Nissan has delayed its planned successor to the 370Z , citing the now-familiar “unforeseen supply chain issues.” Originally planned for a spring launch, the next Fairlady Z won’t be having her coming-out-party until this summer.
The news came via Car and Driver after the company told the Japanese market it would be forced to postpone the coupe’s launch. Despite the automaker’s U.S. website still listing the model as arriving in the spring of 2022, Nissan confirmed that the Z would be similarly delayed for North America.
Ed. note: The media drives are either already beginning or taking place over the next week, and your humble M.E. has been assigned a test vehicle for next month, so at least some vehicles have been built.
Considering we’ve already waited over a decade, another few months probably won’t kill anybody. It may even continue building hype for a model that’s already created a strong buzz among enthusiasts. The Z’s twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter V6 is something everyone is eager to see flexed against the Toyota Supra. Nissan has also promised that it’s hoping to deliver a performance vehicle that’s focused on the fundamentals while creating an engaging driving experience.
Pricing has not yet been announced but everyone is anticipating the model retailing near $40,000 with Nissan likely trying to undercut the Supra. However, Toyota’s performance coupe starts at $43,290 and comes with a 255-hp, 2.0-liter turbo with the option to upgrade to a 3.0-liter, inline-six producing 382 hp and 368 foot-pounds of torque. Nissan’s 400-horsepower V6 motor is said to be the default powertrain for the Z, potentially making it a massive bargain if it’s priced against the base Supra.
If that sounds too good to be true, remember that the upcoming model is technically underpinned by a modified version of the platform used for the 370Z — which was in itself a modified version of the 350Z’s architecture. There’s a lot of older hardware going into this baby, allowing the manufacturer to save on development and manufacturing costs. But we’ll have to wait a little longer until Nissan gives us a firm MSRP and all we have to fear are the dealer markups.
[Image: Nissan]
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