Nismo (Japan) releases NEW "Fairlady Z" Version (2007 Nissan 350Z)

[mikeyb]

Nissan Motor Sports International Co., Ltd. and Autech Japan, Inc., wholly owned Nissan affiliates, have jointly developed a new Fairlady Z Version NISMO, which launches today at Nissan dealers across Japan.


Based on the new Fairlady Z, the Version NISMO fuses NISMO's extensive racing expertise, gained through competing in SUPER GT and other race series as the Nissan works team, with the Autech Japans extensive experience in manufacturing completely customized vehicles. The new model provides a heightened dimension of sporty driving pleasure, backed by the Fairlady Z's renowned performance capabilities. The customl Version Nissan can be purchased at Nissan dealers nationwide and receives the same after-sales service as regular Fairlady Z models.

To help enhance driving performance, the Version NISMOs body stiffness has been improved by increasing the welded area of the body panels and adding additional reinforcement bars and panels, among other measures. High-grip Bridgestone Potenza RE-01R tires have been adopted to absorb high input forces from the road surface. In addition, the suspension system has been totally retuned to further boost cornering performance. An optimum balance of handling and driving comfort has also been achieved by adopting Performance Dampers that effectively damp force inputs to the body.

The exterior design was developed on the basis of meticulous studies conducted by the Design Group and the Vehicle Performance Testing Group. A supercomputer was used to run design simulations based on aerodynamic data collected with SUPER GT race cars. The distinctive body form obtained as a result provides superior handling and stability, together with aerodynamic characteristics for creating effective downforce.

The interior is also distinguished by its unique, premium-quality ambience, resulting from the use of exclusive metallic-looking genuine leather trim. Seats are upholstered with a perforated Alcantara center section that holds the body more firmly during sporty driving.

Fairlady Z Version NISMO specifications

Major equipment / specification additions / changes relative to base vehicle (Fairlady Z)

Exclusive front bumper
Exclusive combination meter cluster
Exclusive sill protectors
Exclusive aluminum accelerator pedal
Exclusive rear bumper (6-speed MT models only)
Exclusive rear spoiler
Exclusive large-diameter sports muffler
Exclusive front & rear fender moldings
Exclusive suspension
Exclusive emblem
Exclusive tires (Potenza RE-01R)
Front: 245/40R18 tires
Rear: 275/35R19 tires
Exclusive seats
Exclusive door trim
Exclusive genuine leather-wrapped seering wheel and parking brake level
Exclusive Rays
Exclusive genuine leather-wrapped shift knob forged aluminum wheels
Exclusive higher stiffness body
Exclusive Yamaha Performance Dampers
Exclusive seatbelts (Gray)

 

[lgagno1]

Man, that thing is hideous.

 

[exNeon]

Man, that thing is hideous.

front = better
rear = much much much worse

 

[altspace]

Yup...it sure has japanese style.

 

[mikeyb]

The rear apron makes the Z look like a George Jetson car or an air effect vehicle.

 

[kudakev615]

the rear doesnt flow at all. the cars strong curves and arches and then to have the rear buldge out to that horizonal plane is just awful. the rest of the car is fine. its time for a completely reworked 350z, im tired of this dated design

 

[Boosted03MSP]

I'd buy it. Even though I hate current Nissan decisions and most cars. I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the entire Z lineup

 

[jmv]

from the front it looks great, even the wing.... but like you guys have said, from the back its teh suxorz. Anyone know if this is coming to the US or just japan??

 

[ZoomZoomH]

how the hell is it 'new'

 

[Phoenix5]

Yea,I agree.That straight rear lip/valance does not go well w/ the Z's curves at all.Rest of the car is nice.Personally,I'd take the S-tune GT.

 

[genericuser]

I liked everything until I saw the rear

 

[mikeyb]

Learning the lessons of the racetrack

Well, it's great to know that there's going to be a 2007 Nissan 350Z Nismo, a limited-production version of the 2007 Z-car that's been tricked up for hard-core drivers. We expect it to arrive in the U.S. later this year.

Introduced at the 2007 Tokyo Auto Salon last month and soon to arrive at Nissan dealers in Japan, the Nismo Z has already turned a lot of heads. It looks pretty racy, but it's not exactly a Nismo.

