I think they should just rebadge an Aventador as a Z and sell it to me for ~$40k. I'd love that :p

Don't people realize the BRZ/FRS does NOT compete with the Z? That is ---SX territory. I wouldn't be surprised to see Nissan bring a RWD SX back into the lineup. The Z will most likely stay a V6...but who knows. Since I live close to Nissan Design North America and am friends with Randy Rodriguez, I'll try to get some info out of him! Kidding.
(He's not telling. I've already tried)

Keep the same motor, slap a couple of factory Turbochargers on it, and a dual clutch tranny. Produce around 415HP.

:iagree:

We have a winner

4.0 V8 please!! 400ZX!

This is a scenario that could happen. With talks of slimming the Z down. Talks of the IPL G getting the TT treatment. And the continueing evolution of the GTR. They hit all 3 segments and don't have to add another car to the stable to do it. It will have been a good run for the Z if this is indeed what ends up happening.

The next Z motor has to get closer to 30mpg's to compete with the future of sports cars.

All they have to do is direct injection and that will solve several issues.

Way back in the fall of 1970, I bought an inexpensive sports car for a touch over $4,000. My Dad said "You paid how much for a Datsun?" The reason I mention this is that the next generation Z could be that car again. Yes it might be a turbo 4 that will compete with the BRZ, but that is the tradition that the Z has had all these years. It has always been a low cost sports car that tested other sports cars in its class. I saw the Z at Laguna Seca driving away from Corvettes back in the day. The twisties killed the vetoes, the Z's loved them.

Ok enough. I'll wait a couple years and see what Nissan comes up with, although Shamu's comment about the Infiniti V6 mid size and GTR sounds good

I think the issue here is that the Z is considered a class above the FRS/BRZ so if the next Z were to compete in that class, it would be considered a step backwards in the Z's development. I doubt that Nissan would make the next Z slower than the current one. The price of the new Z's are creeping up towards base Corvette territory so I'd like to see the Z go towards that direction if they're gonna keep the price the same or above where it is now. It could just end up being a more luxurious or high quality FT86.

Agreed, but they always wanted more bang for the least buck. No problem, the Corporate world will screw up a good thing.

I was not talking about engine configuration.

The should bring the Nissan Silvia back and actually call in the Silvia in America too. 1.8 to 2.2 liters in both NA and Turbo versions. This would be the competitor to the BRZ/FR-S.

Then the Z could afford to go a little more high end keeping the 6 cylinder and adding more power, and better quality than the lower market Silvia.

Two Words: NATURALLY ASPIRATED
 

I won't say "There ain't no substitute for natural aspiration" because MB makes some amazing turbo engines, BUT it takes a lot of engineering (read "money") to produce a turbo where lag isn't an issue.

True but... I see direct injection as a high tech band-aid for outdated engines. I think the VQ has taught nissan a lot about what is good and bad in a high performance engine. Imho, producing a brand new platform that harnesses the good of the VQ and is engineered to not have any of the bad side of the VQ, would be logical.

Besides, we've run over a decade with the VQ in some form or fashion. Me personally, having owned in recent years a G35,altima 3.5 se, G37s and two Z34's... I'm ready for nissan to try a whole different engine. I think I have received the full VQ experience.