Also, doesnt it look liek the little flat area of the fender well (sheetmetel) has been trimmed to make the fender well bigger? Normally, the GT wheels fill the fender more right? Make no difference in terms of figuring out what the test mule is about but jsut an observation....

 

With the new smaller sport coupe there is definitely room for the Z to move up market and compete with Z4 coupe and Cayman for less money. People have always complained that the Z felt a bit underpowered in stock form anyway. I think this may be where G and Z start to move away from each other a bit more.

 

Why are so many people trying to figure out if its going to be shorter via computer images?


Also, I highly doubt the new Z will be light.

03 Z Base Weight: 3,187 lb

06/07 Z Base Weight: 3,339 lb

06/07 Z GT Weight: 3,404 lb

IF this continues, don't be surpriced to see 3500's.

Nissan loves weight

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Your right, this is how it will go:

09 Z Base Weight: 3,700 lbs

10/11 Z Base Weight: 3,837 lbs

11/12 Z base Weight with 21" rims: 4,004 lbs


I see your point. Then whats the point of cutting a cars body/chassis and running around a mule in Germany near the Nurburgring with a Cayman? Vacation time for Nissan engineers or testing the new Matte paint scheme?

 

rear wing has a gurney flap. which indicates they need more rear downforce.

from the shortened nose, looks like it might not be Zero lift anymore? or if u look at the square cut outs from the rear bumper, they might have went to a dual exhaust canisters and now need the gurney flap to put back the downforce the oem single canister exhaust provided via diffuser....

interesting...

 

Remember Nissan wanted all of their suppliers to reduce weight in each part.

Maybe, just maybe Nissan listened to enthusiasts (and not the bean counters) & are making a lighter, more nimble version of the Z we already love? Cost to do so reasons against this idea of course...

 

Quite honestly, I think Nissan will leave Infiniti to compete with Porsche, with the GT-R as an exception (There's a TT G37 rumor going around, which I personally think will happen possibly in 2010). It only makes sense to let its 'luxury' division to compete against other luxury companies.

But, speculation is speculation. We just have to wait and find out.

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Think I have to agree. It looks like an 07 Z Track with an ill-fitting 07 front bumper cover, no badges, and some tape around the hatch and on the bumpers. I don't consider myself a conspiracy theorist, but looks like a couple of friends and I could accomplish the same thing in a few hours.

Why do it? That's another question...

 

Ok, now this is just exageration

Please don't take my words out of context unless you actually put some thoughts into them.

I guess you will have to wait and see. Just incase you didnt notice, I stated 3500's, possibly high 3400's as speculation.

Either that, or the cost for weight reduction will significantly impact the overall price of the 08/09 Z.

As time goes on, more and more gadgets and other weight increasing materials are added along.

PS. A test mule is a test mule. Nothing more to it... you can't visually expect to get a clear statement of its final specifications.

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maybe! those damn doors are so freaking heavy. i live in an apt complex w small parking spaces and i can never open all the way since they are so long. and it usually comes down on my leg while getting $hit out of my car... its HEAVY

 

A test mule cost money and time. They don't do it for nothing. Every engineer that even works on the project cost about 55 to 65 US dollars minimum for every hour they invest working on it. That includes planing, design, parts research, prototype manufacturer, cost analysis, etc. They don't waste time cutting chassis this late in the game for fun. They clearly have a goal here. All indications point to the car not being heavier unless they choose to manufacturer the smaller vehicle from from lead and install the proposed 21 inchers. The smaller car should weigh less.

As for the cost it may be higher, but not solely due to the weight gain. This platform has been spread over many vehicles for a long time (which is why it was so heavy in the first place). Manufacturing more units will lower production costs over time. It looks like they will use a modified version of the same platform so it would actually be a cost advantage, by saving some development costs.

 

I see your point. But, this is a test mule. A test mule hides what it has underneath the skin.

"Test Mules are often heavily altered and the exteriors may be disguised as current production vehicles or as completely different models"

Just take a look at the test mule for the Acura NSX: it's disguised as an S2000. Take a look at the GT-R test mule that floated around about 1 year ago: it [was] disguised in a G35.

Therefore, you cannot judge a test mule by its appearance!






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Yes, there is a chance that that body is just a shell for something else, but based on the timing and other circumstances including the benchmarks, you can make some pretty safe assumptions. That is why we don't think the NSX mule is the 2009 S2000 long wheelbase model. A mule can be very telling.

 

The 07 350Z isn't that far off the Cayman or Z4 as it is right now. I doubt Nissan goes smaller with the new Z. I can see them incorporating the larger 3.7 motor eventually. Glad I ordered my Nismo Z.

The latest Z Magazine Vol. 4 just did a comparison between Cayman S and Nismo 350Z around Tsukuba Circuit time attack in dry conditions, result Cayman S: 1'08.92 and Nismo Z: 1'06.663.

 

^ That looks more like a study of what the new altima coupe turned out to be.

 

With the door and window being that much shorter, it seem that the speakers/sub/storage boxes may have been deleted in replacement of truck space. That woulnd be nice.

I'd prefer 350true HP and a true 2900 lbs

 

why does everyone trip on the weight? If they made it lighter it certainly woudn't be as affordable as it is, thus no longer marketable as an under 30K sports car that actually performs.