Next Nissan Z Rumored to Be a Crossover
The next-generation Nissan Z could be what no previous Z has been before: a crossover.
According to Autocar, the new Z will be a radical sports crossover and it’ll debut in concept form at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show in September before arriving in showrooms by 2017.
The Japanese automaker has been mulling over what direction to take the Z, and has considered moving it down market to compete with the Scion FR-S with a more basic four-cylinder model, which was previewed by the iDx. But plans for the iDx have been axed and the company’s chief creative officer, Shiro Nakamura, recently said in an interview that he feels the “Z needs more revolution than evolution,” hinting that the model needs to take a new path.
SEE ALSO: Next-Gen Nissan Z Could Move Down Market to Compete with FR-S
If the Z does end up being a crossover, expect it to be similar in size to the current Juke though it’ll be based on a platform from the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Under the hood, a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder is likely to provide power. The platform is also capable of using hybrid powertrains.
It’s worth noting that Nissan considers the Z a sub-brand and there’s always the possibility it could spawn two different Z models, one as a traditional sports coupe and one as a crossover.
[Source: Autocar]
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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This couldnt be any more ridiculous. Is this site turning into an automotive "The Enquirer" ?
Nissan already has a crossover that's the size of the Juke with a 1.6 litre turbo engine, it's called the Juke...