Car and Driver's Cars Worth Waiting For: 2016 Z

JungleZ

"we have to go lighter and more fuel efficient" sounds like a BRZ fighter to me!
Jay Leno at Nissan DNA Heritage Garage - YouTube

b15

Agree. It will never happen but this is how I picture it. GTR = Halo. Z= Mid-Premium range sports car and a reinvented Silva or 240sx = BRZ/FRS fighter.

The last thing I want is a cheaper Z to boost sales and compete with the FRS/BRZ.

Magic Bus

I like your guys idea of a 2016 Z variant in the Silvia category and a second mid range Z with higher performance. I think if Nissan did this, it would be safe to say that the mid range Z would not have the power of a C7 Vette, nor the price of one either, as the Vette has never been it's target in the past.

Question, if the 2016Z came out with the two models, would you want them to look the same?

UNKNOWN_370

I would want some type of body kit for distinction. Even if it's mild.

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7speed

Not sure of anyone posted this. Hopefully the z35 will address some of these things.

Three simple reasons why the Nissan 370Z cannot compete in the US

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09 370z 6spd traded 1/12/15 for 15 Challenger RT 6spd

UNKNOWN_370

Meh... These reasons ONLY hold partial validity.

No 2+2 seating being a reason is weak. While 2+2 seating may help sales. It's really not what the Z was from the start so... I think it's a "if you don't like it? Tough" point.

400hp. The Z not competing against a mustang is somewhat right and somewhat wrong. The right part is the Z pricing compared to a mustang GT, there is a value issue. But is adding 400hp to the Z the end all be all of competition with the muscle brand???
I think the Z can keep a 100hp deficit, IF they can refine the motor, improve the transmissions, lose the weight,improve suspension and other tech points necessary to make the Z more agile and faster.

While in some ways, the Z has to be more comparable in performance to the muscle cars, to a point. It bothers me that writers exclaim that the Z needs to be a muscle car. It does not!!!!

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Favorite Quote.
"I'm not gonna kill you... I'm just gonna Bash Your Face In" Jack Nicholson-"The Shining". 1980

Chuck33079

Exactly. The writer of that article completely misses the point. A Mustang GT has more power and a more useable back seat than a 911, while costing less than half. By his criteria, that means Porsche can't compete. Just because today's muscle (I'd argue pony) cars are closer in performance to more traditional sports cars, doesn't mean they're competitors in any category but price.

It's a two seater. Obviously they appeal to a smaller market. There is a 370Z 2+2 option. It's called a G37 coupe, and it seems to sell very well. I see them everywhere. Add in those sales to the Z's sales if we want a apples to apples comparison.

The comparisons to the Toyobaru aren't really that valid, since the twins are more comperable to a hardtop Miata or new 240sx.

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ElVee

In regards to that "3 reasons why the nissan z cannot compete in the us:" Does anyone anywhere want the Nissan Z to sell Mustang-like units of 80,000+? I don't think even Nissan is aiming anywhere near that.

The author hits the valid point of cost, but the 2+2 is silly and having less hp than a Mustang, while true, is not necessarily the fighting point for everyone. I can't say I've once thought of the Z as a muscle car, and thus competing with them. The Toybaru being around probably actually helps stir up interest, and certainly gets rid of the youngsters who starve themselves so they can afford a $25k used Z.

Anyway, the author picked a fight with a low-production car that is 4 years old and due for an upgrade. You could probably make a similarly useless article about any car with those two criteria.

Now, if the author had started talking about competition from the Alfa Romero 4C or compared against the newer Audi TT...

Chuck33079

YES. Have you seen how cheap quality aftermarket parts get when they've got a market of that size? You could probably build an entire Mustang out of a Jegs catalog for the cost of a 370 turbo kit.

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ZBro16

I really just want to vent about this article quick.

1) Author thinks Hyundai is Japanese, and that 16hp easily makes up for 144 lbs in extra weight.
2) Author thinks horsepower is the only way to measure the performance of a sports car.
3) Author thinks a prospective 370Z buyer will opt for a BRZ because of a back seat.

The author only has an article title. And sales numbers. But the rest of it is pretty much garbage.

The backseat argument is weak. How many sports cars out there don't have a back seat? Miata, Cayman, Corvette, Z, Camaro Z28, Mustang Boss 302, BMW Z4, Honda S2000, just to name a few. I agree the option is nice, but if the lack of availability of a back seat turns you away from any of these cars, then a sports car isn't what you are in the market for in the first place. On top of that, he adds that it has a tiny interior. Seating space in a Z (for the driver - the important part) is larger than that of an FRS. He conveniently leaves the Miata out of that argument.

The fixation on horsepower really makes me think the author has only ever driven a "sports" car on a dragstrip. Ever tried to sail a Challenger around a tight road course against a Z? I would imagine the extra 1000 pounds doesn't help much. It really doesn't matter that the Challenger has 460hp compared to the Z's 332 in this context. Stupid argument. If you like the sound of a V8, excellent. The Z hasn't been in your pool of consideration for the last 43 years.

The car is priced a bit high to make it truly competitive in today's market, and that's not because it's not a great performer for the dollar. The 370Z can hang with a Cayman around a track, and that car is $15k more in price. Unfortunately these days, car buyers don't see the value in that comparison. Bang for the buck thrill for simpler-minded drivers goes to the big three - Camaro, Challenger, Mustang. They perform great and the put your head back in the seat and Americans are typically built a little bigger on average so a big muscle car is just... easier. I get it.

Stupid articles like this aren't going to make the Z a better car, IMHO. Stupid articles like this are written by stupid journalists who have a very vague knowledge of the s*** they're writing about. This article is a lazy a** interpretation of sales numbers written by a dude that drives a Corolla XRS on an autocross course and considers himself a sports car aficionado. Hopefully there aren't too many people like him influencing the product planners at Nissan for the next gen Z.

Z_ealot

i just couldnt be bothered to even consider writing an opinion on that piece of garbage they called an article and i've said it before, but could the Z use some improvement? yes, but not in the way that the dumb *** that wrote that article describes, he just completely misses the point of what the Z was intended for in the first place...hell even nissan's advertising campaigns in europe straight out told you who they were going after when they made the 370Z lol

Nailzs

The author doesn't know the difference between a sports car and a sports coupe.

Nismo370

Damn no boost for the V6. If they dont turbo the v6 they might as well scrap the Z line. 350hp is nothin nowadays lol.

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UNKNOWN_370

We can all agree on one thing... That was the worst Z based article we've ever read. And I know I've read some stupid and inaccurate Z articles over the last 3 or 4 years. But this one took the cake. It also shows how extreme these stupid mustang comparisons are going. This articles poor insinuations further proves that Mustangs and Z can only be compared to a small degree. Something we enjoy doing on here which goes to the point of ridiculousness.

__________________
Favorite Quote.
"I'm not gonna kill you... I'm just gonna Bash Your Face In" Jack Nicholson-"The Shining". 1980

DLSTR

Word! Drive it over here and the current horsepower does not FAIL! Where do you want to use your power if you dont track in the US? Seriously give it up. You cant use the 3330+ now on the street or freeway on cruize at 72mph etc.

Its nice to brag at Cars and Coffee about your hp numbers but for the real world 330+ is a serious amount of power. Period.