Thanks to a leak bigger than the one caused by the WWII Dam Busters crew we now know that Nissan’s upcoming 400Z sports car looks almost exactly the same as last year’s Z Proto concept.
Pictures and video of the production-ready 400Z surfaced on social media, apparently taken while the car was being transported.
They reveal that the styling of the V6-powered Toyota Supra rival closely echoes that of the Proto concept, which draws heavily on Nissan’s classic Z cars of the 1970s.
The videos also give us a sneak look at the Z’s interior, which looks far less retro, bar a trip of auxiliary gauges on the dash top, another nod to the original 1970s Zs.
The rest of the cabin, though, is bang up to date, and includes a wide digital instrument cluster and a large central touchscreen infotainment system.
We don’t yet know exactly what the Z will be packing under that long bonnet, but it’s expected to be a twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 good for around 400bhp and 350lb ft of torque. A six-speed manual is rumoured, but this car is sporting the seven-speed automatic alternative.
If all this has got you revved up and ready to rush down to your Nissan dealer to put in an order, prepare to be disappointed. Sadly for Brits, Nissan has no plans to bring the 400Z to the UK or Europe. While North America gets to play with a cool rear-wheel drive retro sports car, Nissan has decided that it should focus on electric cars and hybrid over here, including the new Qashqai.
Unfortunately, we’d have to concede the move makes sense. The old 370Z sold in tiny numbers, and cool as this one looks, it would probably only be a minor hit.
Keyword: Nissan’s 400Z Spotted In Production-Ready Form