The 2022 Nissan Z will be the next generation of the company’s sports cars. Six generations are nearly behind us since the new model was caught testing. The Z-car draws a lot of attention. Among many speculations, we found that the vehicle will appear in the USA as 400Z, replacing the 370Z. Test mules are not showing too much, but it is good to know that something is going on.
Official sources say we can expect something soon. These words are coming from Nissan’s chief in the Product Planning sector, Ivan Espinosa. Well, he wasn’t in the mood to talk too much about the upcoming 2022 Nissan Z. Still, it was enough for most fans to investigate further. The company doesn’t plan any changes in the next couple of years. In 2021 we will see a lot of updates, but in the premium segment (Infiniti).
Currently, crossovers and SUVs are a priority. A look at the sales charts is showing why. While Nissan Rogue manages to achieve 400k sales per year, the sports car will barely reach 4k. So, it could be a surprise why the carmaker is redesigning it.
What Is 400Z Sports Car?
Some sources claim the Japanese carmaker will introduce the new concept at Tokyo Auto Show or in Detroit. The certain thing is that the company plans to launch a fresh sports car and it will be called 400Z. The 2022 Nissan Z is likely to be the next-gen model and fans are already calling it 400Z. The existing 370Z is ready for the replacement.
But, let’s see what does it means. Previously, the Nissan 350Z used a 3.5-liter engine and its successor 370Z is getting power by a 3.7-liter unit. Logically, the 400Z should get the 4.0 option. So, the company is either developing a new unit, or we can see the roadster with 400 horsepower.
Partnership With Mercedes
It wouldn’t be the first time that two companies are getting along. Mercedes, the leading German carmaker, is using Nissan’s platforms to build its X-Class pickup truck. Navara is one of the best-selling models in the world, and it shares the architecture with Mercedes-Benz. The next step in the partnership – the sports car.
The 2022 Nissan Z and Mercedes SLC are going to team up for better results in the market. This is not the first time we see such partnerships in the same segment and by companies from two countries. Toyota and BMW made cooperation for their Z4 and Supra sports cars. It seems like a fruitful combination since these are vehicles for premium and standard offer.
2022 Nissan Z Specs
We already mentioned the possible outputs for the 2022 Nissan Z. But, let’s take a look at what does the 370Z is currently offering. As its name suggests, the car is using a 3.7-liter engine which crunches 332 hp in its base configuration. With the Nismo tuning, the bar goes up to 350 hp. By renaming the new Z-car, Nissan is probably suggesting something.
Option A is that the new engine could be a 4.0-liter displacement. Of course, it will bring more power. On the other hand, we don’t know if other vehicles could use it. This type of engine is available for the Frontier truck. It is good for 260 hp, which is clearly not enough for the sports car. But, if the company installs turbochargers, this one will definitely get the car closer to 400 hp. The bad thing about this theory is the problem with fuel economy. Even the current engine is not so fuel-friendly. The larger displacement is going to harm the fuel economy even more.
Could 2022 Nissan Z Have 400 hp?
Well, this is clearly the source of the new name speculations. The current Nismo version comes with 350 hp, so this is going to be a small push. The 4.0 engine with 400 hp would be the perfect combination for the 2022 Nissan Z. However, these are all speculations we find interesting during our investigation.
The company is not coming out with official details any time soon. That leaves a lot of room for development and improvements. Engineers will have nearly two years before the 2022 Nissan Z hits the market, which is enough time for all kinds of tests. So, all these rumors can’t be written off until we see the final version of the sports car.
2022 Nissan Z Release Date
The new 2022 Nissan Z is not showing up until 2021. The Japanese carmaker will launch it probably late. On the other hand, we could see the debut of the new concept pretty soon. Detroit Auto Show has a new format and it happens in summer now. The other possible destination where we could see the new Nissan Z is its homeland and the biggest automotive happening in this part of the world – Tokyo Motor Show.
