I think Nissan is being smart.

1. They have a KILLER looking car. The Z is ef'n sexy. Why change it...that much? What we've seen thus far in spy shots is acceptable. Although from other posts the car could look completely different. I hope if it does, it inspires as much as the current one does.

2. They are not going to win the HP race. It would drive costs up. I am happy they are not bolting on twin turbos or dropping a heavy V8 in there. So...on to #3.

3. Lighter, lighter, oh and lighter. This is what they need to do. Throw in a dash of extra HP and done. Going in the direction of the Elise and S2000 is a much better plan. LIGHT WEIGHT EQUALS LOADS OF FUN ON THE TRACK.

4. Related to #2. Yes keep the price where it is. Let the torque freak with endless cash mod their Z to tear the doors off M3s, Carrera4s, etc. Or if they have real deep pockets buy the GT-R.

5. Patience. I have some. By the time the new Z hits the streets in...it's second year....my current loan for my current car will be done and I can WHACK myself again and return to Z glory. Although I'd never give up the 500hp Stang. I want BOTH dammit. It's allowed.

 

1--- +1

2---TT would be great why wouldn't you want that

3---Lighter would be better, but would also drive prices up! and a TT would add a "dash of HP'"

4---+1

5---Do What ever Makes ya happy man +1

 

1--- +1

2---TT would be great why wouldn't you want that <Would drive the price way up. Twin Turbo motors are pricey.

3---Lighter would be better, but would also drive prices up! and a TT would add a "dash of HP'" <Lighter doesn't always mean replacing sections of the car with carbon fiber. They could make the car lighter without increased cost. And even if increased it would not be anywhere near the costs of a twin turbo motor. Leave it for the mod market or buy a GT-R

4---+1

5---Do What ever Makes ya happy man +1

 

I agree with you Mr Q. I love the sexy lines of the current Z, so I hope Nissan doesn't change it much. That being said, I wouldn't mind the Z being just a tad bit shorter in height, and shorter in length (less front/rear overhang) and hopefully, this translates in the Z being a bit lighter. If they can put a 3.8 ltr, 330 hp engine in a car weighing no more than 3000 lbs., that would be great. Now about the Mustang....I miss my Paxton SC'd '90 5.0 coupe too, so I feel you.

 

V8 and heavy arent a foregone conclusion like in years past...Wouldnt be surprised if some LSX etc motors are lighter or just 20 or so lbs heavier than our VQ.....A V8 would put the Z in a different catagory and probably catapult it into the 40-50k range...I could deffinately see a market for a Z with 400+hp and lighter weight...Hey the Z06 is over 100lbs lighter than the Z and it has 505hp V8...Different class/price/budget so not apples to apples....

After seeing what V8 4 door cars that are much heavier then the Z do to it on the highway I wouldnt mind seeing Turbos or a V8 make its way to the Z's VQ..A detuned VR would be the ish. Would like to see the Z not too far off fromt he M3/Cayman S etc...Im out of my mind however so this wont happen...

 

LSX motors are OHV motors. Comparing the size/weight of that type of motor to a OHC motor isn't an apples-to-apples comparison. OHC motors have larger exterior dimensions than their equivalent OHV counterparts. Point being, Nissan doesn't produce a pushrod V8. Our V8 option is the VK. As far as weight and exterior dimensions go, VK > VQ ~ LSX

TK

 

I am not sure I agree. A motor is what a motor does. If an engine gets more power, better mileage and at a lighter weight -- doesn't that make it a better engine? Who cares how it does it, the result is still the same.

However, I do understand your point about Nissan not producing such an engine, therefore the only possibility would be a derivative of a current Nissan V8. That I agree with.

 

I think you misunderstood my meaning. I wasn't saying one was better than the other. Just that you can't compare how an OHV V8 weighs similar to a OHC V6, because the way they work. LSX motors work very well because of their large displacement out of a very small physical engine size. The Corvette wouldn't be able to have a low hoodline and center of gravity without a relatively "small" engine. Pictures comparing the Mustangs aluminum V8 to an LSX is the best way to see it. Both 8 cylinder engines in a V configuration, but the LSX is physically smaller(by quite a bit) and also lighter. All of Nissan's V8s are OHC, so more than likely are physically larger and heavier than an LSX. So can't really say "if an LSX only weighs xx lbs less/more than a VQ, that dropping a V8 would be the end-all solution."

TK

 

You missed my point but I see yours.....Im pretty sure Nissan can come up with a lightweight V8 if that was the direction they were going to go with the Z....May not be as light as an lsx as it has less moving parts hence less weight.....

 

I just can't see the V8 concept happening. A high specific output V8 like the E92 M3 would cause the base price of the Z to be like 40k. And Nissan's current V8's don't really make a lot more HP than the VQ37VHR.

