Whenever business resumes as usual (or semblance of that) in the automotive industry, we expect news to come fast and furious – and one or more bits of news will involve the next-generation Nissan Z.
So far, we know the model is supposed to harken back to the roots of the original model, which we can all agree is great news. That retro esthetic evidently extends to the logo that will feature on the car. Motor Trend discovered a trademark filing made by Nissan's Canadian division. The letter Z of the logo has never been seen in this exact form, although it features traits and details of the logo seen on the first two versions of the model, the 240 and 280.)
The trademark request was made on March 12 contains a reference to an eventual "sports car".
The new Z logo unmistakably resembles that of the original 240Z. Nissan kept the crossbar of that Z with the 280ZX, but it was dropped with subsequent variants.
If Nissan wants to draw on the nostalgic appeal of classic cars with this new logo, this is a step in the right direction. When it comes to the powertrain and chassis, however, a more contemporary approach is clearly called for. Rumours are floating that there will be a 3.0L twin-turbo V6 engine (similar to the one that powers the Q50/Q60 Red Sport) to liven things up. A manual transmission is still part of the plan, while the interior will benefit from a complete redesign. Take note that the design of the current Z dates all the way back to the early 2000s.
There’s speculation the model will be available in the next two years - provided of course that some form of normality is restored to the industry within the next few months.
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