The next-generation Nissan 370Z will likely downsize its V6 engine in response to toughening emission restrictions and customer demands in Europe.

The next-iteration of the iconic Nissan Z sports car is likely to be offered with multiple engine choices as Nissan seeks to sell a model that appeals to both Europe, where V6 engines are basically extinct, and North America, where the 370Z’s popularity is in part due to its larger powerplant.

Speaking exclusively to CarAdvice today at the Nismo Festival in Mount Fuji, Japan, Roel de Vries, Nissan’s corporate vice president and global head of marketing and brand strategy, said there’s opportunity for multiple engines for the next-generation Z.

“Can you sell a V6 [370Z] in Europe? No. Does that mean the next Z will have a V6 [for Europe]? No, of course we are not going to do that.” de Vries told CarAdvice.

“[But] there’s still an audience that wants a six-cylinder engine, so why should we give it up? That’s all part of on going studies.”

The current Nissan 370Z is powered by a 3.7-litre V6, but Nissan will likely offer the next-generation Z with both a four-cylinder turbo and six-cylinder engine. There’s also speculation of a potential base model that may carry a naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine.

This would put the entry-model Z closer to the likes of Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ in terms of pricing, which would be ideal for Nissan considering the company seems to have put its plans for a new affordable rear-wheel drive sportscar on ice.

But does a lower-capacity Z diminish the model’s image? De Vries says that Nissan doesn’t needs to keep a V6 in the Z to maintain its heritage and performance benchmark.

“I think an engine is never a need or must, because what you need is to deliver on what the car stands for and if the 370Z stands for real performance and real driving I think it doesn’t need a V6 to do that.”

Of course, the question then becomes what Nissan intends to call the 370Z successor. Surely the 370 part would not make much sense if the engine size doesn’t correlate?

“In my opinion the displacement as part of the product name is a bit behind us. [So] Naming might also change, in the past when we all grow up, the bigger the engine the more expensive the car, the faster it would be. Everybody has left that, because it’s not about displacement of the engine, it’s about what the engine could do.”

“We [will] definitely keep the Z name, but when we did 350 to 370 it was because of the capacity, but who says the next-generation doesn’t have three engines and its not just called Z?”

The previous generation Nissan 350Z was manufactured for six years before it was replaced with the 370Z in 2009. With 2015 just around the corner, it marks the sixth year the 370Z has been in production, which is likely to indicate a successor is no more than 24 months away.

Should Nissan offer the next-generation Z car with multiple engines? Would you buy a turbocharged four-cylinder Z and more importantly, does it make sense to pit an entry model Z against the BRZ and 86?

Should Nissan offer the next-generation Z car with multiple engines? Would you buy a turbocharged four-cylinder Z and more importantly, does it make sense to pit an entry model Z against the BRZ and 86?

The head of design at Nissan global has revealed that the replacement for the now-six-year old 370Z needs to be “more revolution than evolution” in order to have a future.

Potentially likely to mirror the three-year gap seen between the 300ZX and its 350Z successor, Nissan chief creative officer Shiro Nakamura says the replacement for the 370Z — long speculated to drop the reference to engine displacement and simply be called ‘Z’ — must bring with it significant changes, or it will not survive.

“I mean 350Z, 370Z… I don’t think the next one is going to be the 390Z,” Nakamura told Australian media during this weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“It’s not growing because it’s already big enough. You know, 350 started with 240, 300, 350 and [then came] 370.

“I don’t think we should go higher,” Nakamura said while pointing upwards. “Maybe backwards,” he added, pointing down.

“We haven’t yet decided anything about next-generation Zed should be anything larger, or more power. We need to take another path.


“We have GT-R. If you compete with the high performance, we have GT-R. You cannot beat GT-R, so Zed has to be fine it’s own way.”

And unlike his view on the next-gen GT-R, Nakamura says the Zed can’t simply evolve like its bigger four-wheel-drive supercar brother.

“I feel [next-gen] GT-R is more evolution but I feel Zed needs more revolution than evolution.”

Quizzed on the potential of future product being related or inspired by the IDx concept unveiled at the 2013 Tokyo motor show, Nakamura laughed, saying, “Such a nice car. But at the moment, no IDx” – echoing recent reports to the same effect.

“IDx [has so much support] but financial decision is a different story… but that could be a next-generation Zed – [it’s] one of the options.”

Asked if an entry-level Toyota 86-type rival – one more affordable than the $60K 370Z – is something Nissan is considering, Nakamura suggested the Zed’s current role is as a more affordable option for enthusiasts.

“I don’t think we’d have three cars. Because we already have two sports cars – that should be more than enough, more than many.

“I think GT-R has to stay most high performance symbol of Nissan technology and Zed is [below it] to be more affordable sports car or sporty car to get the younger people [interested].”

After being informed of the naturally aspirated six-cylinder 370Z’s circa-$60,000 retail price in Australia, Nakamura was taken aback, saying, “That’s too expensive!”

“That’s very, very expensive. Therefore we have to make a revolution: repositioning. Reposition the Zed, otherwise I don’t think that we have a future with that kind of, you know, [package]. $60,000 and a 3.7-litre engine – it’s very, very expensive.

“And I think it’s not only price but also running costs with that that kind of a car,” Nakamura said before suggesting that Nissan is not wholly tied to six-cylinder-powered Zed cars, with a turbocharged four-cylinder most definitely a future option.

Attempting to spruik some of Nissan’s more affordable entry-level Nismo cars, Nakamura gets another shock learning that none of the performance division’s models are sold in Australia, with the sub-brand still yet to launch locally.

“None yet [in Australia]?,” the senior Nissan executive asked. “Why not? No GT-R Nismo? No Zed Nismo? We even have the Nismo March/Micra in Japan. We have such a nice range of Nismo…”

In markets such as Japan and the UK, punters keen for some sporting flavour below the 441kW/652Nm GT-R Nismo can choose from the likes of the Micra/March, Note and Sentra (known locally as Pulsar) Nismos as well as Nismo versions of the Juke and 370Z.

“Nismo is sort of a core, or heart of Nissan. We want to have Nismo everywhere,” he said.

Nissan Australia is due to make an announcement about the launch of Nismo by the end of this year.