Nissan unveiled the 2013 370Z facelift at the Chicago Auto Show last month, and it is expected to hit the showroom by mid-2013. While the 350Z had a successful run on the 3.5-litre engine, and the 370Z also did pretty well with the 3.7-litre engine, hope you get the idea, the Japanese automaker will have to come up with a more fuel-efficient 200Z. As reported by Sydney Morning Herald, in an interview with design chief Shiro Nakamura, Nissan is evaluating several options as they move forward in the future.
Nakamura suggests that reducing the weight of the car will be a major concern to make it burn lesser fuel. “I much prefer smaller sports car,” says Nakamura. “It is the time to look at that smaller engines. With 370Z, we still don’t know next generation will have a larger or smaller engine.”
There could be several methods to improve the fuel economy of the car. One of the suggested methods to achieve this is by dumping the current 3.7-litre engine for a more fuel-efficient smaller engine in the same 370Z body.
With increase in demand for greener, cleaner engines, automakers are neck-in-neck to develop the power plant of the future. Turbocharged small capacity engine is another option to get improved fuel-efficiency with uncompromised power. Several European brands have come up with turbocharged beat-down version of their massive motors for improving fuel-economy without draining power.
Nakamura also suggested that the future Nissan lineup could see the return of Silvia, or 200SX. However, he did not give any word if the car was already in its development stage.
“Light, sport coupe is a nice concept, I like it. Sports car is a core of Nissan. We really have to sit down and work out what the future sports car should be for us”, said Nakamura.
Nissan already has the more powerful GT-R in its lineup so downsizing the 370Z is a possible option. Moreover, there is a possibility to see the 200SX, 370Z and the GT-R in future Nissan lineup. Would you be interested in a small-sized Japanese drifter?
