Next Nissan Z to debut Aug. 17 in New York City

The Nissan Z car was dead for the 2021 model year, but it’s about to return and now we know when.

On Thursday, Nissan announced the next-generation Z car, known internally as the Z35, will make its formal debut in production form on in Aug. 17 in New York City just ahead of the 2021 New York International Auto Show.

The new Z, which will likely be called the 400Z, is expected to ride on an updated version of the current 370Z’s front-midship chassis. The new Z might not be much lighter than the current car, but it might drive and handle like it is, chief engineer Hiroshi Tamura told us in 2019 thanks to smaller 19-inch wheels and a revised suspension.

Expect the Z to be powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 that makes 400 hp. A 6-speed manual transmission will be standard and a 7-speed automatic will be available. Rear-wheel drive will be standard, and while unlikely, all-wheel drive could come at some point as it’s an option on the Z’s platform and powertrain sibling, the Infiniti Q60.

Nissan Z Proto

Previewed in September by the Z Proto, the new Z isn’t expected to come with many surprises. The sports car will feature a retro design with a nose and round daytime running lights inspired by the 240Z of the 1970s. A 370Z-like roofline with a Z badge on the C-pillar will lead into a rear end with horizontal taillights as a nod to the Z32 300ZX of the 1990s.

Nissan Z Proto

The Z’s interior should feel familiar to anyone who’s been in a Z in the last 20 years, but with modern technology. A thin-rimmed steering wheel will sit ahead of a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster that puts a tach front and center. A touchscreen, likely an 8.0-inch unit, will control vehicle and infotainment functions. Round knobs below the touchscreen will make the climate control system easy to use. A trio of analog gauges, a nod to Zs of the past, sit atop the dashboard angled toward the driver.

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