Between the revelation of the new Nissan Z and promising first impressions of the Toyota GR 86, sports car fans have had a lot to get excited about this week. At the beginning of this new decade, we continue to get reasonably priced rear-wheel drive cups with manual transmissions, which seem inflated and, at least on paper, seem to drive even better than the cars they replace. And that’s fine.
But there’s a negative feeling I’ve seen floating from a subset of the enthusiastic community about these cars, because that’s the Internet and of couse there is. The argument is that they are not new: both the next Z and the GR 86 / Subaru BRZ are built on the same platforms as before, with their respective manufacturers doing their best to darken the old possible. Accompany it with the uproar of a couple of years ago about the fact that the Supra was “just a BMW” and the narrative is that car manufacturers who are interested in building high-performance cars don’t. the right way “. In other words, “from scratch.”
I disagree with this dam. We can’t nostalgically recount old-school sports cars, mourn their demise amid the onslaught of technology, and then complain when successors arrive who, in some respects, are slightly old. We must also recognize the pragmatic reasons behind these decisions and consider that if there were no way for carmakers to drive development costs forward or divide them among various parties, these vehicles would not exist. (Do these people know how long Porsche spent before upgrading the 911 structure? —ED)
So this is not a problem, at least for me. But Nissan provided many high-resolution photos of the new Z in its press kit, perfect for pouring to discover vestigial 370Z clues. If this is your idea of a fun time, 1) I also struggle with social gatherings and 2) you have come to the right place. Let’s take a look.
The side profile
Most of the obvious similarities are present inside. But if we take a look at the 370Z and the new Z in profile, we can see how Nissan’s smarts tried to distract themselves from the fact that both cars share the same FM bases and even their Z34 chassis codes. . Below you can see them superimposed on each other:
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I know, the training job here is not perfect. I tried to make the two Zs uniform with each other, but keeping in mind that they share an identical wheelbase of 100.4 inches. The 370Z is almost 5 inches shorter in total length that the new Z. Height is dead even between the two, at 51.8 inches.
The lower cut line of the door is directed towards the front arch in a very similar manner; this also happens with the top edge of the side windows. In fact, the windows follow the same curvature (although the new Zs continue for a while longer), highlighting one of the tricks Nissan did to make the next car appear visually lower and less dense.
Yes, the seventh generation Z is technically longer. However, the new coupe looks busier due to its black roof, and this helps to proportionally move the car away from its predecessor. It’s a very clever way to distinguish generations when it comes to posture, and it makes me wonder if Nissan will ever offer this Z with a roof that combines body color.
One of Nissan’s infographics actually leaves that secret. Displays sketches of each generation Z profile. The illusion of the black roof is of no importance when looking at outlines instead of photographs, so the new Z looks noticeably taller and looks much more like the 370Z on the side when viewed from this way.
The climate ventilation situation / door handle
The retrofuturistic atmosphere of the new Z does wonders to eradicate any hint of 370Z. To pick up other ways in which the disposition of the old car informed the new, we must enter the cabin. There, an intelligent but traditional element of the interior of the Z car immediately becomes apparent. We bring this side fan and the door handle closer:
And now let’s take a look at the 370Z cluster, in this case the NISMO version:
Not only is it the same general idea: placing the climate respirator in the sheath with the circular door handle, but it is also identical in terms of part selection, until the lock switch works like a small tab in the inner edge of the ring. If we go back further in history, we can see the 350Z incorporating the same design. However, the parts are clearly different, as the ventilation housing comes out more and the locking switch is in a different place:
Card almost all door
The interior door panels are not quite the same between the 370Z and the new Z, but there are aspects. In addition to handling / ventilation, note the shape and location of the bottom pocket, speaker, area where window switches, and other controls lead to the handle and reflector. New Z:
And here is the 370Z:
Of course, the design of the top between the armrest and the door handle is completely different through the generations. The new Z looks fantastic adorned with blue suede.
The center console
This one is a little less open. Nissan clearly restored the center console, cover and basically the entire transmission tunnel cover of this car. But it still seems vaguely similar; Like some edges were smoothed or accentuated, but the overall placement of things, like the emergency brake and cup holder, didn’t move.
Now the 370Z:
At least on the new car, it looks like the center console cover can slide backwards, revealing another cup holder when needed:
The Climate Dials
In the new Z, the three dials used for climate control (fan speed, temperature and position) appear to be transferred to the bulk of the previous car. The parts and their design do not change. But the new Z offers a small storage space underneath, which is very useful in a small interior.
The 370Z:
Bonus: the clock is over!
Now for something literally completely different. One of the peculiarities of the interior of the 370Z that always baffled me was its digital clock inside a caliber housing mounted on a board. It was exceptionally out of place next to the actual performance-y dials for volts and battery temperature. In addition, it used a retro-looking LCD screen, as if Nissan had extras from the 300ZX days and just decided “we have to do something with these “.
Well, this weird clock no longer exists in the new Z. The indicators are new and the voltmeter is the only one left in the group. The other two are now boost pressure and turbo speed.
Let’s be real: the indicators of the two cars have nothing in those of the Z31 300ZX:
The entertainment system of the new Z looks fantastic, but I think I prefer the G meter and the Z31 compass to dominate this space. They’re bigger and have a more prominent location than they deserve, and the green markings and text on a black background emit a submarine oscilloscope vibration that was common in sports cars in the ’80s, but sadly absent today. 10/10.
These are the most obvious design similarities I can find among Nissan’s latest Z cars. For those who are as geeky about this kind of thing as I am, they are interesting to keep in mind. Nevertheless, if an overview is made, what has been borrowed should not obscure what has not.
The 2023 Z starts with 70 horsepower more than the old one, thanks to this new 3.0-liter biturbo V6 (for the nameplate, anyway). Nissan engineers modified the geometry of the suspension and changed the shock absorbers; they also improved stiffness and widened the front tires. The net result of these and many other changes make what should be a better rear-wheel drive sports car, despite the known bones. If reusing a platform and transporting some parts was a necessary compromise for the Z to continue like this, I think the sacrifices were worth it.