The road to a new Z-car, one we’ve been calling the 400Z for some time now, has been a long one, filled with rumors, interviews, and expectations. When Nissan filed a new Z logo trademark in March of 2020 we finally had something solid that hinted a new Z-car was coming, but it was far from a confirmation that it was really happening. Now, more information has started circulating that says the car will be named 400Z and could be unveiled within the next year, but that’s not all.

What Will Power the Nissan 400Z?

Back in 2018, Nissan went on record saying that by 2020 40-percent of its lineup would be electrified, and that included the Nissan Z and GT-R. We touched base on the 400Z being electric back in October of 2019 when we discussed that the company was on the fence about moving the GT-R into electrified territory and that the next-gen Z might be developer in collaboration with another company. This is where things start to get interesting, though. As, in January 2020 word came out that the 400Z wouldn’t be electric at all and would even sport some retro design cues that harken back to the 240Z and 300ZX! That same report indicated that Nissan had its eye on the 3.0-liter, twin-turbo, V-6 found in the Infiniti Q50 and Q60 Red Sport.

A new report from Autocar has backed up these claims, saying that is in fact a twin-turbo V-6 heading to the engine bay of the 400Z. However, this report indicates that it will be tuned to deliver a cool 400 horsepower, which makes for a an increase of between 50 and 68 horsepower depending on the model. This means that the 400Z name is, in fact, a hint toward the car’s horsepower output.

The Nissan 400Z Will Move Upmarket

There’s no denying that the 370Z is showing its age, and the new car will see some drastic improvements. Material quality will be improved significantly, to bring the Z into line with Nissan’s newest U.S. market models and there’s a new modern infotainment system being introduced that will feature connected services. There’s even word that a digital instrument cluster will be on the list of options too.

The 400Z Could Be More of a Major Facelift than Evolution of the Model

Now, we’ve told you that the 400Z will take some retro design cues, but we’ve also been told that it will retain the same general shape. The front end will be inspired by the 240ZX while the taillights will be inspired by the 300ZX. That language leads us to believe that Nissan is going to repurpose whatever it can. Low sales volume essentially eliminates a bespoke platform, so there’s a good chance the same old platform with some tweaks here and there will be used.

With this in mind, it’s quite possible that Nissan is going to simply change the front end, perform a somewhat minor facelift in the rear, alter a few body panels, and drop a retuned Infiniti engine under the hood. To finalize things, the interior will be revamped with fresh materials and technology. Now, this would, in theory, make the car new enough to count as a new generation, but at the same time, it could still ride on old bones. Considering the low sales volume and the cost of designing a new car from scratch, a lot of this makes sense – let’s just hope that Nissan doesn’t keep too much of the current Z’s DNA. We should find out soon enough, though, as rumor has it that the 400Z will debut in the next year, so keep those fingers crossed.