Nissan Z and GT-R Future

Carmaker1

Admirer
Messages
817
Reactions
2,485
I am making the declaration from internal Nissan information, that like the discontinued RWD Infiniti QX70 last year, in January 2018 the Renault-Nissan board scrapped the Z35 programme altogether and will NOT be redesigning it after the current Z34 Fairlady Z/370Z ends at 11-12 years in production.

2017-nissan-370z-coupe-nismo-pearl-white.jpg
gtr-2020-541f36ac55b30-541f3eb63b99f.jpeg

The R35 GT-R, will be heavily updated for 2021. R36 is currently not in the cards.

It is unfortunate, but the Z35 had been in planning development on and off for the better part of this decade. By the end of 2016/Jan 2017, a more upmarket design (described as eons better than current, if not best), utilizing the VR30TT engine from the V37 Infiniti Q50/Q60 had been approved by ex-design director Nakamura and senior Nissan personnel.
nissan-design-chief-shiro-nakamura-and-jay-leno_100404137_l.jpg
Failure to once again establish a sound business case for principal shareholders and board of directors, has ensured this car will have no future pre-2025. As you can see, just like the Infiniti Q80 flagship, Q40 redesign, QX70 RWD redesign (S52), and more, things just keep being cancelled.

I report on these programmes, only to be hurt when cancelled so abruptly. It makes me look bad. I do not know what to say for this company really, as only one more new Infiniti is on schedule for mid-2019 (not including excessive delays) and then nothing until calendar year 2021. All to prop up the struggling Titan.

The Maxima and Murano will be facelifted for 2019MY, being launched in late 2018 and December 2018.

The U.S. Frontier will be "updated" in mid-2020 (pushed back Q1 from 2019). Armada and Patrol will be all-new in CY2021. A new Sentra will arrive for MY 2020, after 2019 Altima (L42P) in September 2018 (Job 1- 08/18).

Regarding any "400Z" and R36 GT-R rumours, IGNORE THEM as they are plain clickbait nonsense and have no real basis after January. Don't expect a new GT-R (R36) until near 2025 at least. No new performance offerings outside Q60.
 
Last edited:
Messages
2,087
Reactions
3,405
Seems like to me that Nissan is making a massive shift to crossovers only. Which isn't bad, because the crossover sales can fund for new Z models and a new GT-R. That's all right to me because while the development of the Supra was delayed because of other factors, it simply didn't make sense as a business case like you said, or to put it simply, it made no financial sense at the time. Now that they have the financial power, we can have a shiny new Supra. It's right at the turn on 2019. I can't wait.

I don't have doubts that they will resurrect those two models. For now, while it is sad, I would rather fill up the coffers full of cash reserves and R&D money, then be able to research and relaunch a new Z model and a new GT-R. After all, they are investing a lot into racing, and the knowledge, research and technology from racing will be easily imparted into their future cars. Actually, I am quite excited, and I believe they are making the right decision.
 

Carmaker1

Admirer
Messages
817
Reactions
2,485
Wow, thats crazy as the 400Z rumor spread like wildfire....

Precisely, it was cleverly timed to create a smokescreen and grab clicks. It wasn't viable, because the Nissan and Infiniti brands will no longer offer RWD after 2020, outside of SUVs trucks and GT-R. All crossovers, sedans, and coupes will be AWD and FWD to infinity and beyond. I waited until that part of news was announced, since it came directly from my father to me and didn't want to implicate him in leaking sensitive info.

There is plainly no platform for Z
 
Last edited:

Carmaker1

Admirer
Messages
817
Reactions
2,485
Seems like to me that Nissan is making a massive shift to crossovers only. Which isn't bad, because the crossover sales can fund for new Z models and a new GT-R. That's all right to me because while the development of the Supra was delayed because of other factors, it simply didn't make sense as a business case like you said, or to put it simply, it made no financial sense at the time. Now that they have the financial power, we can have a shiny new Supra. It's right at the turn on 2019. I can't wait.

I don't have doubts that they will resurrect those two models. For now, while it is sad, I would rather fill up the coffers full of cash reserves and R&D money, then be able to research and relaunch a new Z model and a new GT-R. After all, they are investing a lot into racing, and the knowledge, research and technology from racing will be easily imparted into their future cars. Actually, I am quite excited, and I believe they are making the right decision.

