Nissan putting Z on a diet in order to compete with FR-S?

[Loki]

Roommate just sent me this. Could be interesting, almost sounds like the Z is becoming more like a new S-chassis. Personally, I'd love to see Nissan follow the Porsche structure of Boxster/Caymen/Carrera and introduce an FR-S fighter, keep the Z as a higher horsepower grand tourer, and keep the GT-R as the high-end performance. Although since NIssan is decidedly not Porsche, the FR-S competitor might destroy any Z sales. Thoughts?

[Bubba1]

Roommate just sent me this. Could be interesting, almost sounds like the Z is becoming more like a new S-chassis. Personally, I'd love to see Nissan follow the Porsche structure of Boxster/Caymen/Carrera and introduce an FR-S fighter, keep the Z as a higher horsepower grand tourer, and keep the GT-R as the high-end performance. Although since NIssan is decidedly not Porsche, the FR-S competitor might destroy any Z sales. Thoughts?

I think it might be wishful thinking on the part of the writer who seems to want a resurrection of the 240sx. It would not surprise me to see Nissan lighten up the next generation Z and consider a turbo 4 to replace the old V6. But I doubt Nissan's gonna knock $10K off the Z's price after spending all that development money to just to compete against a lower end/lower margin sports car like the FRS/BRZ or Miata.

[MinisterofDOOM]

I really do think Nissan would be fools not to put the MR16DDT into something that's not a crossover. But a 4-cylinder-only Z is not going to happen.

[nissangirl74]

IMO they should leave the Z alone and build something different to compete with the BRZ and the FR-S. A Z with a 4cyl just seems sacrilegious.

[asoomal]

Face f*** palm.

It's wayyyyyyyy better to design something ground up to be lighter and more agile than take something and try to make it even worse -_-

[OriginalWheelman]

Just make the Altima Coupe RWD. There I fixed it for you.

[Razi]

IMO they should leave the Z alone and build something different to compete with the BRZ and the FR-S. A Z with a 4cyl just seems sacrilegious.

[Bubba1]

A Z with a 4cyl just seems sacrilegious.

I initially thought that way but I'm willing to keep a open mind. The 370 could certainly afford to shed a few pounds as you can definitely feel its heft in the corners. As far as a turbocharged 4? We'll just have to test it if they do it.

I've also felt the same way about Ferrari's. The only true Ferrari's had V12's in the front. But you know what, they make a pretty good mid engined V8 too.

[TurboSauce]

IMHO, Why put the Z name in jeopardy? What happens if this thing is a flop? Why ruin one of the good models you have in your lineup Nissan?
Why not create something new entirely as you're removing the alti coupe ANYWAY.
something a little bigger than the frs, [to market as an economy car] and then give it the Qr25 turbo engine, and aim for about 235 hp?
I smell a shark in the segment

[OriginalWheelman]

QR25? No. MR18DET.

[asoomal]

1.8 Is still to small, 2.2+.

[krash]

QR25? No. MR18DET.

I'm thinking VQ25. If not that then yea the MR18 sounds nice. Not a fan of QR though.

[asoomal]

VQ25 sounds excellent.

Just imagine a twin turbo'd VQ25 with direct injection......

[s0m3th1ngAZ]

The next Z will sport Mercedes-sourced engines, so turbo 4's and v8's aren't out of the question. It also includes diesel engines.

[OriginalWheelman]

1.8 Is still to small, 2.2+.

Ever driven anything with an MR in it? It's an impressive little engine. There is more to life than displacement.

[300ZXttZMAN]

IMO they should leave the Z alone and build something different to compete with the BRZ and the FR-S. A Z with a 4cyl just seems sacrilegious.

THIS^. The Z was not ever supposed to be a 4 cylinder. I mean seriously I wonder what Mr. K will have to say if this actually goes through and they put a 4 cylinder in the Z.

If they don't want to introduce (or reintroduce) the new S chassis because they would have so many models then here is a solution:
Kill the Versa with fire.
Kill the Crosscabriolet.

Problem solved.

[dre1507]

It's funny that Nissan can only give its enthusiasts a car they've demanded for many years only after other manufacturers have decided to give the same car to their respective enthusiasts. What's even funnier is that Nissan can't even do it right. Why chop up an existing model to make it fit into a bracket it doesn't really belong, when there are some unnecessary models that could use a trip to the incinerator to make room for introduction of a new model (Versa and Crosscabriolet)?

