Nissan Z generations converge in this surreal ad

We’re pretty happy whenever we see heritage acknowledged in a Nissan ad. It’s also pretty cool to to see the Z Proto driving along a track with an S30 Fairlady Z and a Z32. But with footage that looks like it’s from a video game and a voiceover that sounds like it was written by Yoda, there’s something off about the latest Nissan Z video.

The ad begins with a sunrise and a yellow S30 Fairlady Z in a warehouse. As it moves behind pillars, it turns into the Z Proto. Then, as the camera pans around the Proto, it suddenly transports to a test track and back. It’s a neat effect, even if it’s computer generated.

It’s not the only thing about the ad that falls into the uncanny valley. The narrator is trying to do his best Ian McKellen impression but the voice sounds unnaturally deep. And then there’s the words themselves.

Waking up
It is a new day
Still the same sunrise, but something is different.
So much time has passed
With so many changes
But still running
Running
Running

Come on! This has the cadence and depth of bad beat poetry. We can only hope that something was lost in translation.

If there was any doubt that the video was CG, the camera pans up at the end to reveal that the track is a giant Nissan logo. That explains why it’s smooth as ice and the cars look like they’re just gliding along. Let’s get some suspension articulation up in here. At least the shades of yellow on the various Zs are actually different and proper.

It really feels like we’re piling on to this well-intentioned ad. Look, the cars are cool, the track is cool, and the premise is cool. It does stir excitement about the Z family line, which accomplishes its mission ultimately. Honestly, other recent Nissan ads have had more pizzazz. Maybe just watch this one with the sound off.

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12 Responses to Nissan Z generations converge in this surreal ad

  1. BlitzPig says:

    To quote an old classic Motown hit… Ain’t nothin like the real thing, baby.

  2. Jim says:

    Mmmm, yeah. All the soul of plastic fruit. If you’re proud of it show us the real car, in a real corner, with its real siblings. I guess I’ll wait until they start showing up at dealerships.

  3. Hotwagon says:

    It’s like watching a race replay from GT6. Weird.

  4. Lupus says:

    I think it’s cool. Very Japanese, something i could expect from Nissan. It could bother me if executed by Toyota or Mazda, but since it’s Nissan made it fits. They might’ve bee really using GT6 graphics engine since they’r in close frendship with Polyphony DIgital since ages.
    Say what You want, but this ad has some epicness in it. It’s rather simplistic. Shows what it should show – The Car. Rendered or real, we know what we see. Not horses, dancing women, waterfalls, moon, etc. The Car.

  5. Speedie says:

    I thought it was a clip from the sequel to the Wachowski Brothers 2008 Speed Racer. Cause we all want a sequel right?

  6. Styles says:

    And meanwhile the poor old S130 and Z31 get left out 🙁

  7. CycoPablo says:

    Effectively shows some of the lineage, but I don’t think it’s pitched at Gen-X and older.
    Did I imagine seeing a couple of leans in the sweepers? Maybe.

  8. Dutch 1960 says:

    Sure, why not, it works for me. More entertaining than most car ads. But it doesn’t really want to make me go out and buy one, which is supposed to be the point of the thing…

  9. Nigel says:

    End commercial where the Z logo is seen on the new car. And cut to new Z drifting with a laughing Keiichi Tsuchiya at the wheel !!

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