For the longest time, fans have been begging Toyota to turbocharge the Toyota 86 and, ultimately, make it faster. But, Toyota has remained firm on its stance of remaining naturally aspirated, and it all boils down to the Toyota 86’s driving dynamics. What does that have to do with the Nissan Z? Well, the Nissan Z was built on the very same premise. It might feature a potent, 400-horsepower, turbocharged V-6, but at the end of the day, it’s not about numbers, it’s about the pleasure of driving; It’s about driver and car becoming one. And, if you don’t believe me, maybe taking it from Nissan’s Chief Engineer, Hiroshi Tamura, will help you see the light.
“Enjoying A Conversation With The Car”
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There’s no denying that the retro-styled Nissan Z is a worthy successor to the aged and now retired 370Z. The new Z delivers a cool 400 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque from its 3.0-liter, turbocharged, V-6, a huge step forward from the 370Z’s naturally aspirated 3.7-liter V-6 with 332 horsepower and 276 pound-feet of torque. On paper, the new Z will be quicker than its predecessor, but what if that doesn’t matter at all? Sounds crazy, right? Well, that’s actually the truth as exposed by Nissan’s Chief Engineer, Hiroshi Tamura, in an interview with Road & Track.
Tamura claims that the Z is more like a “dance partner” to the Nisan GT-R, which is the real track star. Not that the Z can’t go to the track, but it’s about more than speed and grip.
On top of this, Tamura confirmed that the new Z will be offered with a six-speed manual transmission as standard. “I want to see the customers smile. This is always my goal, so why not protect the manual transmission?” And, that very thought plays into the Z’s real purpose. He stressed that the Z is about more than mere speed. He wants to bring back the feeling of getting behind the wheel of a car for the first time. So, yeah, the Nissan Z might be more powerful and even faster than the 370Z, but it’s purpose is to evoke emotion and a sense of pleasure, not just be fast.