Originally Posted by Carl Beck

One major element of success associated with the Datsun 240Z was that it made it though the Design to Production hand-off with its Styling in tact. This is a very very rare occurrence - in any field. The Datsun 240Z was a clean slate design and the original designer did get to follow it though at least the Automotive and Manufacturing Design phases. Of course Nissan Motors Ltd. was a much smaller corporation then.

I was at the Detroit Auto Show when the new 350Z was introduced. As you can see by the pictures below - the Styling Concept Drawings show a quite beautiful design.

When I had an opportunity to talk to Mr. Shiro Nakamura, I ask him why the production car was so much thicker/fatter than the concept drawings. His answer surprised me at first... but then it made perfect sense. Mr. Nakamura said "we couldn't get the height of the firewall any shorter". I looked at him with some question still on my face, so he continued...and said "G35".

Oh.. I see!! The 350Z was built on the existing G35 platform - just shortened. That explained it - and I thought almost at once of the AM-X that I had owned so many years ago. A AMC Javelin with the rear seat cut out!.

At that time - Nissan was just recovering from a near bankruptcy and couldn't afford an entirely new platform for the limited production Z Car, as was originally promised by the previous President of Nissn, Mr. Hanawa.

If the 370Z sells well in this depressed economy - perhaps at some point in the future - Nissan will once again be able to afford to develop a new platform strictly for another Z Car. If that happens, you'll see a car that get though the Manufactureing and Production phase with its original styling pretty much in tact.

Nonetheless - the 370Z is a beautiful job.

FWIW,
Carl B.