Have fun with this... (2008 350Z)

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06-07-2007, 01:51 PM

CivicDelSlow

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Have fun with this... (2008 350Z)

Lucky for us, that isn't the future of the 350Z.

http://autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/225906/

Nissan is still intent on extending its sports car range with a production version of the Urge sports car, previewed in concept form at the 2006 Detroit motor show. And the company’s UK arm will be closely involved in the car’s development.

Although development of the car remains at an early stage as Nissan determines the positioning and character of the car, the company’s Cranfield engineering centre in Bedfordshire has been benchmarking competitors’ cars, and will also help define performance targets for the new model.

This makes sense, because the UK is likely to be one the biggest markets for the car, has a long history of making sports cars and is particularly demanding about them.

Meanwhile, the next-generation 350Z will be an evolution of the existing model, insiders have revealed. Although extensively renewed, the much-liked silhouette of today’s car will survive, but with more sophisticated design details. The door handles will look less chunky, for instance, and the slightly crude joint of tailgate to rear wings will be tidier.

The mechanical recipe will be much the same, too – no surprise, given how effective and successful the current car is – but like the styling, it will be more refined. Expect less road noise and a smoother ride, but handling that’s equally entertaining.

With the arrival of the GT-R in the UK next year – it makes its debut at the Tokyo motor show in October – Nissan should very quicky transform itself from a brand known mainly for its 4x4s to one with a portfolio of sporting models as strong as any currently on the market.

Another interesting article from Autoblog.com

For some time now, Nissan has been lacking in the entry-level sports car segment both here and abroad. The 350Z and Skyline/G35 have proven successful, but only to those able to afford the cost of entry, and although the upcoming GTR will redefine the iconic marque, its price tag will put it out of reach for the average enthusiast. Sure, the new SE-R is something, but it's neither sporty, a coupe, or – more importantly – rear-wheel drive.

According to Autocar, Nissan is actively developing a new sports coupe, drawing inspiration from the Urge concept that debuted at the North American International Auto Show in 2006. Since mechanical specifics are nil, the powertrain is open to speculation, and speculate we will. Ideally, we'd like to see a turbocharged version of the SE-R Spec-V's QR25DE sending power to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual (Nissan 250 anyone?).

The article also sheds some light on the next generation of the 350Z, which will share its profile with the current car, but will receive a variety of design tweaks to smooth out some of the more awkward elements (read: door handles, tailgate, etc.). The possibility of swapping out the current VQ35 V6 for the new VQ37VHR should also be on the table, effectively changing the name from 350Z to 370Z. Viva la evolution!

Last edited by CivicDelSlow; 06-07-2007 at 01:53 PM.