A man who is not given to hyperbole, Hiroshi Tamura has big goals for the next Nissan Z. And since his title of Chief Product Specialist for the automaker’s iconic coupe means that it is his job to lead the development of the car and maintain his ” Quintessential Z-ness. we would do well to hear what he is saying. In a new interview published by Nissan last week, Tamura was clear about his vision and mission: “I want people to drive the next Z and feel that they have found a new dance partner.”
The spirit of Nissan sports cars has been in life support for some time. The current Nissan Z, even the NISMO version, looks old enough to qualify for the AARP membership. And it was a long period between the beloved Nissan 300ZX, launched in 1990, and the first iteration of this current model, the 350Z. And that car never really said “Z” to any of us who own an original 1970 model 240Z.
This yes, and it should, said Tamura, in the interview that Nissan released. As owners of two vintage Zs, they have the right man for the job. He has worked at Nissan since 1984 and to think that he is now in control of helping to shape the new car, envisaged by the Nissan Z Proto concept (which looks ready for the showroom, frankly), “is a dream come true”. In April 2012, he became the chief product strategist for the GT-R and 370Z.
“I’ve been a Nissan gasoline since childhood. I was a fan of two main cars in my youth – the GT-R and the Z – and it was then (that) I wanted to be part of the future of Nissan and its sports cars. I remember the power and racing performance of the GT-R and I remember the beautiful look of the Fairlady Z [the precursor to the 240Z]; these cars changed my life.
“My intention with Z has always been to provide a balance between style, power and technology, all of which can be easily accessed by the customer. OZ should move to the right, look right, ”he said.
The interview reflects a lot on the importance of the Z for Nissan, but does not add much to the specifics. We determined that the Z Proto has a V-6 biturbo and a six-speed manual transmission (yes, manual!) Or automatic. It is 172.5 inches long (more than five inches longer than the current Z), 72.8 inches wide and has 19-inch tires and wheels.
More than that, we have to wait. It will be worth it, said Tamura. “It helps that I loved Z cars from the start and owned them over the years. I know what Z means to me, so I know what it means to the customer. “
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