if you designed the new z...

[TTDRIVER]

How about just the way it is, Beautiful. Most of the 350 Z's sold and seen around are the base models with the cheap 17in "hubcap" looking wheels. Thats what makes the car look fat and ugly. The pictures that I have attached shows that with some proper wheels and a nice drop, its actually very sleek and Z like. Just my opinion.

Saro Fagerian

350Z_LM.bmp

[beandip]

I must say that lowering it helps some . I really like the wheels , if something could be done with the ungly front end and rear end both looking like a VW beetle it would help . It's the over all profile that kills it for me . About as arodynamic as a brick. Sorry ! my 5c Gary Scanlon has his 2c I am more expensive .

[Inf]

I have to say, that gold concept car photo looks pretty awful. The front end reminds me of a Honda del sol.

I think most people are replying here with a lot of "oh my god, they should have made it just like MY 240z/280z but with modern stuff added to it."

I personally would not want this. Retro car production is a huge cop out in my opinion. This is something a car company falls back onto if they cannot make appealing new designs, therefore they need to fall back on appealing to people's nostalgia. This type of appeal is ephemeral at best. Did anyone even care when the 'new' Ford Thunderbird got sacked? From all my perceptions, the general public thought it was pretty neat when it came out. (See : Ford Motor Company, 2005 Mustang bastardization, recent Thunderbird incarnation)

Lets face it, Nissan has sold a heck of a lot of 350zs despite this being a time when sports car sales in general are not that hot. They obviously did something right. I'm not a huge fan, but I think the popularity of the car with the general public (i.e. the people who matter most to the financial survival of a large volume car manufacturer) seems to speak for itself.

I certainly wouldn't want to drive around and see 50 other people driving a car that looked just like mine before my engine even had time to warm up. I, for one, am thankful Nissan did not gank the physical appearance of the original Z. If I were a classic Mustang owner, I think I would throw up a little into my mouth every time I saw some retard talking on their cell phone driving that 2005 abomination of a mustang around.

my 2c

[EScanlon]

I think that one of the problems that Nissan ran into is that it is hard to identify a specific trait / characteristic / look to the whole Z line that could be tapped into a marketing tool for the 350Z.

The 70-78 Z's share a common body style. So much so that we can interchange some parts. The changes between the different models and years were so subtle as to deceive many, and is probably one of the first questions a true new fan asks.

The 79 280ZX is the first change to the body that is notable, but the changes are an obvious progression to the original body. I may be wrong, but wasn't it because of the body style change that is why Nissan added the X to the name?

The 84 300ZX (Z31) however, is the first to really change the body to where some people might not readily see it as a Z. (Anyone ever seen the Celica GT of the same time period? or the Supra GT? Very similar vehicles.) The "half-lid" headlights have replaced the famous sugar scoops, the quarter windows are now much longer and triangular, the pillar between the windows is now flush and part of the body and not the windows. The hood "bump" or "nose" is completely different. Very little of the original body lines were retained. A bit of the parentage is noticeable, but it is a different look. To an unknowing person, it would be hard to ascertain that the 240Z and the 300ZX were related.

The 90 300ZX (Z32) now takes the original (Z31) look and modernizes it. Many people accused Nissan of producing a Porsche 944 Replica. The half-lid headlights are now recessed into the body and behind rectangular clear covers. The little bit of taper left from the original hatch lines is now gone, and it almost looks as though a trunk is there. The car is lower and wider than it's original design.

The latest 350Z (now without the X) doesn't have the side profile of ANY of the prior Z's, nor is there a discernable parentage...other than rounded body panels with the Z32.

So where do you say....THIS.... is the definitive Z look?

Other marques have features that have been carried on, model to model, year to year, that help identify a vehicle as belonging to the family. The Aston Martin's grille, the Ferrari's compact height, the Alfa Romeo's wheel bumps extending above the fender line, the BMW's double oval grille.

The Z, sadly doesn't have a lot that's passed down the line.

But then again, what are your thoughts?

Enrique

[26th-Z]

i believe that this was the one you were talking about:

I understand that the gold car was a clay and only 3/4 completed. Almost thrown together for the 1998 Nissan "Road Show". That was the "Field of Dreams" promotion photographed in a corn field. Development of that prototype incorporated a DOHC four cylinder engine.