The limited-production Nismo Z is actually being put together by Autech Japan, a longtime builder of specialty Nissans for commercial use and drivers with special needs. In recent years, Autech has been building high-profile Nissan special editions.

Autech has recently become a motorsports company, and it builds and prepares the Nissan Z-car that competes in the Japan Super GT racing series. The Autech-prepared Z-car even won the series last year with German racer Michael Krumm at the wheel. So it's no surprise that there's more to the Nismo Z than simply some parts swapping from the Nismo catalog.

It all starts with the 2007 Nissan 350Z and its new-generation 3.5-liter VQ35HR V6, which produces 306 horsepower at 6,800 rpm and revs to 7,500 rpm. There's a large, low-restriction exhaust muffler as well.

Autech welds up the seams in the Z-car's unit-body chassis, a familiar racing practice that adds more structural rigidity to the Z-car's chassis than the conventional spot welds from the Nissan assembly line can provide. The usual strut-tower braces further improve chassis stiffness.

Even more body rigidity comes from Autech's innovative use of special pieces beneath the Z-car's unit-body. Special mass from Yamaha are mounted between the left- and right-side frame members to resist flex and vibration. This must be the first time Yamaha has been linked to the Z-car since the motorcycle company proposed a sports-car prototype for Nissan in 1964, only to have its design refused. (The car later surfaced as the Toyota 2000GT.)

The Nismo Z sits on strong yet lightweight forged aluminum wheels that carry Bridgestone RE-01R tires, 245/40R18s in front and 275/35R19s in the rear.

Through the racing program for the Autech-prepared Z-car, Nissan's design group and vehicle testing department developed a special complement of bodywork pieces, and Autech has turned them into production pieces for the Nismo Z. These pieces include a front aero splitter, front and rear bumper covers, rocker-sill extensions and a dramatic rear wing.

The Nismo Z is more than a racing car, as the interior has received a comprehensive makeover with perforated suedelike seat upholstery plus leather trim for the shift knob and parking brake lever. Naturally there are aluminum pedal covers and assorted metallic trim pieces.

This is a pretty comprehensive conversion, so it's no wonder that the Japanese-market Nismo Z carries the equivalent of an 11-percent premium over a conventional Z-car coupe with a six-speed manual transmission.

All this work makes the Z-car quicker at the track, but there aren't any engine modifications, so the 2007 Nissan 350Z Nismo probably won't feel any quicker on the street. It'll be interesting to see what kind of reception it'll find in the U.S.
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[Hughes412]

Man, that thing is hideous.

+1

Where is the power increase? I don't understand this race car thing if it isn't fast.

 

[wannabe]

front = better
rear = much much much worse

(werd) it got a big ole WTF??? when i saw the back end.

 

[.paul]

+1

Where is the power increase? I don't understand this race car thing if it isn't fast.

What are you talking about? Not every race track is a drag strip. It's a car designed for a road course, thus it will be tuned to handle better.

 

[mikeyb]

+1

Where is the power increase? I don't understand this race car thing if it isn't fast.

There is no power increase. Its not always about power and speed. Handling, aerodynamics, and weight reduction.

 

[Hughes412]

There is no power increase. Its not always about power and speed. Handling, aerodynamics, and weight reduction.

All this work makes the Z-car quicker at the track, but there aren't any engine modifications, so the 2007 Nissan 350Z Nismo probably won't feel any quicker on the street. It'll be interesting to see what kind of reception it'll find in the U.S.

I would say the majority of the people that buy these cars will not be taking them to a track big enough to be able to see any bennifit. I do not see this selling well here. Of course there will be the few that will by it just because of the name. But I bet that this will be hitting the 40k range.

 

[mikeyb]

Well a Z grand touring coupe base starts at $36,100 so I'm sure a Nismo Z would be in the $40K range. The Z GT with all the Nismo parts added on to the build sticker is in the low $40s.

 

[.paul]

Way to go Japan Inc. overprice cars that aren't really that worth it. Its like the early to mid 90's all over again.

 

[Newf]

I don't like any of it really