Nissan Shows Off The Retrolicious Z Proto To The Public

After a very long wait, a new Nissan Z car is finally on the way, and this video suggests that Japanese enthusiasts are just as excited about it as we are. The clip shows the car's unveiling at a fan event where everyone is showing up in their classic Zs (or Fairlady Z as the vehicle goes by there).

There is a glimpse of the whole scope of Nissan Z history. The rare Z432 even makes a brief appearance. This variant of the first-gen 240Z shares its 2.0-liter inline-six engine with the third-generation Skyline 2000GT-R. The model's name references four valves per cylinder, three carburetors, and two camshafts.

The Nissan Z Proto wears retro-tinged styling that evokes previous generations of the model. The front end and silhouette particularly have a resemblance to the 240Z, 260Z, and 280Z. The boxy taillights are reminiscent of the rear lamps from the 300ZX.

The interior of the Z Proto is a bit of a letdown after seeing the attractive body. It has all the modern tech that you'd expect to find, but there's nothing in the cabin that's especially evocative of being a Z car. Perhaps the production version could feature more cues from the older models.

Under the long hood, there's a twin-turbocharged V6 that connects to a manual gearbox sending power to the rear wheels. In all likelihood, this is the same mill from the Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400 that offers 400 horsepower (298 kilowatts) and 350 pound-feet (475 Newton-meters) of torque.

The production version of the new Z is rumored to arrive in the US for the 2022 model year, and Europe isn't getting the model. The company is hinting at eventually introducing a convertible variant, but it would come later.