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Nissan may have plenty of models to boast of, but the one car that stands out to anyone looking for a vehicle with a little pep in its step is the Nissan Z car. Back in 1964, Nissan began toying with the idea of building a sports car to add to their lineup, but it wasn’t until 1969 that a vehicle was actually produced. The Datsun 240Z was available in two versions - and proved to be the successful sports car that Nissan had anticipated. Six generations later and Nissan had produced many variations of the vehicle, including the ever-popular 370Z. Now, after only four years since the latest 370Z was created, rumors are flying suggesting that Nissan is ready to go at it again with a new generation Z. Not only will the world be getting one of their beloved sports cars once again, but it may also be powered by a hybrid drivetrain, a rumor we first heard back in 2010 most likely the same one used in the Infiniti M hybrid. Yes, the world is going hybrid, and there’s nothing we can do to stop it.
Hit the jump to read more about the 2013 Nissan Z.
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Nissan will continue celebrating the Z’s 40th anniversary with a display of six historic Z racers at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion on August 12th–15th at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monterey, Calif.
The list of vehicles on display will include: a Brock Racing Enterprises Datsun 240Z, a Bob Sharp Racing Datsun 240Z Chassis #00006, a Bob Sharp Racing Datsun 240Z IMSA GTU, a Nissan Motorsports 300ZX, a Nissan 370Z BRE Tribute Coupe, and a 2010 Nissan 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition, a model limited to only 1000 units.
The vehicles appearing at this event are no slouches either. A number of them have had an active racing history including appearances at SCCA National Championships, IMSA Manufacturers’, and Drivers’ Championship and victories at LeMans, Daytona, and Sebring. Not only will classic and newer Z models be on display during this automotive weekend, but a number of vintage Nissan race cars will also be on hand to partake in the racing events: John Morton will drive the #46 1970 Datsun 510 in the "1966 – 1972 Trans Am under 2 Liter Cars" class and a pair of 1985 Nissan GTPs (#83 and #84) owned by Toluca Lake Classic Motorsports will compete in the "1981 - 1989 FIA Mfg Championship & IMSA GTP" class.
Press release after the jump.
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Nissan has recently launched the 370Z sports car and already the company has started working on the next generation Z. And with the new alliance between Renault-Nissan and Daimler, the next Z could be powered by new diesel engines and a four-cylinder hybrid powertrain.
Thanks to the new alliance, Renault-Nissan will supply three and four-cylinder petrol engines and electric technology to Daimler, while Daimler will return four, six, and eight-cylinder engines. This could turn out to be a great partnership because Mercedes is known for its fuel efficient diesel engines and Renault is in need for them with their launch into the electric car segment.
This leaves three options for the next generation Z. The first is a 3.5-liter V6 hybrid set-up used in Mercedes S400. This option provides 299hp and 284 ft.-lb. of torque. The next option is the V6 from the E350 CDI with an output of 170 kW/231 hp. Finally, the four-cylinder petrol in combination with a 15 KW compact electric motor from the forthcoming E300 Bluetec. This option delivers a total of 224 hp and a torque of over 580 Nm. However, Nissan also has under consideration the same engine used in the Infiniti M hybrid.
Okay, this week has already started off with some pretty exciting news. First, we found out that Toyota might be planning a more economically priced "baby" Toyota FT-86 and now we’ve had more news come our way. The Japanese magazine, Best Car, reports that the next generation Nissan Z (known as the Fairlady in Japan) will also be offered in a hybrid version. The hybrid version is rumored to run on a new lithium ion battery pack. Coincidentally, this is the same pack that will be powering the Fuga luxury sedan, known as the Infiniti M on the U.S. side of the pond.
This comes as a result of the recent collaboration between Renault-Nissan and Daimler. Another possibility is a diesel engine developed by Daimler, but this is just another rumor.
As a reminder, there are also rumors saying the next Nissan GT-R will be offered with a hybrid system.
It’s hard to imagine that Nissan’s Z-series has been around for 40 years. But what’s even more difficult to fathom is the fact that it actually came close to never materializing in the first place. It turns out, Yutaka “Mr. K” Katayama was the first one to broach the idea of the car back in 1969, and after a lengthy debate regarding the viability of the car, Nissan eventually relented and introduced the very first Z car: the Nissan Fairlady Z.
Now, 40 years later, Nissan’s Z-series is one of the most revered car lines in Japanese auto history and to commemorate the monumental occasion, Nissan is releasing a limited-edition Nissan 370Z Coupe, which, from what we’ve heard, will go on sale in the spring of 2010. The limited-edition 370Z was molded from a Touring version of the 370Z Coupe with the standard 3.7-liter V6 engine, which is capable of producing as much as 322 horsepower.Despite carrying the same engine, Nissan added a few kinks for the special-edition car, including the brand’s trademark Synchro-Rev automatic rev-matching function to complement the car’s six-speed manual transmission.
Likewise, the 40th anniversary 370Z was also supplied with bigger brakes than those in the standard version and to top it off, Nissan also provided the car with bigger – and reinforced – 19-inch Rays forged wheels. As far as the styling of the anniversary 370Z is concerned, Nissan gave it a royal red treatment with red leather trim as well as red stitching throughout the car’s interior. If that wasn’t enough to signify the importance of the car, Nissan also gave the car a special “40th Quartz” paint scheme to commemorate the Z-series’ 40th year.
Nissan will produce 1000 Examples of the 40th Anniversary Z priced at $38,860 each.
Updated 02/10/2010: Nissan today unveiled new images of the special edition 370Z 40th Anniversary Edition. Check them out!
Press release after the jump.
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