This situation looks pretty bleak now. Nissan has only used the Z in one set of commercials that I have seen; the one where a Z is stretched into a Maxima. When sales slump on a specialty car, the only justification for its existence is the ability to use it to generate excitement about the brand. I haven't seen Nissan do that with the Z.
Certainly with projected sales under 20,000 cars, it is virtually impossible to imagine that the Z would get any special engine or transmission. Expensive-to-produce parts like engines and transmissions would have to be shared with other, better selling cars. I think it was a very good decsion to use the G37 engine and transmissions in the Z.
When I had my 240Z, its value grew every year because the successor cars just didn't have the excitement of the original. I suspect that if Nissan stops selling Z's (though I can't see why they wouldn't simply keep selling 370's since they have the tooling) then those of us with Z's would see our cars jump in value.
Sadly, in a world where for little more than a sport touring Z with nav, you can buy a Porsche, Nissan has to do more than just make Z's and ship a few to each dealer. It has to decide if the Z is a halo car. The GTR is a world class rally car. The Z is a true sports car.
I suspect the exotics and the midrange sports cars are also feeling the pain from the recession and gas price rise. Car sales in general are starting to decline.
I would hate to see the Z line disappear again; or worse, morph into some ugly sedan with the Z imprint. The good news is that we have our Z's and from my point of view, the 370 is the most wonderful Z ever. It is at least as beautiful as the 240, and has more power than I ever imagined a Z would have.
My forecast is that there will be a 2012 370Z with minor body tweaks. The hybrid Z is years and years away.
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