Rumors: Industry Report—Nissan Creating An FR-S Fighter And A Smaller Z?
We are likely living in the golden age of automotive performance—virtually every manufacturer from every corner of the globe offers multiple vehicles with serious sporting pretentions, and some have built their entire legacy on mastering the art of going fast. Nissan has established itself as a creator of both mainstream vehicles and legendary sportscars, and a new report from the Sydney Morning Herald reveals that the company is interested in creating a new lightweight sportscar in the same vein as the Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S, as well as downsizing its upcoming Z car.
Following the now common practice of distilling big power from smaller engines, it’s possible the next Z car could see increased performance from a smaller powerplant—to follow Nissan’s naming convention, think 200Z instead of 370Z—in tandem with a substantial weight reduction over the current car. In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, Shiro Nakamura, design chief for Nissan, said, “It is the time to look at that [smaller engines]. With 370Z, [Nissan] still don’t know next generation will have a larger or smaller engine.”
This development may lead to the introduction of a new sportscar model in Nissan’s lineup that would slot in below the Z and revive the Silva nameplate. No definitive word yet on if this will happen, but if the market calls for it, Nissan will respond.
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