More info from C&D;

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/..._370z_car_news



Quote:
2010 Nissan 370Z - Car News

Shorter, wider, lighter, and more powerful Z in the works.
BY ALISA PRIDDLE, PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM DREW AND THE MANUFACTURER
May 2008


The lighter and more powerful Nissan 370Z coupe and roadster could take its first formal bows in January at the 2009 North American International Auto Show prior to going on sale in the fall of 2009.

That is not to say Nissan can’t jump the gun and opt to unveil the new sports car this November at the 2008 L.A. auto show. Either way, the car is being designed as a formidable placeholder below the hot Nissan GT-R, while still leaving room for an affordable front-wheel-drive car positioned below the Z.

The big news, as evidenced by the name change from 350Z to 370Z, is the 3.7-liter V-6 that goes under the hood. The bigger engine, which produces 330 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque in the Infiniti G37, will power a new Z that is lighter than the one it replaces—a perfect recipe for fun. Icing on the cake is speculation it may borrow the seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission from the GT-R.

“Both performance and design are much more sporty,” is how Shiro Nakamura, Nissan senior vice president and chief creative officer, describes the 2010 370Z for us. The design of the second-generation roadster represents a “super evolution,” the design chief says in a recent interview. The expectation is that the new Z is wider and shorter.

While the original Z rode on Nissan’s FM (for front midship) platform, the 2010 370Z rides on the new E platform that encompasses former FM vehicles as well as some international vehicles on the FR-L architecture, which denotes “Front-engine, Rear-drive, and Large”—all part of Nissan’s platform consolidation efforts. The 370Z will share the E platform with much of the Infiniti lineup including the FX, EX, M, and G coupe and sedan.

Meanwhile, Nissan officials say they still are interested in a more entry-level, small, front-wheel-drive sports car for the brand, but not immediately. The automaker does not want to take the spotlight away from the launch of the new Z and is dealing with a full portfolio right now, says Larry Dominique, Nissan North America vice president in charge of product planning and strategy. But something that takes cues from the Nissan Urge concept—it would compete with the Mazda MX-5 Miata, Pontiac Solstice, and Saturn Sky—is expected in a few years.