Japanese Nostalgic Car Has Just Posted the Following:

10-01-2012 02:40 AM

Jay Leno is in Japan. What comes of this trip should be interesting, but for now, watch as he tours the Nissan DNA Garage.* Nissan design chief Shiro Nakamura*give Leno a tour of the facility, formerly known as simply the … Continue reading →

Click here to view the article.

Here are some key screen captures of the video where Jay is reviewing the design sketches with Nakamura.

I don't know about you, but this bit of new Z news leakage (some may call it clever marketing) has me getting my hopes up.

And talk about a dream job of the young man and woman doodling on the monitors. Imagine staring at an S30 all day and drawing sketch after sketch of your idea of what a modern one might look like. Heaven.

Edited October 1, 201212 yr by zKars

All I can say is Wow! Such Respect and Honor to the design from Nissan. It has never been a better time to own a Z!

One look at the picture with all the profiles and you can see why the 350 was seen as such a deviation from the Z profile.

(Pic number 4)

E

I really like the scene of a few designers working at there workstations with the original 240z right there in the middle of the room.

It looks like they are progressing back to an original successful idea.

Edited October 1, 201212 yr by grantf

I've been waiting for Nissan to "reintroduce" a competent successor to the 240Z for 30 years. I wont get my hopes up. It just ain't gonna happen. I hear the BRZ song, and it sounds oh so familiar.

I think Nissan will go back to their roots. If you look at the more modern cars, beyond the 350z, it's starting to look like it! I like the shape of the car outline in blue next to the "What's Next" text....

Why don't they just make an identical shell out of aluminum, stick a high performance aluminum engine, modern interior, modern high performance suspension...and light bulbs accessible from the engine compartment?

Why don't they just make an identical shell out of aluminum, stick a high performance aluminum engine, modern interior, modern high performance suspension...and light bulbs accessible from the engine compartment?

There are multiple reasons why that won't happen, mostly because of safety regulations.

Aluminum shell? That sounds like an expensive proposition...

Safety is a joke. I can get a ticket for not wearing a seat belt by a cop on a motorcycle!

Watered down society with increasingly poorer drivers and distractions can not be saved by safety regulations. End Rant.... point is to keep the outside the same and make what lays underneath modern.

Safety is a joke. I can get a ticket for not wearing a seat belt by a cop on a motorcycle!

Watered down society with increasingly poorer drivers and distractions can not be saved by safety regulations. End Rant.... point is to keep the outside the same and make what lays underneath modern.

I'm not saying whether it's good or bad, but that there are bumper height, safety and crash test regulations in place which would stop your scenario from happening. The car needs ABS, air bags, stability control, tire pressure monitoring, certain bumper height, crumple zones, etc. Even if it did look like an S30, it would be quite a pig.

They're better off building a new platform. IMO, a "new 240Z" need not look like the old one, but it must illicit a similar reaction to seeing and driving it. Building a new 240Z with an S30 look-a-like shell will make the originals less unique. That uniqueness is what makes old cars "cool".

There is only one modern car that has the general proportions and shape that I think says early "Z" at a glance.

Recognize it?

At least, it proves to me anyway, that its POSSIBLE to build a S30-like shape and have it meet all modern safety and functionality requirements, and still have it instantly recognizable as a distinct evolution of the S30 Z shape. Something I will require before I "accept" whatever is coming at least.

It seems that there are only two ways to go appearance-wise with the coming Z IMHO.

It either has to scream "modern S30", or it has to be totally fresh, with hints of S30 where it counts, but have every damn one of all of the "other" elements that made the S30 so special. Nothing else will do for this group of "enthusiasts" I think .

Hey, does the very fact that only a single, VERY expensive and exclusive car (above) even comes close to the shape and feel that we all crave in a modern Z, mean that its nearly impossible to do? Or is it just the raw talent of the craftsman who designs it? Time will tell.

Whatever they build, I hope it appeals to more than just the "Z-elite" (that's us, gang) or there won't be many buyers....