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Nissan 370Z - official video
2008-11-21 01:00:00 Straight from Nissan, a 9 minute video of the new 370Z in action!
Comparison of 350Z versus 370Z brace under hatch
2008-11-16 18:30:00 One of the biggest "usability" differences between the 350Z and the 370Z is the bracing under the hatch. We always wondered exactly what was under the gigantic brace between the shock towers of the 350Z when we came across a stripped one at a racetrack. Here is the 350Z brace in all it's glory. You can see that it was probably overkill. It certainly killed the usability of the hatch area. The 370Z brace is a different story completely - it's not a shock brace at all. Instead, it goes between the B-pillars where it probably contributes a lot more to structural integrity (and crashworthiness) than the 350Z brace ever did. Kudos to Nissan for removing the ridiculous 350Z brace, improving usability, and for actually improving the structural integrity and crashworthiness of the car. It's rare when safety and user friendliness attributes can come together at once. If I have one concern, it's that some racers will try to use the brace as a harness mount: it's structu...
Big week for Nissan at the Los Angeles auto show
2008-11-16 17:20:00 This is going to be a big week for Nissan with announcements at the Los Angeles show including the all-new 370Z. In preparation for this week, it would be good preparation to review the 'Nissan GT 2012" business plan presentation by Carlos Ghosn from May 2008. The presentation includes both video and slides: (suggest <right click> and <open in new tab>): http://www3.stream.co.jp/web06/-nissan/press/EN/epre/080513/bb/-index.html The Z announcement and official unveiling is only a few days off. However, this weekend there were two official unveilings of actual production cars held in the Los Angeles area and of course numerous spy photos have been seen over the past year. Thanks to all of this there is only a little we don't know about the new 'Z: we've already got pictures of the complete exterior, the engine compartment and interior, and one to answer our big question about the location of the brace. The big brace of the 350Z is gone, r...
new 2009 Nissan 370Z debuts!
2008-10-30 02:27:00 Nissan today released 3 official pictures of the new 'Z. These are the only pictures released today, and specs will not be available until the official debut date before the Los Angeles show in November. As we've seen from the spy pics, the new styling is evolutionary, and incorporates the new family head and taillights. Retro touches include the rear side windows. We do know the updated FM platform used in the latest G37 is underneath, and given all the issues with the current Z platform that's a very good thing.
370Z is coming
2008-10-10 04:48:00 And then there is the Z. Several test cars have been caught in Germany this past week, and almost every angle has been shot including the interior. The car is very clearly lighter, shorter, and wider. And we should have the data to quantify that in a few more weeks. The new Z rides on the new much improved FM platform (aka 2007 up G35/37) - and that means a considerably improved suspension with way beefier bits and much taller tires - with (and it's about bloody well time) adjustable camber. That means the Z becomes truly track worthy for the first time - that is, without having to spend about a thousand bucks for new and adjustable parts and pieces. Lots was wrong with the current Z, and it looks like Nissan is about to deliver a far better one.
370Z caught on the street
2008-08-17 12:16:00 Head over to VWVortex and check out the 370Z that was spotted driving on the street. Per previous reports, the new Z sports the updated FM platform (with the ability to adjust camber all around - finally!) and the existing 3.7 Infiniti liter engine. It's also been said to be somewhat lighter, thanks to a shortening of the chassis behind the doors (all wasted space on the current 2-seat 360Z). The styling updates are controversial, starting with the fangs in the grill below the bumper line. The picture reveals the details of the new rear hatch, which is probably less expensive to produce but which clearly doesn't improve rear sightlines. And while nobody has seen it yet, we're willing to bet that the large brace underneath the hatch will be removed from it's present form. Note that the picture also reveals a true dual-exhaust system, a hallmark of the new FM platform. The current 350Z has a single exhaust system with dual tips. References: (suggest <right click> and ...
