Z32 Thoughts on the upcoming 400Z

Discussion in 'Non Technical' started by Harts, Sep 3, 2020.

  1. Harts

    Harts Active Member

    Saw the official line art release of the 400Z back-end today and am really liking the Z32 tail light reference, what do you all think?

    Would be awesome if the new twin turbo 400Z took it's design inspiration from our beloved Z32!

    j7vc6q6pevlmi8airb3c.jpg
     
    MickW likes this.
  2. beaver

    beaver southern zeds

    It'll possibly be comparable to the new supra. But to my way of thinking nissan haven't built anything decent for a long time, except for the 419kW and 632Nm monster GTR.
     
  3. Harts

    Harts Active Member

    I won't argue with you, having driven both the 350Z and the 370Z, they left a lot to be desired in the realm of fun factor . I am hoping the move to the twin turbo platform makes the 400Z a little more exciting... just like the TT Z32!
     
  4. jellybeans

    jellybeans Active Member

    Nissan lost the plot years ago. Need to go back to basics with good design. Build a new 1200 ute, 1600 sedan and 240Z. Was all downhill from there with very few exceptions.
     
  5. Harts

    Harts Active Member

    I have owned a couple of excellent Nissans @jellybeans , a 180sx and a C34 Stagea. Both fantastic cars, really cool platforms.

    The 180sx was the first car I bought myself, back in 2000. The 300ZX reminds me of it, that is a good thing! The Stagea was my run about for almost 10 years and I rebuilt it with Tomei from bottom to top, a 3076R and a 10000RPM redline. Absolute beast of a car, also no problems... except for the fact that it ate Shafts and LSDs after the build!
     
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  6. jellybeans

    jellybeans Active Member

    Harts,
    My first 2 cars were Datsun 1600's. I Z18 turbo converted the second one. Imagine everything you love about driving a silvia but you could use it as a family car.

    I think how many stupid cars nissan have built and its depressing. How do you go from offering such great cars to 30 years of crap?

    Silvia/180SX - basic front engine rear drive layout and light, whats not to like? Should have used the exact same running gear for a sedan/wagon but too stupid to do so.
    Stegea - skyline running gear in a wagon, tick
    Skyline- This model line is good from start to finish although personal favourites are dr30-r32. The performance increases from here but the appearance drops off with each model until you get the monstrosity that is the r35.
    Patrol - G60 was indestructible but models get weaker as they get newer
    D21 Navara- a personal favourite with shit power steering boxes my only real complaint.

    So with the exception of the skyline derivatives and the silvia it was pretty much all over by 1990.

    If you were a family man with a modest income and you could buy a modern 1600 for family duties and get it sideways when you were alone I'm sure it would sell well. I cant think of a competitor. $100,000 for a supra? is this how much the Z will be? It's not going to save them. The gtr is already a flagship, they need to concentrate on their actual market, low end to mid products with a mechanical point of difference.
     
    Harts likes this.
  7. Harts

    Harts Active Member

    I love the Datto 1600's, they continue to look better as time goes by too. I like them more now than I did when I was 15, I was definitely smack bang in the S13 Intital D generation of the late 90's.

    Agree Nissan has some lack lustre models, we never got the good ones here. They got the GTI-R, we got the SSS etc etc. No Cefiro, no Laurel, no Cima, no turbos and no V8's... booooring!

    I think they are planning the 400Z TT around 70K, a whack cheaper than the Supra, but probably still a little steep... needs to be mustang money to have a chance, 55-65 would do it.

    Most likely an interesting buy with 4 years under its belt though...
     
  8. jellybeans

    jellybeans Active Member

    yes nissan australia is a joke. the 1600 looks so good because its never tried too hard. Mustang drivers tend to be all sorts of retarded and you can even sell them side scoops that don't do anything. It would be difficult to use logic to entice a ford guy over to a nissan.
    The 400z could sort of compete with the mustang if it is cheaper, faster, better looking and v8 or like old datsuns it competes by being better designed with less weight less power better reliability and datsuns trump card 'handling'.

