A More Powerful Z Is Possible
Speaking with The Drive during a podcast, Nissan North America Senior Vice President and Chief Planning Officer Ponz Pandikuthira let it slip that a more powerful version of the company’s sports car could be coming in the future. “I do see performance upgrades in the future of the Z, that twin turbo is capable of a lot more power and output that are compatible obviously with the latest emissions,” he said.
Nissan
“So I do see performance versions coming out, special limited series,” Pandikuthira added. How much power could these limited edition Z variants deliver? The base Z produces 400 hp from its 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6, while the Nismo is tuned to 420 hp; 500 hp isn’t out of the realm of possibility, the executive hinted. We know this engine can produce 460 hp in the Armada Nismo, but that vehicle features a 3.5-liter displacement.
Leaning On Heritage
Nissan
While the Z has not been a massive sales hit (no sports car sells in huge numbers in the US), the sports car is currently finding an unlikely audience among an older demographic of buyers. That is why Nissan will lean in with more special editions based on cars from its past.
“It’s going to be heritage based, Pandikuthira explained. “[Nissan will] go back to the authenticity of what Z was in the past. Create special editions that resonate with that heritage, and keep that animated cycle plan. Nissan won’t just build it and then walk away. So you’ll see a lot of that animation coming through special versions.”
Nissan says it would even like to build a convertible, but it depends on the company’s success in the next two years. While we’d love to see a convertible Z, there are other models that sound just as interesting, like the rumored Silvia revival.
