On a lighter note, how's this for daydreams.

Next Z should aim to be like this cayman alpha at 1/4 the the price tag. Yep impossible but fun to think about.

http://www.topspeed.com/cars/porsche-cayman/ke5.html

:eek:

Read the some more down the page about next gen caymans.

Looks like more rumors of 4 CYL with turbos due to more stringent regulations.

Auto industry changing to keep up with the times etc.

yep, back on track. i don't really care how they do it, it just needs to be lighter, faster, handle and feel great and look sexy.

Although i worry that fi they achieve all that, I will be tempted to spend more money again, haha.

and on that note, here you go into the iggy bin :rolleyes:

I don't think Nissan makes cheap crap. I had a 07 v6 Altima before the Z and it was pretty nice, nicer than my sister's v6 accord for sure.

same here man, except mine was an 05 v6, probably the most comfortably riding sedan i've ever been in...went almost 200,000 miles on the original timing chain before it needed to be changed.

You're a troll and a superbly uninformed buyer. You don't even understand the Z's purpose. Don't confuse my thread with a "I'm mad cuz the Z isn't faster than a 5.0 thread." This thread is based on the Z going a step forward from it's predecessor and not backward. While I'm explaining how other companies are improving there vehicles... It's only to show everyone else is progressive while the Z sounds like its going to scale back too far...

But our cars are niche cars and don't need to be directly compared to any redneck-rocket for sure... all this thread is about is hoping to make the Z progressively better and using what we do know to make logical assessments of the next-gen Z will be by use of nissan and competitor info.

:iagree:

Drove a 2013 Altima V6 recently. Huge improvement in interior quality and the ride was almost Lexus smooth. Definitely very impressed and can't wait to see what they do with the next Z's interior.

I always took that the Z was more of a quick, lightweight, handling car. Not really meant for straights but for picking up speed getting out of corners.

That being said, I like the way the car is. Now the 300ZX TT, it feels so irrelevant from the Z-line. Not really designed with the long nose and the (porsche?) styling? Like bubble cabin.

hey nissan has a limited canvas to work with here. smaller bigger lighter.
they need to stay true to the cars history.. the mustang and camaro's are bigger and fat all ready. easy to drop weight and stuff in a bigger motor.

imo the 370 has it's limits to what one can do to it without completely starting over. which would be a mistake. the car is damn good looking now and we all
can agree on that. the 370 is already pushing the price at 40to45 grand.
that turns a lot of people off especially when they look for the back seat or trunk. i'm with others just add some more torque maybe 25 extra hp.

improve all the little things.. and it will still be a great little 2 seater sports car.

just my 2 cents.

Just give me a lambo

I'm with this guy ^. Aventador please, kthxbye! :tup:

here's how to solve the problem. Go back the the 300zx. One base model and One with all the goodies. one nice 380hp 6cyl and a small displacement high rev V8 or small displacement TT6cyl detuned GTR engine maybe.

Base model would compete with the 27,000-35,000 bracket and the High spec model would be aimed more towards the 35,000-55,000 bracket.

Now Nissan just needs to work on pricing and make dual variable valve timing like Porsche and BMW so they can get some nice hp and torque of the the motor. As far as weight goes just look at the FRS it's a similar size and has 600lbs on us at LEAST.

Make the Z more exotic looking (like the 300zx) and offer a targa as well.

those are the things id like to see and honestly those would make the Z car very competitive.

as far as the age group goes im gonna take a wild guess and say that people from ages 30-55 are going to be the ones buying the car.

Whats with the love on the Altimas? I rented a brand new one for a bachelor party in Vegas, the suspension was so soft that it threw all the passenger into the roof at any major intersections with a little rain gutter.

300zx is ugly IMO too, sorry I don't live in 1990 anymore.

I am with BuddyZ, last Nissan, bought 5 already and I am truly done with them after this one.

:rolleyes:

Well I only drove the altima down the street and back, but it didn't seem too bad.

The one I rented was a brand new with <1500 miles on it. I basically drove it from McCarrans and to different hotels on the strip. THe only time I venture away from the strip was to go to the In and Out burger. The car is rooomy yes, but that was pretty much the only thing that was good about the car. The drivetrain has the annoying CVT whine while not making much power. The car is oversized, hard to fit into any parking space. The handling (or lack there of) was probably the worst thing. I have never been in a car that bottomed out or sent us flying so much.

