Nissan 400Z – The latest Z car from Nissan
I finally lost my taste for retro cars when my neighbour tangled her sheepskin slipper in the pedals of her Fiat 500 and crashed through my garden wall. The Beetle is nice, but meh, the Mini is now a Maxi and we won’t mention the PT Cruiser in polite company.
And then the Nissan 400Z happened and everything changed. First thing: I will not throw out a 370Z if someone left it in my driveway, because it is a most desirable car. Second thing: the 400Z is not a retro car. It just channels the spirit of the ’69 240Z in a way that is unexpected, that stiffens the sinews and wakes up my ageing hormones.
Look at it. Just look. It has the same lightness, the playful, fast and slightly menacing look that made the original Z an instant cult sensation. The 400Z is the seventh generation of the original, but the genes are still there, plain to see.
The front grille is familiar with a modern twist, while the headlights are simpler than those of the 370 and brings to mind the torpedo tube ducts of the 240. So do the long bonnet and sloping fastback roofline. So does the taillights sitting in the continuous black bar.
Under the bonnet it is a different story. The original had a straight six, 2.4-litre SOHC, twin carb that gave 151hp (113kW), plenty for its day. It came with a four- or five-speed manual, or a three-speed auto. The 400Z has, surprisingly, 400hp (298kW), coming from a 3-litre, twin-turbo V6, still driving the rear wheels.
This Z comes with a six-speed manual, which makes sense given what kind of car it is. But there is also a 9-speed auto box option which will add another dimension. Both transmissions come with a Launch Control button – you gooi the revs until you’re ready, push that button and blast off.
The inside is a blend of heritage and the future, with analogue dials paying homage to old school and a large touchscreen bringing you back to the future.
And it will be the future, as the 400Z will only be launched in mid-2022 internationally, with no decision yet on whether it will come here. So until they do decide, you’ll have to ‘settle’ for the Nissan 370Z. Oh, to live in these times and have such choices.
