Spied: Nissan’s New Affordable Sports Car?
Just days after word came that Nissan is working on a small coupe, a mysterious prototype has been spotted in and around the automaker’s facilities at the Nürburgring in Germany.
While the body of the prototype above screams 350Z, look closely, and substantial alterations seem to support the notion that this is not a next-generation Zed car, but rather a new, smaller model, potentially with some cues lifted from its Urge concept of a couple years back.
Check out the awkward roofline, which looks like it has been chopped to accommodate a clipped wheelbase. Our spies at KGP report that there are riveted sections in the mule’s roof, which lend a degree of credence to this assertion. Click on the high-resolution gallery, and it looks as if the doors may have had some work done to them as well (note the vertical tape lines).
Given that engineers appear to be using a Porsche Cayman as a comparison benchmark, it’s either the case that this remains a new, smaller 350Z (the two models are Nissan’s closest natural competitors), or that the company is setting a seriously high bar for its budget performance car. We can only hope that their choice of a Boxster companion will mean that the new car will be rear-drive as well.
(Click on the thumbnails below for a full gallery, or on the jump below to hear KGP’s own thoughts on the mule)
A new prototype has shown up at Nissan's facilities at Germany's Nürburgring. The mule utilizes the body of a 350Z, but it has been altered considerably suggesting that it's an early mule for an new model. Our sources on the ground in Germany report that the car looks like it has a shortened wheelbase, and there are some riveted sections in the roof that seem to support that observation. It appears that the roof line of this mule has been cut and shortened.
This prototype has surfaced just days after a story broke in AutoCar (http://autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/225906/ ) which claims that Nissan has begun development of a new rear-wheel-drive sport coupe using the Urge concept car as its inspiration. This mule could be the first evidence that something like the Urge is heading toward to production. Whatever this mule represents, it was running with a Porsche Cayman, so Nissan is engaging in some lofty benchmarking for this car's driving dynamics. Given that the Cayman is an obvious competitor for the 350Z, we have to leave open the possibility that this is an early prototype for the next-gen Z-car, but this mule's altered proportions suggest something different. If this a mule for the Nissan Urge, then budget-minded enthusiasts should have another enticing buying option in a couple years.
As this car hits the track in Germany, we'll be working to gather more information.
Comments
jnaggs
AWESOME
Jeb
It's the NX3500!
Mark Arnold
Well, Nissan may be taking the same route for the 370Z that the Corvette took for the C6; less bloated and more focused. It would make sense; with the new GT-R coming out, a smaller Z would mean more distinction between the two models. The GT-R will be sort of a 911 Turbo but closer to the C4S in price. The 370Z would be Cayman S competitor.
I really hope that a production version of the Urge would be more of a Catherham for the Scion market. Sort of like the VW GX3 concept.
We can only hope that Porsche will in turn release a sub-$30k hardcore sportscar.
detroit9000
That's just a powertrain or chassis buck. In order to test the powertrain or chassis, they need SOME sort of bodywork.
STJ
I hope that this car is a mule for the next 180SX/silvia.
doglet
hopefully the production version will go to some lighter smaller wheels. a car that small doesnt need anything bigger than 16s. and the breakes look huge. i am starting to wonder how much budget this is actually going to be.
Jeb
I imagine that they'll only go as budget as a Mazdaspeed 3 or GTI. Not under $22K.
Johnny
I hope this is the next Silvia/240SX car as well!
Mark Arnold
You guys forget; Hyundai are the ones making the next 240/Silvia.
AC
I'm not sure if a person would place the Porsche Cayman and Nissan Z in the same segment, or the C6 and 997. A customer shopping for a Porsche probably won't consider a Nissan. A Z and a Mustang would make more sense, as they both target the youth market and are under $30K. The V-8 Mustang and 350Z both produce up to 300 hp.
wushuhsu
Porsche AG purposely overpriced and underpowered the Cayman S, so I'm glad to see someone is finally holding Porsche AG accountable for their despicable actions.
jnaggs
it sure would be funny if nissan could make something that was as fast a a cayman for tens of thousands less.
Kaveh
wow, that would be cool if they have another NX sports car, you can see in the front and rear pics that the car is narrower than a 350z and the exhaust is farther in, and in the one pic you can see it next to another 350z. I miss my pulsar NX.
eAuto Mall » Spy Shots: Nissan’s affordable RWD sports car
[...] Last week we told you about Nissan’s plan to revise the 350Z and add a new, smaller RWD sports coupe to its lineup. All of a sudden, pics of that smaller sports coupe have appeared today on the interweb. Winding Road has a few clear shots of an oddly shaped 350Z-based mule tagging along behind a Porsche Boxster. The car looks a lot like a 350Z, but is much shorter overall and has spy photographers speculating it will be the Z-car’s baby bro’. [...]
