Photos from a recent Nissan patent filing with IP Australia have revealed what the production model of the 400Z will look like.
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Nissan 400Z Revealed in Patent Photos
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I really hope they don't add side markers where the 350z is. It would ruin the cleaniness of the design. Also if you look at the door handle there is a double outline of the handle. Not sure why that is, I'm assuming its mechnanical, but it makes that area looks pretty ugly. Other than that, The more I look at it the more I like the new design which is more than I can say about the new bmw m3/m4. 
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They might not have to with how the headlight is shaped.I really hope they don't add side markers where the 350z is. It would ruin the cleaniness of the design. Also if you look at the door handle there is a double outline of the handle. Not sure why that is, I'm assuming its mechnanical, but it makes that area looks pretty ugly. Other than that, The more I look at it the more I like the new design which is more than I can say about the new bmw m3/m4.
It's clearly visible from side and will likely fulfill safety requirements that a marker light would.
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Nope after further inspecting these images you can clearly see the side marker is right next to the tailights in the profile pic. I mean....that's fine, but it takes away from the cleanliness. What a shame. Why are US laws so garbage.... The Euros don't have to have side markers....So jealous.
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I think its time that regulators change it to be only for large vehicles. It makes no difference on our small cars.
Plus, look how much the headlight and tail light here runs onto the side profile.
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I think we may be conflating the ideas of a lit side marker and a reflector (since they are both often referred to using the same terminology). NHTSA, unless I am very much mistaken, requires that an amber side reflector be present at the front of the vehicle and a red one be present at the rear. We can clearly see the rear reflector, but the mystery is the front unit. I have concluded that it is probably within the headlight casing (as it is on the 370z), probably where the little "Z symbol" detail was on the Proto.
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^ yeah you're probably right and regulators suck.
It's pretty cool that what they presented is what we're getting. Even though there are some front and rear features I would change slightly, it's nice for once to get the actual car we're presented with. Great shape and proportions. Restrained design. Aftermarket will be fun on this thing. Impressed they were able to keep the front bumper so clean.
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Given how bad the last year and a bit has been for Nissan they needed a big win and this is it. If they deviated from the Proto there'd be a lot of backlash.
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This is a Huge plus for the aftermarket, really. That uncluttered design makes a better aero 'base'. I'm sure there will be variations of splitters, spoilers/wing, diffusers, flares in the works. Wonder how the Nismo variant will look like? Hoping for restraint aero add-ons and not overdone.
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Doesn't surprise me at all that the patent drawings look exactly like the Z Proto.
Last year when the first up-close videos and pics came out (especially the one where they measure wheelbase and get chastised for it) it was very very obvious all of the bits unique to the new Z were production-spec. The way the wheel liners matched the fenders and clipped in using those typical plastic push pins, the under spoiler looked completely OEM manufactured and not trimmed/hacked Z34 parts. The dash with the old-school Nissan/Infiniti key dock (why would that even be in a Proto? the key dock is a fail-safe for when your key fob doesn't communicate with the PTS, a Proto car could totally do without). The way the roof-rail "katana blades" looked factory made and not hand made.
And, of course, using a TON of carry-over Z34 bits. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the Nissan vendors have already begun manufacturing many of the "new" parts for this car.
The only items I saw that looked like 90% proto were the headlights and taillights. The "high beam" portion of the headlights are definitely an off-the-shelf white LED module just shoehorned into the headlamps assembly, and they are more blue-white than the projector. I think the production headlights will look the same, but more refined. The taillights, something was "off" about them. Like they are hand-made. But I am sure the production ones will look almost the same. They may need slight variations depending on what markets the new Z will be sold in.
Last year when the first up-close videos and pics came out (especially the one where they measure wheelbase and get chastised for it) it was very very obvious all of the bits unique to the new Z were production-spec. The way the wheel liners matched the fenders and clipped in using those typical plastic push pins, the under spoiler looked completely OEM manufactured and not trimmed/hacked Z34 parts. The dash with the old-school Nissan/Infiniti key dock (why would that even be in a Proto? the key dock is a fail-safe for when your key fob doesn't communicate with the PTS, a Proto car could totally do without). The way the roof-rail "katana blades" looked factory made and not hand made.
And, of course, using a TON of carry-over Z34 bits. I wouldn't be surprised at all if the Nissan vendors have already begun manufacturing many of the "new" parts for this car.
The only items I saw that looked like 90% proto were the headlights and taillights. The "high beam" portion of the headlights are definitely an off-the-shelf white LED module just shoehorned into the headlamps assembly, and they are more blue-white than the projector. I think the production headlights will look the same, but more refined. The taillights, something was "off" about them. Like they are hand-made. But I am sure the production ones will look almost the same. They may need slight variations depending on what markets the new Z will be sold in.
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We can always depend on aftermarket support for things like that. Can't be hard to retrofit.
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^ I like the way it is, but I'd still like to see the offerings....guess I'm in the clean camp.
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I agree, since there's some similarities with the 370Z, aftermarket companies should be able to come up with some crazy stuff.
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