Renault Alpine rumor persists
2008-07-28 16:12:00 As first discussed in my blog posting of November 2005 ( http://www.drivingenthus-iast.net/sec-blog/2005/11/27.ht-ml#a1037 ), Renault has been considering reviving the Alpine brand for the past several years. Discussion in the press on this possibility has recently picked up with the suggestion that 2010 could be the year the car debuts. References on web (suggest <right click> and <open in new tab>): http://www.themotorreport.com.a-u/6165/370z-based-renault-alpin-e-to-be-revived-in-2010/ http://www.eurocarblog.com/post-/1044/alpine-to-be-made-in-2010--as-twin-to-the-mean-nissan-370-z http://tribes.cartribe.co.uk/ki-ckapps/_2010-Alpine-based-on-37-0Z/BLOG/83846/7276.html http://www.autospies.com/news/R-enault-Alpine-shares-platform-w-ith-Nissan-370Z-32876/ http://www.pressportal.com.au/n-ews/246/ARTICLE/2708/2008-07-27-.html Plans have apparently taken a step forward, coinciding with the major updates that were made to the Nissan FM platform and archit...
JPCN has the 370Z image!
2008-05-14 22:23:00 This is it - the 2009 Nissan 370Z. Scooped 6 months before it's debut at the Los Angeles show. No further details are known beyond it's 3.7 liter powerplant. Continue at the source for the full story: http://jpcnews.blogspot.com/200-8/05/say-it-aint-so-370z-finall-y-breaks.html
VQ35 swap into early Datsun Z
2008-01-12 22:50:00 Following up to my previous post, suggesting that a Nissan/Infiniti VQ35 engine would make a great swap into an early Z, I've found a site where the owner details exactly that. The donor engine is from a late model 350Z. The recipient is a 240Z. Great site: follow the link above to read lots more. And thanks to the author of that site, I'm starting to see how my own Z project could happen...
SHO V-6 swapped into early Datsun Z
2008-01-12 22:38:00 Another great find today: a SHO V-6 swap into an early Z. As my readers know, I'm a fan of the early Zs because of the driving dynamics and all-time classic styling. They were a masterpiece in their time... and they remain as such. However... the original engine would be difficult to bring up to modern performance expectations. It's pretty pointless, unless you are doing a restoration for concurs. When it comes to performance enhancements for early Zs, you can't beat a GT-R engine. Except in price. So unless you can find one, much less afford it, a Nissan/Infiniti V-6 would be the next best thing. Failing that a F-ord/Yamaha SHO DOHC V-6 engine would be the next choice. And why not? It's a top quality engine, it's capable of even more power, it's reliable, it's available, and a transmission is easy to find. Continue at the link above for a full set of pictures.
How to get *real* Best Motorings from Japan
2008-01-01 18:12:00 Best Motorings are one of the greatest aspects of the hobby for Japanese car enthusiasts, but also one of the most frustrating. Why? Because it's been almost impossible to get original copies of them, and even harder to get them when they come out in Japan. In case you're not familiar with Best Motoring, it's a monthly Japanese "car magazine" - in video form. The emphasis is on performance cars. There is usually a "battle" comparing several cars on a roadrace track. There is also testing on winding roads, on the Touge course, with drifting, and on occasion special tests such as a notable 0-300 KPH test. All the latest Japanese performance cars are tested, and occasionally they are tested against similar performance cars from Europe and North America. There is extensive in-car multiple-camera video and analysis; it's very clear which cars work better and why. It comes in DVD form only, and that's one problem: it's region code is not compatible...
2009 Nissan Z - engineering mule analysis
2007-06-22 05:00:00 This is a 2009 370Z engineering mule: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/ne-ws/autoexpressnews/209115/nissa-n_350z.html - the first one spotted. The engineering mule at this point has the new suspension, crossmembers,&-nbsp;and other elements placed underneath a modified current 350Z body. A mule always hints at new dimensions, but not the new styling. Nissan typically evolves the styling of its cars, so look for the new Z to be easily recognizable and not radically different. Look closely: it has a wider track (with wider wheel flares), larger wheels and tires, and the big 14” discs and 4-piston brakes from the 2008 G37 coupe. Like most mules at this stage in their lifecycle, you'll also notice a roll cage inside. Overall dimensions of the car are slightly altered as well - look at the ill-fitting roofline over the driver's head. And note the matching cut-lines in the door just below. Hmmm.... has the Z been slightly lengthened? &nb... |
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