Spy Shots: Nissan’s affordable RWD sports car-- Ride Care De
[...] Last week we told you about Nissan’s plan to revise the 350Z and add a new, smaller RWD sports coupe to its lineup. All of a sudden, pics of that smaller sports coupe have appeared today on the interweb. Winding Road has a few clear shots of an oddly shaped 350Z-based mule tagging along behind a Porsche Boxster. The car looks a lot like a 350Z, but is much shorter overall and has spy photographers speculating it will be the Z-car’s baby bro’. [...]
Don
Doesn't look like anything BUT a 350z to me.
my.IS - Future baby 350Z test mule pics
[...] If this is posted elsewhere let me know and I'll move it. Winding Road
rygar
Please Nissan give me a new 240 or better yet a modern 510. And let there be a SR20 under the hood!!!
rygar
Well, I guess it wouldn't be a 240 if it had a SR20 under the hood would it? Whatever, give me a damn Silvia or 510. Could this be the S16?
Bringt Nissan einen kleinen 350Z? » Beitrag » Autodino's Aut
[...] Bilder: Nissan’s kleiner Bruder [...]
perturber
The 350z is a tank. To even mention the 350z and cayman in the same sentence is blasphemy
smokeydog001
Just give us trailer trash a MG or Spitfire so we can play too!
Fotos espía: un nuevo Nissan 350z o un nuevo coupé — D
[...] Vía: autoblog.it Más información: windingroad En Diariomotor: Nuevo Nissan 350Z, Nissan Skyline GT-R 2008, fotos espía muy avanzado Archivado en: Deportivos, Coupés, Nissan, Adelantos [...]
fritZman
Funny, I used to think the 350z was a tank until I actually drove one. I ended up buying one shortly afterwards.
The balance and predictability are amazing. It reminds me a lot of my old RX-7 TT.
My '03 has a few inexpensive mods which put it within 150lbs of a Cayman S curb weight and about 15 hp more (normally aspirated).
Regardless, a stock 350z is more of an all round GT cruiser. So a smaller & lighter version would be amazing.
biturbo
Bring it on Nissan!
Nuevo coupé de Nissan, en el horizonte
[...] Vía: Winding Road Etiquetas: Nissan Coupe [...]
Turbo Tuning » Spy Shots: Nissan’s affordable RWD sports car
[...] Last week we told you about Nissan’s plan to revise the 350Z and add a new, smaller RWD sports coupe to its lineup. All of a sudden, pics of that smaller sports coupe have appeared today on the interweb. Winding Road has a few clear shots of an oddly shaped 350Z-based mule tagging along behind a Porsche Boxster. The car looks a lot like a 350Z, but is much shorter overall and has spy photographers speculating it will be the Z-car’s baby bro’. [...]
Ben Levy
I was really hoping for a 2+2 so it would be more practical. I wonder if Nissan would actually consider making the Z-car a smaller and more focused sports car.
John
The 2+2 is the G35 coupe. So it's already done.
tumbleweed
How about a convertible model.
Segredo: o irmão mais barato do Nissan 350Z
[...] [Fonte: Winding Road] [...]
wally beresford
I am REALLY interested in the " URGE " Concept Car------------ and am HOPING that NISSAN Produces it !!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would greatly appreciate it if YOU could let me know IF you hear anything as far as CONFIRMING that they are !!! Many thanks,,,,,,,,, Wally Beresford.
Chuck Merson
That's what Porsche gets for pricing their Cayman 5K ABOVE a Boxster. It should have been 5K BELOW, like all coupes with convertible variants. Think I'll just get me a G37 when they come out. The difference between a 350Z and G37 is only a couple K's (when similarly equipt, you've got to go up to the "enthusiast" to even the package), but you get an extra year and 14K miles more from the warranty.
Spied: Nissans New Affordable Sports Car? - Vital Motion Di
[...] Originally Posted by Winding Road Article Just days after word came that Nissan is working on a small coupe, a mysterious prototype has been spotted in and around the automaker
Toni, Malta
I greatly miss the sound that old 240Z and Z432 emitted from their straight 6 engine.. Sounded like music to my ears.. They (Nissan) should return to straight 6's anytime soon..
Any how what's happening to the automotive industry to my opinion is profit driven... They think.. But is leading to despise and bitterness from us enthusiasts right. Let's say it. A good RWD car costs much more to produce than an above average FF, and what they are interested is widening their margin..
As things are shaping up, even within sports car territory, what the future will hold for us is painted green.. with gasoline (or diesel)/electric like the FT-HS, on one side, or Hydrogen burners on the other side. Take for instance the Chevy Volt.
I see myself, in the coming decade, in my 30's returning to my Gran Turismo playing, as the sports cars of the day are a turn-off by far... Some of us would even 'miss' the 'current' car line up!
Toni, Malta
Mark Arnold June 12th, 2007 1:03 PM Link
You guys forget; Hyundai are the ones making the next 240/Silvia.
What do you really mean, Mark Arnold???? The Tiburon/S Coupe`???
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