[TurboSauce]

I find it funny how sponge bob is looking up at your post, and then it crossed my mind that nissan could just be professional trolls. Just reading all of our comments, and then just smiling, and trolling.

[asoomal]

1.8 Is still to small, 2.2+.

Ever driven anything with an MR in it? It's an impressive little engine. There is more to life than displacement.

A 2010 Sentra.

[dasoupdude]

How about a new high revving inline 6

[MinisterofDOOM]

1.8 Is still to small, 2.2+.

I'm one of the biggest proponents of displacement around, but I actually don't agree here.

The MR16DDT in the Juke is quite a capable little powerplant. Turbo + direct injection + not being a QR25 = good little four banger.

190 hp and 180 ft-lb. And that's in the econocrossover. You put it in a sports car, face it the right way and give it a good exhaust setup, and tune it a little less in favor of fuel economy and I'm sure you could get 200hp and 200 ft-lb out of it. Make it weigh like a Miata and give it double-wishbones at all four corners and you'd have a winner.

[Eikon]

1.8 Is still to small, 2.2+.

I'm one of the biggest proponents of displacement around, but I actually don't agree here.

The MR16DDT in the Juke is quite a capable little powerplant. Turbo + direct injection + not being a QR25 = good little four banger.

190 hp and 180 ft-lb. And that's in the econocrossover. You put it in a sports car, face it the right way and give it a good exhaust setup, and tune it a little less in favor of fuel economy and I'm sure you could get 200hp and 200 ft-lb out of it. Make it weigh like a Miata and give it double-wishbones at all four corners and you'd have a winner.

I totally agree! They could easily make 220hp out of this motor.. Mount it as low and far back as possible in a BRZ/FRS - sized, lightweight platform with a great suspension setup and keep the price in the $23k to $24k range and you'd have a real winner. Come on Nissan.... Listen to us and do something right for a change. Oh.. and.. no more CVT's in anything that is supposed to be fun to drive.

[asoomal]

220bhp? Still low for today's standard. Like the FR-S, high compression and low HP output

At least 280bhp and 250 foot pounds of torque at a relatively low range.

Edit: Just looked up the MR16DDT on Google. Half CW crank? f*** that, found this gem.



Diesel ftw.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

The MR16DDT (I think that's the engine they use anyway) made 300hp in the Delta wing.

She broils the tires off Torry's Juke too.

[BusyBadger]

At least 280bhp and 250 foot pounds of torque at a relatively low range.

That won't happen for at least two reasons that instantly come to mind:
1) The demographic the car would be aimed at could never afford it, at least in the volume needed to make it a success.
2) It would cannibalize sales of the Z. If Porsche hadn't nerfed the Cayman it would be a car far superior to the 911 - Nissan will be well aware of the same potential pitfall.

And regarding the title of the thread, saying that a future Z will be getting lighter to "compete" with the FR-S /BRZ is like implying that a hammer somehow competes with a nail.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

I need to use "nerfed" in regular context more often.

[EZcheese15]

The MR16DDT (I think that's the engine they use anyway) made 300hp in the Delta wing.

She broils the tires off Torry's Juke too.

The MR16DDT is a bad a** little motor. I just got back from NICOFest Powercruise, where I gave 2 different people rides around the track and they both told me the fastest thing they rode in all weekend on the track was my Juke. And there were some sick HP cars there.

In fact, been doing some interweb drooling tonight...

http://www.gtmotorsports.com/product.ph ... ctid=17560

[themadscientist]

1.8 Is still to small, 2.2+.

CA18 would like to speak to the board.



[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2JLGYq10XM[/youtube]

[EZcheese15]

1.8 Is still to small, 2.2+.

CA18 would like to speak to the board.



[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2JLGYq10XM[/youtube]

They aren't going to revive the CA, just like they aren't going to revive the SR. If it's going in a new car, it's either going to be an all new motor or one that is currently in production.

I'm telling you, the MR is a bad a** little motor. I don't know much about the construction of the internals, but anything is better than a QR, or as my friend likes to call it, "Questionable Reliability".

[asoomal]

1.8 Is still to small, 2.2+.

CA18 would like to speak to the board.



[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2JLGYq10XM[/youtube]

Still small IMO.

Who gives a shat about peak power.