Infiniti will no longer support RWD, so it can only be a sole model on a platform or a downscaled R35 GT-R. It just wasn't going to work,
 

Joaquin Ruhi

Moderator
Messages
1,529
Reactions
2,434
...the Nissan and Infiniti brands will no longer offer RWD after 2020, outside of SUVs trucks and GT-R. All crossovers, sedans, and coupes with be AWD and FWD to infinity and beyond...

Infiniti will no longer support RWD, so it can only be a sole model on a platform or a downscaled R35 GT-R. It just wasn't going to work,

Does this mean that come 2020 or so, the next-gen Nissan Skyline / Infiniti Q50 / Q60 will become Nissan Altima / Maxima spinoffs on a transverse-engine FWD platform with an AWD option?
 

Carmaker1

Admirer
Messages
817
Reactions
2,485
Does this mean that come 2020 or so, the next-gen Nissan Skyline / Infiniti Q50 / Q60 will become Nissan Altima / Maxima spinoffs on a transverse-engine FWD platform with an AWD option?

Final design work for the next generation Q50 is being locked in. Q60 design is next year. I can't get into details of that but it's been posted to the press though the details of new platform. Thankfully they've gone public on this info sooner and I am not leaking too much.

I have been done with Infiniti since the QX70 was killed for this setup. I will just laugh at how cheaply executed this will be.
 

bogglo

Admirer
Messages
590
Reactions
768
This might be another proof of how Toyota plan things accordingly. No new Z, and GTR is just getting an update. This means, Supra has no competition to worry about as far as the JDM performance is concerned. The GTR is a beast but its old, heavy and expensive. and the suffers also because its old. so the supra would be alone (unless Lexus has 1 or two tricks up there sleeve with a refresh RCF or LCF)
 

ssun30

Expert
Messages
3,326
Reactions
7,418
This might be another proof of how Toyota plan things accordingly. No new Z, and GTR is just getting an update. This means, Supra has no competition to worry about as far as the JDM performance is concerned. The GTR is a beast but its old, heavy and expensive. and the suffers also because its old. so the supra would be alone (unless Lexus has 1 or two tricks up there sleeve with a refresh RCF or LCF)

I don't think the Supra will even compete in GT-R's market. Maybe Toyota saw how the A80 flopped (towards the end) and decided to make the A90 more affordable. Lexus will probably never let the Supra compete against its own F-cars.
 

bogglo

Admirer
Messages
590
Reactions
768
I think that's the main reason the Supra's performance would be tamed. When the MKIV was produced Lexus had no F product.
 

mikeavelli

Moderator
Messages
6,775
Reactions
15,141
The 2017+ revisions to the GT-R are just phenomenal. One hell of a platform as it just gets getting refined and tuned and still kicks ass.

Sorry to hear about the Z though...
 

Levi

Expert
Messages
2,707
Reactions
3,134
Sportscars really make no sense today, because car manufacturers sell them as halo/value-added/image/top-tier, when in fact they should be sold as basic car. The only viable sportcars are Lotus, Alfa 4C, Alpine A110, MX-5 (if coupe), and GT86. Their problem is that they cost too much.
 

Joaquin Ruhi

Moderator
Messages
1,529
Reactions
2,434
I am making the declaration from internal Nissan information, that like the discontinued RWD Infiniti QX70 last year, in January 2018 the Renault-Nissan board scrapped the Z35 programme altogether and will NOT be redesigning it after the current Z34 Fairlady Z/370Z ends at 11-12 years in production...

It is unfortunate, but the Z35 had been in planning development on and off for the better part of this decade. By the end of 2016/Jan 2017, a more upmarket design (described as eons better than current, if not best), utilizing the VR30TT engine from the V37 Infiniti Q50/Q60 had been approved by ex-design director Nakamura and senior Nissan personnel...

