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Nissan 400Z prototype teased ahead of September 15 debut

Nissan has teased a prototype version of its next-generation Z sports car, ahead of its reveal on September 15 (overseas time).


A short video was released by the Japanese carmaker overnight showcasing on the Z car’s rich 50-year history, from the original 240Z of the 1960s to the current 370Z that’s been in production since 2008.

The final 10 seconds of the clip turn the focus to the new car – which will be unveiled in ‘Z Proto’ prototype form in two weeks’ time – and provides a shadowy look at its styling.

Turning up the video’s exposure reveals the Z Proto’s – and, by extension, the production 400Z, as it’s expected to be called – exterior design will hark back to that of the original 240Z, featuring sleek body lines, elliptical headlights with split, semi-circular daytime-running lights and a wide, inset front grille mounted above a subtle lower lip spoiler.

Similar design cues were teased in a separate teaser video at the end of an earnings presentation back in May.

No official images of the rear have been released, however it’s believed the car will adopt a pair of horizontal tail-lights mounted within a full-width black panel inspired by the 300ZX of the 1990s.

While no mechanical details were released with the teaser, a glimpse late in the video at the Z Proto’s exhaust note lends weight to rumours suggesting the next-gen Z will feature a version of the 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 engine currently under the bonnet of the Infiniti Q60 Red Sport coupe, where it produces 298kW of power and 475Nm of torque.

Drive in the Infiniti is routed to the rear wheels through a seven-speed automatic transmission – the Z is expected to build on the auto with the option of an enthusiast-friendly six-speed manual gearbox.

The wraps will officially come off the Nissan Z Proto on September 15, with the showroom-bound 400Z likely to make its public debut around 12 months later. The release of the teaser and confirmation of the prototype's reveal seems to debunk a recent report from the UK's Auto Express, which suggested the new Z could be delayed until 2023 to make way for SUV and electric vehicle development.

Below: the teaser video (Z Proto teaser begins at 0:38)

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Alex Misoyannis

Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family.

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