So, we're here in the Baldwin Hills, only a few miles away from Motor Trend Headquarters in Los Angeles, for a very special opportunity provided by Nissan. They agreed to meet us out here for an early, but limited look at the all new Next Generation Z. Here it is.
Part of our agreement with Nissan, I can talk about the way it performs from behind the wheel. We can't talk about the Z styling. Now the first thing you notice about the vehicle is that it does appear to be a lot more compact. Also you notice the fast backstar roofline, really got some shades of GT-R in there. Let's take a closer look.
Lot of people would recognize this as the 350Z, but there are a couple of very distinct differences. So, they're covering up something here with the camouflage. Don't quite know what it is, you can feel it. But it's obviously something aggressive. They have done some sort of a lower spacious styling.
Now you move to the headlights, again, these are very similar headlights to the 350Z, as they look now, covered up. Now there's similar detailing right here on this inside piece, and they're projected style. But then you notice that they have taped off something going on here. Potentially, maybe something like the Maxima headlights, they are very dramatic boomerang-shape, and then you move over to the hood, there's no bulge in the center, like there is on the latest update of the 350Z.
It's smooth in the center, but the there are these two character lines set projected at the back and then up here, even in this camouflage bar there's a Nissan logo. Feels like there's one behind, so obviously there'll be some badging upfront.
From this angle the Z hasn't changed all the much either. Apparently the whole car is a little bit shorter. But you wouldn't notice that from this overhang in the front. Might be a little shorter, we don't quite know, have to wait till the specs come out to verify.
As you come back to this front fender, again there's nothing really dramatic here, no huge changes, still retains, but looks to be the Z logo. It does have an 18 inch diameter wheel along with Yokohama ADVAN tires. That's the first time the Z has come with ADVANS. So, a nice little upgrade, and looks to be 2-piston front brakes. This is the base car though, so we're imagining there'll be a higher spec wheel entire package, as well as, probably much larger brakes available as you move up through the range.
As we move between the wheels of the Z, it becomes apparent; this is where a lot of the changes have been made. Overall the car looks quite shorter at the wheel base, particularly losing a lot of distance behind this B pillar, and that makes a lot of sense, giving away the car's move from generation to generation. The most expensive thing to do is to change this opening.
So, for them to lose the length at the B pillar makes a lot of sense. Like Blackberry case, there's a little magnet here. Check this out. If you're around here, it stays. If we move to the door, it doesn't stay. What does that tell me? It tells me that this fender is steel. This door skin is something else. Aluminum composite, we don't know.
The rear is very reminiscent of the 350Z. It starts with the taillights, steeped up section. Steeps have something that again curves, maybe around this direction closer towards the wheel, or they're the same sort of headlight, taillight combination we found in the Maxima? Possibly, certainly feels that way towards the tail.
Twin exhaust pipes looks to be a Nissan badge, and probably some sort of 370 badge over there under the camouflage. And there's this interesting thing down here as well, looks to be some sort of a lens or taillights. We don't know what that exactly is? In European markets they need to run a separate tail lamp that might be it, but who knows why they makes it to production.
As for this trunk, again, the overall shape is very reminiscent of Porsche, although it does terminate into this flatter sort of duck tail. Now we're haven't attached a number yet to this car. But we do know that Nissan has traditionally shared this platform with the Infiniti G Coupe. So could this be in fact a 370Z? You'll have to wait until November 19th for the LA Auto Show debut.
Soon after, visit Motortrend.com, where we'll have full test numbers, and the first drive of Nissan all new Z car.
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