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New Models

Nissan Z Proto spotted on public roads

The 2022 Nissan Z production car is expected to launch in the coming months.


The Nissan Z Proto concept – which will form the basis for the highly-anticipated, production-bound 2022 Nissan 400Z (or just Nissan Z, according to some reports) – has been spotted driving on public roads in Tennessee, USA.

It is unclear exactly why the Nissan concept was in the south-eastern state – as US hot weather testing is generally conducted in California – however one keen-eyed fan followed the prototype all the way to a ‘cars and coffee’ event in Nashville, where it was briefly put on display behind bollards and attracted a significant crowd.

The vehicle seen in the video below was unveiled in September last year, with the production version – underpinned by a modified version of the existing 370Z's platform – is expected to launch later in 2021.

In concept guise, power comes from a twin-turbo V6 engine, widely expected to be the 3.0-litre 'VR30DDTT' from the Infiniti Q60 Red Sport developing 298kW/475Nm.

Reports suggest the production Z car will retain the Infiniti's outputs, and will pair the engine to a choice of six-speed manual or nine-speed torque-converter automatic transmissions. It is expected the production model will be offered with similar or identical performance figures to those listed above.

Last month images of the road-going car leaked online, showing the interior for the first time and demonstrating several (very) minor stylistic changes over the concept.

The full video – posted to YouTube by Byron Glover Jr (or Drive615 on YouTube and Instagram) – can be viewed below.


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William Davis

William Davis has written for Drive since July 2020, covering news and current affairs in the automotive industry. He has maintained a primary focus on industry trends, autonomous technology, electric vehicle regulations, and local environmental policy. As the newest addition to the Drive team, William was brought onboard for his attention to detail, writing skills, and strong work ethic. Despite writing for a diverse range of outlets – including the Australian Financial Review, Robb Report, and Property Observer – since completing his media degree at Macquarie University, William has always had a passion for cars.

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