But Z cars have six cylinder engines!

The new 350Z incorporates all sorts of design technology that the S30 didn't have. Mid-ship design and the flat ride concept have been brought to the new Z. The wheels are on the corners to emphasize squat and stability. There is 4" less wheel overhang than previous models. The corners are tapered so that the body overhang is diminished from the quarter views. The top is concave to appear lower and sleeker. The 350Z presents a contrast between soft body curves and sharp geometric accent. It is an expression of current automotive design theory. In contrast, see the pictures below showing concept cars from the period of the S30. Notice some familiar lines? I contend that the original S30 was intended to have headlight covers and the characteristic scoop we Americans have come to love is peculiar only to the States. See my picture of the P2 prototype. By expression, the 350Z headlights mimic the original. I love the 350Z.

Ok, trivia question: what do the three squares in the new Z logo signify?

Suggestion: read "Lust, then Love"; Ron Sessions, Publications International, Ltd. 2002

[dogma420]

The problem is, the 350z really isn't a Z, other than Nissan trying to sell the name to people...its like Def Leppard or Metallica changing their music just to sell more albums (selling out?).....ya know, well we got popular doing one thing, but now that we are recognized, we can sit on our laurels and by lazy....(and yes, post-pyromania and post-and justice for all) are lazy efforts, IMO....just like badging this car a Z.

They should've named it something else.

the low overhangs are just what the industry is doing right now...doesn't help the car at all....I know lots of old Z owners that would agree. Makes it look like a VW Bug though. Lots of old Zs with lots of overhang drive/performe just as well as this new Z.

The thought was it looks like a Audi TT sort of when it came out...well it still does.

I just think that having the old car is cool; I never really wanted to think about them coming back with a new Z anyways....there's too much rehashing of ideas anyways (Hollywood movies anyone?)....

Just my .02 dollars...oh and by the way, I think that new Mustang does look pretty good, much better than before.....when the 08 shelby cobra jet mustang comes out, that would be something I'd consider getting.

[AChev]

I agree with dogma. The 350Z is very audi TT. Wether or not there were any styling cues taken or it was just a coincidence, the tt was released first, then when the 350 arrived many though it was a copy. I am not trying to state it was a copy, just that many people I know thought it was. At least the golld z concept had originality and does not look like many cars on the road. I would have preferred the concept over the production.

[gogriz91]

I don't know man, the Audi TT styling looks horrible compared to the 350. Hoodline's way too high, roofline's too low. Looks like a classic depressed German male design team came up with something to horrify their Italian counterparts with.

The 350 has much more graceful lines, and performs better, for less money.

It never was going to be a retro 240, but it just might be great styling and performance and all at a great price, like some other Datsun sports car I've heard of.

If you really don't like the design, thank your counterparts who drive 300Z's. The designer from Nissan said he tried to combine the styling cues from the 240Z and the latest 300Z's to come up with the 350.

[Ron Carter]

Having driven both cars, the 350 and the TT I can say that they feel the same in the drivers position. Small low windows, sqat profile to the cars. The TT has a windshield that stands up a little more than the z.

There are some styling differences but to be both cars look like oversized bull frogs with wheels.

[Mr Camouflage]

What new 350Z? You mean the one that been around for about 4 years now?

I did this fo a thread discussing the looks of the 350z when it was new <a href="http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1175&page=1&pp=15">here</a> (see page 3)

The bottom pic is my photoshopped version of what it should have looked like. keeping the classic proportions of the 240, and getting rid of the ugly toad-bum like rear.

<img src="http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=72">

They kinda grow on you a bit, but i wouldnt trade my 240 for one.

Go the ugly toad! Still waiting for the metallic green one. rib-bit.

[daddz]

Nice photoshop! I would prefer that they just retool the S30 bodyshell to be honest. Look at the Porsche 911; when it's right it's right. Another shape to emulate would have been the Toyota 2000GT, Jaguar XKE, or Ferrari 275GTB/4.

[spudea]

^^^OMG! That completely changes everything about it in a good way! Looks seriously badass! Looks so much more like the 240z. The guy that designed the 350z is fking clueless......someone needs to send that pic to Nissan, so maybe next time they will get it right.