TK

 

The BMW 135i will be the 370Z's new competion.

The 135i is a 3 liter TT with a lot of suspension parts from the M3. And its base price starts at just under $36K so its a good value. The 135i is what Nissan better be careful of.

If Nissan even gave us a 3.5 Liter HR TT (for an additional ~$5K) in a moderately updated chassi it would surely put Nissan back on top of the value/performance competition.

A small bump up to 3.7 liter, or even 3.8 liter, won't compare well against a 3 liter TT. Particularly when you consider the tuner potential.

 

135i is still like 200lbs heavier than the current Z. I think the 3.7L in the current Z would still have the Z edging out the BMW. For the next-gen Z, as long as the car can lose another 200-300lbs from its current form, and uses a non-updated 3.7L, it would still hang with the Cayman, and would underweigh the BMW by 400-500lbs.

TK

 

Not according to this link here: http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1306

See this link for a little more data on the 135i. According to this info, the 135i is 3274 LBS.

...Whereas the 2008 Z curbweight is 3320 LBS.

I think if Nissan stays NA, they are going to have some tough competition. There are many other cars that are faster than a Z, but they are either rice-boy ugly box cars, or they are much too expensive. So Nissan had a good nich. ...But the 135i is about to cut deep into that nich.

If Nissan made TT a standard option on the new Z, the Z would clearly remain King of the (affordable) performance market.

Unfortunatly, I don't really think Nissan will make it a TT though.

 

Well from everything Im reading the new Z will be smaller and lighter than the z33...They are benchmarking the Cayman so the Z will be in the neighborhood of 3000lbs...So with that weight and at least 325-330hp the 135 is no match...Besides the 135 looks like a 3 series with downs syndrome....New Z will own it big time..

 

I'm hopeing the rumors are true, or even better in reality. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

 

The new Z have to be more quiet inside the car. The current amount of road noise is way too high to make it an every day commuter. I tried, but it failed. It's a super duper car in all other aspects. Although it needs to have 2 more seats in the back so I can bring more friends with me.

 

I honestly think, after owning the car for 2+ years (I think ... geez) that the stock Z's styling is ugly.

the car has so many bad angles and portly shapes it really will benefit from a tightening up of the lines it has, not a redesign. The overall shape and character is phenominal, its the small things.

we all see what a transformation a simple rim offset + lowering change effects on the look of the car. Add a sleeker front bumper and the car is worlds ahead of a stock car.

these are the major areas I want Nissan to work on

1 - the rear fender shape around the wheel is too big, as has been noted it seems styled for a 20+ inch rim... this leads to a 'fat' look of the rear end especially with stock rims.

2 - shape of the rear bumper, overall is great, but it is very square when framed with the hatch lines, taillights and fender shape.

3 - front bumper lower inlet.... sucks and always has. the rounded lip always annoyed me and the face is very stubby and upright in certain angles, again, overall it's great it just needs subtle reworking.

a small annoyance for me is also the shape of the steering wheel. I am not a fan of square shapes in steering wheels. the spokes look bad and a style closer to the Nismo wheel, or the Momo unit the Evo gets is much more classic and sporty looking (and make the diameter smaller)

I am personally thuper excite to see the new styling direction. it better not suck or Imma kill someone.

 

throw a unresonated, test pipe laden exhuast on that bish and then complain I can't even hear the radio at anything above 50% throttle!

 

BMWs website lists the 135i as 1560kg, which is about 3440lbs. The 120d and 123 are listed between 3200-3300lbs. Car & Driver also weighed the 335i Coupe as about 100lbs less than the equivalent 3 series and Motor Trend says same thing of about 150lbs less than the 335i. I just can't see this thing being much of a threat to the Z market. It might contend with the G37, and I definitely think it would give a G37 a run for its money. 135i has a slightly shorter wheelbase(104 vs 112), about the same interior room, and trunk space, 30ftlbs more torque, only 30hp less, about 150lbs lighter, for about the same price.

The current Z with the 3.7L engine would still be fine in my opinion. It wouldn't dominate the 135i, but would definitely still edge it out stock vs stock, again my opinion of course. Plus the 135i interior looks marginally nicer than the Z. I'm sure it has a nicer feel and it's top notch, but it "looks" just as minimalist as the Z.

As far as next gen Z, I think as long as it's around 3000lbs like the rumors, and with either the current 3.7L engine, or an updated version with a more power, and I think the Z would be fine still being NA.

TK

 

Id rather see a small V8 rated @ 330 hp than that maxed out v6 we have in there now. The mod ability would be soooo much easier. Not to mention a small V-8 would push the 350z further away from the new Tiburon, and would make it more of a competitor for the Mustang. Hell it would prob swing some sales from the domestic owners market with a V8 too.

It would definitely open up a whole new market for the Z.