New Nissan Z 2021 latest Z dynasty heir from Fast and Furious

An old-fashioned sports car, all petrol. But only Americans and Japanese will see it. In fact, at the moment (and there do not seem to be the conditions for this to ever happen) the marketing of the Nissan Z in Europe is not planned. Instead, it will arrive in the United States in spring 2022. And it can also be ordered with a manual gearbox. As many as 400 Yankee horses which are equivalent to 405 of the old continent. No kilowatts, for once.

NISSAN Z: HEIR OF DATSUN 240Z AND NISSAN 370Z

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These things in the States still find a significant audience. There is also a historical reason why the Japanese company, the same that has focused a lot on electric propulsion and among the first, has decided to give an heir to the 370Z with stars and stripes livery. In fact, the tradition dates back to October 1969, when the Datsun 240Z made its debut in the USA. It was a very, very European style coupe, very closely inspired by the Ferrari 250 Gto and the Jaguar E-Type. It had respectable performance, although the engine architecture was not the American preferred one, that is, a large displacement V8. Instead the Datsun one was fitted with a small (for local customs) 2.4 twin cam with six cylinders in line. But the 150 horses for the time were enough to make it quite gritty. It was also used in racing, it won the Safari Rally in 1971 and 1973.

NISSAN Z: ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION

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Many years and a lot of petrol later, here is the heir: The new Nissan Z is equipped with a V6 3.0 biturbo that delivers the beauty of 400 HP, 68 more than the 370Z. And also a 30% increase in maximum torque, now 475 Newton meters reached at 5,600 rpm. Rear-wheel drive, as befits a pure sports car that respects tradition. And dare, because the gearbox is manual as standard (in the US, where the automatic is even more rooted than the V8); six gears but modern technology, because the drive shaft is made of carbon fiber and the electronics incorporate a “rev-matching” function, that is, it automatically brings the engine revs to the optimum level for the gear being engaged in downshifting . Something that in the old days was done with the toe-heel maneuver. Of course, the nine-speed automatic transmission is also available as an option. Compared to the 370Z, the engineers have applied numerous refinements to the chassis, steering and suspension. In particular, the shock absorbers have a damping force reduced by 20% to improve grip on bumpy surfaces and overall stability. Electric steering and wider front wheels improved cornering performance by 13%.

DESIGN AND INTERIOR OF THE NISSAN Z

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The long bonnet is a direct reference to tradition. As well as the luminous signature of the LEDs, two semicircles inspired by the Fairlady 240ZG, a version sold only in Japan in the seventies. Likewise, the four-piece rectangular taillights bring the memory of the look quickly to the original Datsun. Very short overhangs increase the momentum of the car, compact as a whole given the length of 438 cm. The interior is designed for sportiness, yet the all-digital instrumentation combines well with a certain vintage flair.