nissan 400z convertible
Feann Torr17 Sept 2020
NEWS

Nissan 400Z Roadster breaks cover

Fantasy creation shows how next-gen drop-top Z-car could look

Nissan revealed its long-awaited next-generation Nissan 400Z sports car this week via the near-production Z Proto, and while the car-maker stopped short of confirming a drop-top version, unofficial renders of the roadster have already appeared.

With the new Nissan 400Z coupe’s design virtually locked in, this new render from X-Tomi Design shows how a roofless version of the 400Z might look.

While Nissan hasn’t officially green-lit the Nissan 400Z Roadster, the father of the seventh-generation Nissan Z certainly didn’t rule it out.

Asked about the expected drop-top version, Nissan’s chief product specialist for GT-R and NISMO, Hiroshi Tamura, who is a key figure in the development of the new Nissan 400Z, said: “Good question, but we are still considering.”

He said a NISMO model is also under consideration.

A roadster is expected to be developed given the new 400Z is based on a reworked version of the FM platform underpinning the current 370Z (and previous 350Z), both of which have spawned a drop-top variant.

“[Whether] we are going to have an open-top or not is still a debate point,” Tamura said.

“First of all we are going to reveal the closed body of Z. Of course, I know open-top is also part of the Z DNA, but for now we are focusing on closed roof for the Z.”

2020 nissan 400z 9

The unofficial computer-generated Nissan Z Roadster concept retains the design cues of the Nissan Z Proto released this week, the major differences being the lack of a roof and the inclusion of square roll bars behind the seat headrests.

Nissan’s expected production version is likely to have a fabric roof in the same vein as its predecessors, not least because a folding metal roof is far more complex to develop and heavier.

Like the Nissan 400Z, the Roadster’s powertrain will likely be a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 engine with around 300kW and 500Nm, providing it with significantly more thrust than the current 3.7-litre non-turbo 370Z Roadster (245kW/363Nm).

Tamura confirmed the new-generation Z-car will be built on a modified version of the same FM platform underneath the 370Z/350Z that dates back to 2002.

Expect to see more unofficial renders spun off the new Nissan Z Proto design.

Nothing is off the table given the popularity of the incoming Nissan 400Z, so stand by for four-door, off-road and maybe even a fantasy ute version of the two-seat sports car to emerge in the coming months.

But, as it stands, what do you think of this roader design? Have you say in the comments area below.

Related: Nissan 400Z debuts as Z Proto

Image: X-Tomi Design

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