    Ford offers 2 engines because they want to hit a much bigger market. So successful has the mustang been they also offer shelby's, flat plane cranks and probably blown versions? they are taking that from cheap sports car money to porsche money. They are seeing how far they can push it. dodge are doing the same.
    Nissans best chance is to make the 400z cheap and offer a heap of nismo upgrades.
    Do the same for a 1600 replacement and try to get some sales away from all the hot hatches. its worth a shot.
     
    Harts likes this.
  9. MintZ32

    MintZ32 Active Member

    If Nissan have done their research surely they would be aware that the success of the next model lies somewhere inbetween the platform of the simplicity, handling and affordability of the BRZ/GT86 manually shifted rwd platform and the performance and tunability of cars like the R35 GTR and all its predecessors.
     
    Harts likes this.
  10. Harts

    Harts Active Member

    Yeah, not sure what happened to that datto'esque prototype Nissan released a few years back, I thought it looked awesome, something quite different and cool.
    nissan-idx-nismo-concept-003-1.jpg

    I agree @MintZ32

    As an aside, I was next to an ecotec mustang at the lights the other day, was very weird hearing the factory recirc valve go off on the gear change haha
     
    MintZ32 likes this.
  11. jellybeans

    jellybeans Active Member

    but as usual for Nissan it was a waste of time and money because it does not use the keep it simple design rule of the 1600. This would have cost a fortune and they would have known that before they even started the design. i like concept cars but i don't understand why a manufacturer would build and display them unless they can actually get them on the road. From memory the supra concept looked great but the actual supra looks terrible.
     
    Harts likes this.
  12. beaver

    beaver southern zeds

  13. Harts

    Harts Active Member

    I definitely think the Supra could have turned out a little nicer, agreed. It does seem a bit counter initiative to design a car that will never be built, although I wish they had built it.
     
  14. MintZ32

    MintZ32 Active Member

    The one interesting thing about the new Supra is that it served to inflate the prices of the MKIV after it's release. We can only hope that the same happens for the Z32!

    @Harts did you happen to be on the SAU forums back in the early 2000's? your username and mention of stag seems familiar o_O
     
    Harts likes this.
  15. Harts

    Harts Active Member

    I'm thinking that exact thing regarding Z32, if there is enough common design language.

    @MintZ32 Yes, I was on SAU a fair bit with the handle Stageaharts for many years, were you on the forum too? I think I ran my Stagea for about 8 or 9 years and it went from bog stock to fully built weapon. It was an awesomely fun runabout car!
     
  16. MintZ32

    MintZ32 Active Member

    @Harts Hahah I knew I remembered your handle from something just couldn't pick it. I was MintR33 took my gtst from bone stock to fully rebuilt RB25/30 using as many Rare Nismo/JDM parts as I could (hurts saying that now knowing what they're going for now). Sold out at the bottom of the market and went to a V36 and changed my username to Bliksem. Sold that after a couple of years and went on a JDM hiatus until about 3 months ago as I can now affordably have the "toy car" as a second car that doesn't drain my sensible expenses hahaha
     
    Harts likes this.
  17. Harts

    Harts Active Member

    @MintZ32 similar story to me! I got out of JDM after the stag... I didn't want the hassle of a heavily modified car on the road. I decided I only wanted cars with a new car warranty, bought a GTI, then moved on to an Abarth 124 Spider and really loved that... really excellent platform (factory turbo MX-5). My mistake was putting some TE37's on it and suddenly I felt the urge to modify a jap car from my youth again! Damn TE's... :D

    20190614_111054.jpg
    atkas07ahovd6cqih6br01ljq.jpg
     
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  18. Harts

    Harts Active Member

    So who saw the reveal!? I liked it, good colour too ;) nissan-z-proto-117-1599674386.jpg
     

    Attached Files:

  19. beaver

    beaver southern zeds

    Looks like nissan is trying to combine all the styles of the past classics, Porsche tail lights anyone. o_O
     
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  20. MintZ32

    MintZ32 Active Member

    I like it more than the 350 & 370Z but the styling seems awkward to me. That square opening on the front bar? WTH... Manual and turbo 6 is a big tick though...

    Do I like it overall? Not really...

    It is still just a concept though... The final design may improve a little
     
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