Soon to be Z owner here;

I agree with some points made by Buddyz, for the money the car is a good all around car but it doesn't excel in any one category, it's like the volvo of the sedans.
I test drove all the competitors and while some are faster and some are more luxurious I think nissan did a really good job for this gen (even though I do agree more torque is much needed) overall it's a great car, just the price point is what turns me off from buying brand new.

It's tough to make a car that is still true to it's roots, can still compete performance wise, and doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Someone will find one of those things to complain about.

The suspension was so soft it threw all your passengers into the roof? Humm....... Sounds like you definitely were given one with a flawed suspension. I have been in some crappy cars with garbage suspension before, and I have
Never seen anything like you described.

altimas arent bad, my 09 actually handles pretty good. :icon17:

but then again comparing it to a 370z, you will see how much it doesnt handle obviously. :bowrofl:

I agree with nissan needing to explore double variable valve timing. But nissan always has to patent something as there own original in the engine. They will probably come out with... VVVEEL. Very Variable extra event lift... :roflpuke2:

2 ways not to drive altimas...

Base model or wheels less than 17". The suspension isn't too soft, the tires are way too mushy. My 3.5se owned a lot of cars on the road. And my 2.5 I'm about to get rid of those 16's for 18's. My only complaint on the proper altima is numb steering rivaling 08 G37's. But overall, the altima rides better than all the other supposed performance family sedans.

Paraphrased: OH the humanity!!! The rain gutters, they were everywhere. So much carnage. And screw the next Z, I agree with buddy's buyers remorse angle to discredit a car that hasn't even been released yet.

Lots of LOLs.



Tapatalk & such etc

I think most of you are missing the boat and here's why. Nissan introduced cutting edge technology in the 370Z with SRM, VVEL, and a 7AT that is quick as $41t for not being dual clutch. I have a good feeling that the next Z is going to have some sort of next generation technology akin to what's going on with the NSX. Nothing compares to the torque of an electric motor or the punch of a kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) like is used in F1 racing.

So, permanently bump up the existing torque to 400 ft/lbs and the hp to 450 whenever you need to. Temporary power on demand is super effective and light weight. I can't wait! :happydance:

7AT FTW! :tup:

I was thinking.

It seems like the formula that lots would like to see is one where the Z keeps it's Porsche chasing heritage, with a good value price point.

Hopefully that can be achieved. I wouldn't like to see the Z homogenized for more mainstream appeal and end up a castrated rwd (like frs).




Tapatalk & such etc

Hoping you're right. New tech will be key for next gen.


Tapatalk & such etc

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I see the esflow being the highest end $70k all electric Z, while lower end models will run on gas.

2014 will bring the Porsche Cayman S, a turbocharged 2.5ltr flat-4 that is supposed to produce 350 horses on tap and still achieve 30mpg highway. 2014 cayman definately eclipses our Z's in styling and is the first car under $70k I think is better looking than the Z. The current cayman is ugly compared to our cars.
That said, if nissan rivals the porsche in 2015 and sadly goes to 4 cylinders? I'm going to guess we will again eclipse it in power while rivaling it in performance with a 2.7ltr, i-4 twin turbo giving 380hp.?????,

The 270zx???

Oh well??? I still rather it stay a smaller 6 with turbos.

I agree.

The cayman s is faster now...

Agree. Would rather see a smaller 6tt.

Good find on the next Cayman S. Funny enough, if a next gen more efficient, yet more powerful 4tt is what NISSAN comes up with, in a lighter Z. Well if it came pushing almost 400hp I'd still feel like Z is still true to its heritage of fast, well handling rwd sports car. At this point it's like microprocessor technology. Sort of like a Moore's Law thing happening for car engines.


Tapatalk & such etc

If you mean now as in current model? Its faster, but not enough to call it faster than our Z's. We generally beat them in overall acceleration up until 2012. Then it kinda tied up to a degree. Z auto is still faster than the PDK (believe it or not) porsches pdk is only .01seconds faster and there average quarter time is 13.4. Z autos can make 13.1 vs Z manual 13.4 average.

The porsches get around the track faster than a stock Z due to the mid-engine layout and being 180lbs lower in weight along with a better center of gravity on the porsche, thus, why we are outhandled on tracks by porsche. Straight line neck to neck. I think a Z can take the porsche unless its a top speed race. 155 vs 164mph.

True, people say the Z wasn't a fast car in 1970. But that's not quite true. The average accel to 60 back then was 8 seconds stock on a sports car with 16 second quarters. Cars didn't see 6 sub 6 second 60's and less than 14 quarters without serious modification. The Z was on par with most american sports cars with half the displacement. In that sense... it would reign true to its heritage to be able to achieve that feat.