It has been confirmed: Nissan is working on the next-generation Z. The announcement is not quite here yet, but a test mule in the old 370Z body is already out (see the photos), and some details are coming in from anonymous sources.
It is claimed that the new iteration of the sports car will keep its recognizable features all around, while gaining a 240Z-like front end and a 300ZX-like rear. The former of the two came out half a century ago and earned a legendary status, while the latter saw its star rise in the 1990s. The interior will be similar to what all other Nissan cars ship with, and a modern infotainment system is guaranteed.
Rumor has it that a new 3.0-liter turbo V6 will replace the old 3.7-liter naturally aspirated mill under the hood. More specifically, the new engine is said to be what the range-topping Infiniti Q60 ships with. The Nismo performance version will boast 500 hp (373 kW), and manual transmission will be available alongside the usual nine-speed automatic.
Nissan has no intentions to discontinue its image-making Z series, but there is no denying that the sales have been disastrous lately. Many attribute this to the fact that the current generation of the 370Z (see video) has been around for ten long years. A successor is expected to arrive in a year or two, likely crossing off a line in the list of 12 new models the company promised to announce over the next 20 months.