Nissan Insider Says 370Z Will Be Updated, But Future Is Unclear

We know Nissan won't switch its focus to SUVs and crossovers entirely and apparently the Z family of sports cars is not facing the axe anytime soon. A source close to the Japanese automaker has told MotorAuthority "there's strong interest within the company for the Z to live on." Meanwhile, in a recent interview to Automotive News, Philippe Klein, Nissan's Chief Planning Officer confirmed the Z doesn't have a high priority within the company because of its challenging market case, but is safe at least for the midterm future. Long term, nothing is clear at the moment, as Nissan still needs to make a final decision.

"The Z is a difficult market," Klein said. "It is rather shrinking worldwide. But we still believe there is a place for the Z and we want to keep it alive, and that's what we're working on. That's for the midterm. For the long term, there are other considerations. If we do a complete new vehicle, what should it be to keep the passion alive?"

Simply put, we can expect the 370Z, which has been in production since 2009, to receive a mid-cycle facelift sometime soon, but nothing can be confirmed for a whole new generation of the sports car at the moment. While this is probably not enough to satisfy the fanboys out there, it comes contrary to previous reports which suggested that Nissan could quash the nameplate entirely.

Earlier this month, Nissan Vice President of Product Planning, Michael Bunce, also confirmed the marque is "not going to walk away from the nameplate" and is currently studying different options for the Z's future. In 2017, the sports car was one of the worst-selling coupes in the United States with only 4,614 deliveries compared to almost 82,000 for the Ford Mustang.