There is no immediate makeover plan for the Nissan 370Z but the aging sports car is not about to die anytime soon.
This was confirmed by Nissan Motor, insisting that there remains a market for the Nissan Z. However, the Japanese carmaker has refused to share the details on what the future holds for the Z nameplate. The company simply said the brand will live on, for now.
"We still believe there is a place for the Z and want to keep it alive, and that's what we're working on," Philippe Klein, the chief planning officer for Nissan, said in a report by Motor Authority.
Klein, however, was clear on one thing. The Nissan Z is a struggling brand as it operates on a market that shrinks by the day. Without admitting it, the company is not making money on the Z that likely explains the car's vague future.
"For the long term, there are other considerations. If we do a complete new vehicle what should it be to keep the passion alive? And we're working very seriously on this," the Nissan executive explained when asked where the sports coupe is headed to.
Neglected And Forgotten
Understanding the real value of the 370Z to Nissan seems a giveaway. The last major update of the line happened back in 2009, so, it's easy to see that the competition has outraced the sports car. This is true in the crucial aspects of power, performance, and technology.
When this Nissan 370Z first hit the road, car enthusiasts were easily impressed by the whole package. It highlighted its quick acceleration, strong brakes, and excellent grip as the ride's strongest selling points. The infatuation, however, gradually and after nine years of virtually unchanged design and specifications, the Nissan Z is certainly falling out of favor.
In fact, the Z is falling way behind its rivals. Checking out the competition such as the Ford Mustang, the Chevrolet Camaro, and the Porsche 718 Cayman will reveal that the Nissan Z languishes down the cellar. While the aforementioned delivered significant bumps in all areas, the Z miserably stagnated.
More so when the choice boils down to the sticker price as in many cases, the Nissan Z is far from the wisest buy. In terms of pricing, what the label represents now is a tad overprice when pitted against the competition.
The Road Ahead
With Nissan vague on its Nissan 370Z blueprint, it's safe to say all bets are off on where the car's destination is. There were whispers the sports cars will get repurposed as a crossover and will be modeled after the Gripz 2015 concept. This, of course, is nothing but a rumor.
One thing is sure, though. Nissan has already indicated that the Z will not cease to exist but how the sports coupe badge will live on, as teased by the automaker, remains a puzzle that only Nissan can solve.
