Next Nissan Z Go Back to Roots. Be Smaller and Lighter

A new NissanNissanJapan, 1932 > present159 models
6957 photos
12 videos
ZNissan Fairlady ZJapan, 1969 > 20076 series
12 versions
23 photos
is coming in two years. According to the car's designer Shiro Nakamura, it will reveal a concept at the 2014 Detroit Motor Show and then go on sale in 2015.

Nakamura also talked a little about the car's design. While things are still early, he says that it is going to be lighter, smaller and more mainstream. 

Nakamura is not necessarily saying all of the things enthusiasts want to hear about the next Z car. 

"It cannot be any larger. It's at its maximum size now and should go leaner. It needs to be lighter, and more accessible to open the door to more people. The next one has to have a stronger impact," he said. 

The rumor is that the Z is going to drop its six-cylinder engine for the first time and switch to a turbocharged four-cylinder. 

The current 370zNissan 370ZJapan, 2008 > 201226 versions
77 photos
1 video
has a curb weight of 3,314lbs. If the next car is really intent on cutting weight, then that means weight could fall south of 3,000lbs. It is unlikely though that Nissan will be able to maintain the car's current 330hp with a turbocharged four-cylinder, unless it is working on something that we do not know about. Assuming the car would weigh 3,000lbs, it will need about 275hp to maintain the same power-to-weight ratio. The more weight Nissan cuts, the less powerful the engine needs to be to maintain the current standard. 

Nakamura also said that he is working on giving Nissan a more unified look. From the MicraNissan MicraJapan, 1982 > present5 series
97 versions
207 photos
to the TitanNissan TitanJapan, 2004 > present37 versions
52 photos
pick-up truck, someone should be able to look at a car and immediately know if it is a Nissan. 

Source: Inside Line