New Nissan Z to go targa, hybrid

Nissan's Z series of sports cars is legendary not just in Japan, but North America and Australia too.

The original Datsun 240Z, as the export version was known, tipped the sports car world upside down when it debuted in 1969 with its unprecedented combination of great looks, reasonable pricetag, a powerful engine and zippy handling.

Now entering its seventh generation, the all-new Z35 -- as it will be called -- promises more of the same sharp looks and great handling, but will also bring smaller yet more powerful engines with Mercedes-Benz technology thrown in for good measure.

And, unlike recent Zs, which have targeted the US and Japan as their main markets, the new Z will change direction to become a truly global sports car.

As such, it is being developed with a retractable hard-top. What that means, according to a source close to Nissan, is that the new Z will get a targa top or even a T-bar roof.

To Nissan planners, that was a must this time round. Targeting the likes of Porsche’s Boxster, BMW’s Z4 and Audi’s TT, the new Z will need all of the product planning and marketing assistance it can get to compete for honours in the premium sports car segment.

Apparently the powers that be inside Nissan have decided that a targa top or T-bar roof will give their car the added appeal and value the brand needs, and “the marketing boys feel this feature will appeal to a wider cross-section of potential customers".

What those planners are saying is that the current Z lacks street cred and needs a strong injection of it for the next model. It meets performance expectations but over the last decade its price has increased as well, to a point where the coupe now needs some more presence.

Part of the next Z’s attraction will be its new range of engines, starting with the 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo mill currently used in the Japanese-market Skyline. But this powerplant will also have a hybrid unit attached to it for better economy and performance.

The top-of-the-range model will be powered by a turbocharged 3.0-litre direct-injection petrol engine supplied by Mercedes and pumping out in excess of 245kW.

Our source tells us that both engines will incorporate a hybrid unit, not unlike Honda’s IMA, or Integrated Motor Assist, system. This is a parallel hybrid system in which the electric motor is mounted between the engine and transmission.

Although it's not yet confirmed for Australia, Nissan has just revealed a hot NISMO version of the current sixth-generation 370Z, which arrived Down Under in coupe form in May 2009, with the roadster following in 2010.

Pricing for the smaller, lighter and more efficient new targa-topped Z is expected to continue to start from under $60,000 when it arrives by 2017.