Nissan Z Proto: I am manual, hear me roar

Nissan is really coming on strong with the Z Proto teasers. It was only Monday that they seemed to hint at a manual transmission. Many of you jokesters said that it was probably just the gear selector for a CVT, a not entirely unjustified concern. However, another teaser that dropped just this morning shows definitively that yes, the Z Proto will have an honest-to-god stick shift, with six-speeds and a rev match on/off switch like in the 370Z. We also get a few more glimpses of the exterior and some engine sounds.

We’ll let you be the judge of the engine sounds, but here’s a stock 400-horsepower V6 from the Infiniti Q50 400 Red Sport, the rumored powerplant for the Z, for comparison.

The video shows a very S30-like front 3/4 angle, as well as a shot that reveals glowing taillights for the first time (albeit from a side view). The illuminated elements do appear to be horizontal, but it’s hard to tell if they are like the ones shown in a line drawing last week.

As for the rest of the video, we get a peek at the door sill with an old school Z logo referencing the 240Z.

There’s also a shot of the wheel, which looks quite good in an age of overstyled, dual-finish rims. We wonder if the partnership with Rays will continue. And hey, stance kids, the tires come pre-white lettered! We’ll bet that last bit doesn’t make it into the production version, but as we said last week the Z Proto name indicates that we might not see a ready-to-buy Z35 for another two years. In any case, the Z Proto will be revealed live online September 15.

permalink.
This post is filed under: News and
tagged: , , , , .

15 Responses to Nissan Z Proto: I am manual, hear me roar

  1. BlitzPig says:

    Outstanding.

  2. amar says:

    The connection between the center console and the dash appears to have a similar shape to the 260/280z. Someone leak the pictures, i wanna know now.

  3. Tofu Delivery says:

    Bravo, nissan, bravo!

  4. Paul says:

    I see a flurry of cheap BRZ/86 listings in our near future.

    • BlitzPig says:

      Seeing as the Z will no doubt be considerably more expensive than the BRZ/GT86 I don’t think the Z will have much effect on their market share.

  5. Pete240z says:

    Every detail goes by so fast but so far it looks good. Bring a prototype will it be like that 510 IDX debaucle?

  6. james says:

    “I am manual,hear me roar!” Best headline ever Ben

  7. Jim Daniels says:

    With the sound comparison the Z has a quicker revving snappy motor. The Z is nastier sounding, of curse it was also revved much higher. Same motor? The Z has at least a lighter fly wheel and possibly lighter internals and bigger cam.

  8. Lee L says:

    This is the kind of positive news I need in my life!

  9. D Kramer says:

    Great post, Ben
    I look forward to hearing your thoughts after the reveal!

  10. dankan says:

    I have major concerns about the front end based on that silhouette. I think it might wind up with a giant forehead.

  11. pete240z says:

    Only 24 more hours………………………….

Leave a Reply to Ben Hsu Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *