Autocar understands that the 400Z will make use of an Infiniti-sourced powertrain. Shunning the natural aspiration of its recent forebears, the new sports car is tipped to utilise the flagship Q60’s 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6.
This all-aluminium engine is part of the VR family, which also includes a larger 3.8-litre unit used by the Nissan GT-R.
Producing 400bhp in the Q60 (where it’s mated to a four-wheel drive system), the 3.0-litre V6 powers the four-seat coupé from 0-62mph in 5.0sec. Although the 400Z is expected to be rear-wheel drive, its performance should be better than that, given that it will be significantly lighter than the 1825kg Infiniti.
Nissan has experimented with this engine in the 370Z already, fitting it with a manual gearbox and displaying it at the SEMA aftermarket trade show in 2018. The 400Z name also implies this power output, plus the latest prototypes of the new Z car spied testing wore modified 370Z bodywork.
The 370Z appeals firmly to fans of old-school, enthusiast-targeted sports cars, so it’s likely Nissan will want to offer a manual gearbox alongside an automatic. However, rivals such as the Toyota GR Supra and Alpine A110 go without a stick-shift option.