Regarding any "400Z" and R36 GT-R rumours, IGNORE THEM as they are plain clickbait nonsense and have no real basis after January...
There have been numerous reports that Mercedes-Benz's small sports car, the SLC (née SLK) will die once the current generation runs its course (best guess: 2019-2020). In a recent print edition of Motor Trend magazine, Mike Connor's MT Confidential column suggests that, among the numerous Mercedes-Benz/Nissan/Infiniti collaborations was one that would've seen joint development of the R173 (4th-gen) Mercedes SLK/SLC and the Nissan Z35. In other words, a joint Mercedes/Nissan sports car to rival the BMW Z4/Toyota Supra duo. Unfortunately, this never panned out. The MT Confidential column only mentions this as the final death knell of the Mercedes SLC, but remains silent on Nissan's now-dead Z35 program.

@Carmaker1 : Do you have any comments, additional insights or information on this?
 

Joaquin Ruhi

Moderator
Messages
1,529
Reactions
2,434
Sportscars really make no sense today, because car manufacturers sell them as halo/value-added/image/top-tier, when in fact they should be sold as basic car. The only viable sportcars are Lotus, Alfa 4C, Alpine A110, MX-5 (if coupe), and GT86. Their problem is that they cost too much.
The latest Motor Trend MT Confidential column by Mike Connor suggests that Porsche's entry-level 718 Boxster/Cayman line is also in trouble, with possible plans to either extend the life of the current version via facelifts or design a successor in collaboration with VW Group sibling Audi (924 redux?)
 

Levi

Expert
Messages
2,707
Reactions
3,134
The latest Motor Trend MT Confidential column by Mike Connor suggests that Porsche's entry-level 718 Boxster/Cayman line is also in trouble, with possible plans to either extend the life of the current version via facelifts or design a successor in collaboration with VW Group sibling Audi (924 redux?)

How is that possible? The 718 is a 911 part bin car. They are very expensive. Or does Porsche lose money of them, they gain with Macan, Cayenne and Panamera? If that is true, car manufacturers are doomed when it comes to producing BEVs. Porsche's Mission-e will be the same money loser as Tesla. Anyway, Porsche sportscars are mostly bought for status.


Before their was rumor of R8/969 and Huracan successor on same new platform, now R8 will have no successor. R4/R5/Quattro never made it, now their is rumor that TT Coupe and Cabrio and A5 Coupe and Cabrio will be replaced by A4 Coupe and Cabrio, 2+2, smaller than current A5, bigger than current TT and based on MQB, so FWD transverse.

With anything sporty disappearing, car makers still can't make good crossovers, and there are loads of them.
 

Joaquin Ruhi

Moderator
Messages
1,529
Reactions
2,434
How is that possible? The 718 is a 911 part bin car.
That was precisely what crossed my mind when I read that. Yet, that's what the rumor said. To be fair, there is less 718/911 commonality nowadays than when the Boxster first launched in 1996.

They are very expensive. Or does Porsche lose money of them, they gain with Macan, Cayenne and Panamera?
I wouldn't fret about Porsche profitability. If not the most lucrative brand in all automobiledom, they're, at worst, in the top 2 or 3.

If that is true, car manufacturers are doomed when it comes to producing BEVs. Porsche's Mission-e will be the same money loser as Tesla...
Depends. At present, I'll agree that BEVs tend to be money-losers. There's talk, however, that around the middle of the next decade (if not a bit earlier) they should reach parity with ICE costs and then actually become cheaper. Mission-e has a number of advantages over Tesla, including economies of scale afforded by being a part of the VW Group. What is the upcoming Audi e-Tron GT concept if not basically a rebodied and rebranded Mission-e?

With anything sporty disappearing, car makers still can't make good crossovers, and there are loads of them.
Historically, I've tended to agree with you. And none of the crossovers I've been exposed to for more than a drive around the block (RAV4, Lexus RX and NX, Mazda CX-5) have given me the urge to replace my Lexus IS. Yet, I'm cautiously optimistic about the future. The Porsche Macan has received mostly rave reviews. Alfa Romeo's Stelvio also sounds dynamically intriguing. I don't see Aston Martin, Lotus and Ferrari totally squandering their sporting roots once they make their near-sacrilegious move into crossovers. Heck, even the (hopefully) GA-L-based production version of Lexus' LF-1 Limitless seems promising as a dynamically much-better-than-average crossover.