The genius of the 400Z's design

"Jim Spanfeller" (awesomeaustinv)
09/16/2020 at 18:23 • Filed to: None

Since everyone’s posting their opinion of the 400Z...

First off, I like the design. It’s very clean and elegant without being bland. It’s one of the best-looking modern sports car designs I’ve seen in a while. The only problem is that the grille is too tall. Having just a giant black rect angle there looks out of place. Even on the original, it wasn’t that tall proportionally, and most of the road cars had a bumper to break it up so it looked nice and slim. The new grille’s shape is fine, it just needs to either be shorter or have something to divide the top from the bottom.

But the real clever part of the design of this car, I think, is that having a very clean design like this makes it an excellent blank canvas for mods, body kits, and whatnot. I’m sure there will be plenty of aftermarket companies offering dozens of options for changing the look of your 400Z’s nose. Nissan’s made an excellent tuner car here.

DISCUSSION (18)

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Jim Spanfeller
09/16/2020 at 18:45

The real genius of this car is how its underpinnings are 20 years old and Nissan can charge a sports car premium but doesn’t have to invest any money i to actually making a new car.

Nom De Plume > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
09/16/2020 at 18:58

Nah, the real genius is going to be making a bird out the Lego version. Without it bearing a resemblance to the beak on this car.

sony1492 > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
09/16/2020 at 19:00

If they make that chassis safe and of a similar weight does it really matter?

We should be grateful that another enthusiasts nameplate isnt biting the dust or going Automatic

feather-throttle-not-hair > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
09/16/2020 at 19:44

I guess I just feel like 90 percent of the stuff that has been improved on performance cars over the past 20 years has come under the hood. Either via electronics or just engine tech in general. Suspension hasn’t changed a ton. Chassis technology hasn’t become a ton better. Materials are largely the same if you’re building to the budget this car is going for. The big changes in chassis tech has all been from the “But can we also build a crossover on this platform? ” perspective. I’m just not sure a new chassis is particularly interesting to me from a performance car stand point.

What I WOULD want was a 2020 spec engine and 2020 spec tires. This car will of course have both. The only big place we’re (presumably) missing out from an enthusiast standpoint is the lack of electronically controlled rear differential. And i’m just assuming this car wont have one, no idea if that’s true .

feather-throttle-not-hair > Jim Spanfeller
09/16/2020 at 19:46

I love it. I bought the original FM chassis Z car in 2006. The 370Z wasn’t enough of an upgrade to really get me excited (plus i didn’t like the styling) but this has me on board again. I would totally consider it for my next car, though the timing is bad as I probably wont need anything for quite a while.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > feather-throttle-not-hair
09/16/2020 at 20:05

I wouldn’t be so sure about chassis technology. There have been some really big updates in materials and manufacturing in the last 20 years , namely bonding high strength steels to regular steels, which allows for both increased stiffness and weight reduction compared to more traditional manufacturing methods.

That being said, if this is truly the same chassis as the 350 and 370 then meh, I’ll pass. But if it has some of those advances, it could look the same while being much, much better.

There have also been some great suspension advances, namely in damper tech (dynamic spool valves and magnetorheological fluids) but I doubt we will see either on this car. But maybe an e-diff. That would be cool.

Jim Spanfeller > feather-throttle-not-hair
09/16/2020 at 20:15

Look on the bright side, once you do need a new car, there will probably be some nice used 400Zs out there.

RacinBob > Jim Spanfeller
09/16/2020 at 20:28

How about this?

Kinja'd!!!

feather-throttle-not-hair > Snuze: Needs another Swede
09/16/2020 at 20:28

Yeah, you’re right, if there’s weight savings to be had with better metal bonding tech, that’s a thing we’d absolutely want in this car.

Nicer shocks though, are also something that doesn’t need a brand new chassis to implement. I don’t think this car will get magnetic shocks or really anything too fancy in that department. B ut like modern diffs, there’s also no reason it couldn’t have that stuff if Nissan wanted to put it in there.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > feather-throttle-not-hair
09/16/2020 at 20:42

The stiffer the chassis, the better shocks and suspension bits can do their job. That being said, for a car in this pri ce range fancy shocks aren't necessary. But you're right, Nissan could throw an e-diff in there, even as an option, and it would provide a big benefit.

jeepoftheseus > Jim Spanfeller
09/16/2020 at 20:59

I’m a fan of it. I’ve always been a bit of a Nissan fan though. I think it’s distinct but plain enough to age well if it’s going to go another decade without an update. I’ll enjoy seeing them when I see them.

Arrivederci > Jim Spanfeller
09/16/2020 at 21:49

I like it, that grille is just to big and upright. Even just a small reduction is an improvement, in my opinion.

Kinja'd!!!

50ford500 > Jim Spanfeller
09/16/2020 at 22:37

I think it’s absolutely beautiful myself. The 370 was hideous but this...this is a thing of beauty and I wish I had the disposable income and no kids to enjoy one

Nauraushaun > Jim Spanfeller
09/17/2020 at 01:20

Good point, I wonder how intentional that was. I always thought the BRZ was bland especially compared to the concepts that preceded it. But it takes well to mods, looks awesome with a few choice ones, and I think the crowd they’re going for really like that about it. Like sure it’s not fast enough, but people almost want that since it keeps the price down a bit and it lets them go blank canvas built not bought because racecar cone killing farty brap stancenation aesthetic crazy

RangerSmith > Snuze: Needs another Swede
09/17/2020 at 01:29

Great post. I was about a sentence and a half into a reply, when I saw yours; saying the same thing.

Jim Spanfeller > Nauraushaun
09/17/2020 at 13:42

Exactly. It’s an extremely good starting point to execute your unique vision for what it could be. It can be whatever you want it to be.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > sony1492
09/17/2020 at 18:45

This was basically my second thought on all the “carryover” criticisms . If they could get some meaningful weight savings in, a good chassis carryover is OK. The 370Z was never a wet noodle to begin with.

Chan - Mid-engine with cabin fever > Arrivederci
09/17/2020 at 18:46

This looks great!