only the M3 coupe w/o sunroof gets the cf roof.

 

can we get more optional wheels for the Z? And a fiber hatch from the factory along with the top, whether it be a convert or a hard top.

 

speaking of weight, I wonder how expensive it would be for Nissan to make the next-gen Z's doors and hatch out of alluminum, and how much weight it would save over metal doors.

Obviously the next Z won't be made entirely out of alluminum due to cost, but alloy doors & hatch as the next steps in addition to the current alluminum parts -- suspension arms/rear assemply, hood -- would be logical choces.

 

that color is drop dead sexy..

 

How about optional SELF TINTING glass, kinda like the transition lenses in glasses.

 

Air bag suspension would be great! Thanks!!!!!!

 

I would like to see more aluminum in the front (e.g. fenders and bumper beam) to bring weight distribution closer to 50:50.

 

I was playing around a few weeks ago, and thinking about how the Z could be improved. After looking at this diagram:



I was thinking that I'd love to push the engine back some, push the driver back some and centralize the weight. An interesting side effect of that would be that it would give proportions more similar to the 240Z which has always been a favorite of mine.

I played around in photoshop and made this (don't laugh, I'm not an artist):



I would sort of like something like that.

. . . but then, thinking about it, I realized that would make it hard to share parts with the G37 since the G37 needs a back seat and pushing the engine back would require a complete re-design of the frame, front suspension, etc.

Trying to be more practical, I imagined what would be possible while staying pinned to the basic parts from the G37.

Since the Z doesn't have a back seat, there is some wasted space back there. But how could the Z be redisgned without losing the advantage of shared components with the G37?

I began to think that the longitudinal frame rails could be shortened while retaining the front and rear sub-frame components. Then we'd still have the same engine mounting points etc., and a large number of components could be shared while still making a more purpose-built Z.

I played around with photoshop again, and came up with this:



Something like that would reduce weight, have a shorter wheelbase which should help it change direction quicker, and the weight would be more centralized.

I like the idea of those improvements, but it's still me just playing around and trying to kill some time and keep my brain active.

. . . but then I compared it to this photo:



. . . and thought it was almost eerie how similar they were. I hadn't really studied the rumors, but after reading some of the rumors, it sounds like that might be what they're doing.

Just playing around, and there's likely not much to it, but I thought some of you might be interested.

 

I thought that the picture of that vehicle has nothing to do with it being the next gen Z but a test mule for Nissan's possibly smaller sports car.

 

There's no concrete evidence to disprove that theory, but keep in mind that Nissan was testing that mule against the Cayman and Z4, which are what Nissan considers benchmarks for the Z.

BTW, while it could be a sub-Z sports car, it's probably not the Silvia replacement, as that model would be 2+2.

 

The short front overhang and long distance between the front wheels and the driver are what give you the classic sports car proportions. I can't wait to see the actual car.

 

That could still be, but the speculators seem unsure, and as Jspeed says, they were comparing it to the Cayman. A slightly shorter, lower weight 350Z with 330 HP would certainly match up well against the Cayman (which tops out at 295 hp in the most powerful 'S' variation).

And keep in mind, when I was playing around with those sketches, I hadn't read any of those rumors - I was just working off of what made sense in terms of what I would do if I worked for Nissan and was trying to maximize performance of the 350Z while still sharing as many parts as possible with the G37.

AFTER I had done that, I did more reading about the rumors, and it almost seemed that my speculation and sketch combined with at least some of the rumors and spy photos were like perfectly matched puzzle pieces coming together.

 

. . . and a related question for those who know much more about these things than I do.

Is the new engine in the G37 based on the previous engine and current 350Z engine block, or is it a new block?

The reason I ask is, if it's basically the same engine, but bored and tuned for higher power, why wouldn't they just put it in the 2008 350Z?

I think the answer to that question will give us a big hint as to what might be coming in 2009. If that engine can be bolted into the 350Z, and I was an exec. at Nissan, I'd put it in the Z now to boost performance and keep people interested until the next model comes out (particularly if it's not coming until 2011).

If the engine is different and not compatible with the current 350Z, I would expect the next generation sooner rather than later so they can take advantage of the economic and quality advantages of sharing parts between the G37 and 350Z.

 

^^^

The '07 Z's engine has just been upgraded to the current HR engine, and that was the bigest engine upgrade since the Z's introduction in '03. So to introduce a completely new engine in the Z one year after, as '08 models, would not be a finantially smart move.

Based on the test mini Z and its current form, I'm guessing the next-generation, production-model Z isn't far away. It seems nissan is just playing the waiting game at this point: let the G37 have its spot light (last year), then introduce the GTR (currently), after that, introduce the new Z. I wouldn't be surprised to see a production model new Z late '08/early '09.