2010 Nissan 370z

The Deal: Nissan called us late last week with a special offer. In an effort to quiet speculation sparked by recent leaks of spy photos and videos, the Nissan PR department offered us special access to a camouflaged preproduction prototype of the next generation 2010 Nissan 370Z sports car—as long as we followed a few rules.

The Rules: Nissan allowed us to crawl all over the car as well as shoot photos and video of it. But as part of the agreement, we cannot disclose anything related to how the new Z drives since the car they showed us is not a final production model. We are also forbidden to show or discuss any part of the interior (although we have some spy shots of the interior for you below) or what’s under the hood.

It’s shorter: Compare profile shots of the new Z the current 350Z and it’s pretty clear the new car is significantly shorter. The present 350Z has an overall length of 169.9 inches (173.6 for the NISMO version) with a 104.3-inch wheelbase.

We had heard rumors Nissan might be replacing a few of the high tensile steel body panels with either composites (a la BMW M3) or aluminum (used for the 350Z’s hood). To confirm what is steel and what is not on the new Z, we used a simple test: running a magnet over all the major body panels.

Our magnet did not attach to the front or rear fascia or hood—which wasn’t surprising as these have traditionally been made of non-ferrous materials (urethane/aluminum). It stuck to the front and rear fenders, as well as the roof, which wasn’t surprising either. When we got to the doors and rear hatch, our magnet failed to attach. Tapping these panels revealed a definite metallic tone. What does this mean? While they could be composite, they are more than likely aluminum. Either way, this would mean significant weight savings. If you’ve ever hoisted the rear hatch of a 350Z, an aluminum piece could mean a big difference.

It’s more aggressive, but clearly a Z: Despite the light camouflage, more compact dimensions, and reworked profile, there is no mistaking the Z heritage, and several current Nissan design themes.

Most striking is the new Z’s roofline and fastback. The A-pillar appears to be straighter and sharper. The windshield looks to be the same (as these are expensive pieces to manufacture), but the supporting A-pillar seems straighter and sharper. Instead of swooping towards the tail in a graceful curve, the A-pillar meets the leading edge of the roof at a point, which is similar to the design found on the Nissan GT-R. But unlike the GT-R, the roofline curves back in what looks to be constant arc before flattening out a touch for the tail (and attachment point for rear spoiler). From the front three quarter angle, the smaller Z rump disappears as the curving roofline merges into the wide rear fenders for a look reminiscent of a Porsche 911.

It’s more powerful—probably: Here again, we must rely purely on speculation as Nissan would not confirm either the engine or the output of the vehicle it provided. We will say that the exhaust note sounds very similar to current 350Z, supporting the rampant rumors that the next Z will have a derivative of the current car’s VQ35 engine.

With the new Z, it appears Nissan has done the opposite. When it could have simply slapped on new lights and thrown a bigger engine underhood, Nissan adopted the strategy applied to the 2008 Maxima. Instead of going bigger and heavier, Nissan made the new Z shorter, wider—and in all likelihood—lighter and more powerful. These are the kind of real and substantial changes that should get any red-blooded sports car enthusiast cheering.

Report by Auto Racing Daily.

Ferrari F430 Challenge At Autosport International

The Ferrari F430 Challenge will make its UK debut today at Autosport International in Birmingham. The new racing car is derived from the 8-cylinder road-going berlinetta and will take part in the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli one-make championship in 2006. Over 100 F430 Challenge race cars will hit the tracks this year in the three groups of the series in the USA, Italy, and Europe.

Ferrari has also reaffirmed the strong link between its GT and sporting divisions with the new F430 Challenge which is specifically designed to meet the expectations of its sportier clients. The F430 Challenge retains the same general look and 490 hp engine as the road-going version. However, it also incorporates a large number of significant track-oriented modifications and new features not seen in the 360 Modena Challenge, which it joins on the track this season and completely replaces in 2007.

As ever, the transfer from Formula 1 is significant, particularly with regard to the braking system which uses carbon ceramic material (CCM) - a first for a Ferrari sports competition car. The electronic gearbox is also F1-derived and works in exactly the same way as the one used on the grand prix car. Fifth and sixth gear ratios have also been modified with respect to the road-going version, as has the final drive ratio, in order to make the most of the engine on all the circuits where the F430 Challenge will race. The new 19’’ slick tyres were specially developed by Pirelli to meet the extremely strict regulations that require the tyres to cope with long distances delivering extremely high performance.

The F430 Challenge boasts a kerb weight of just 1225 kg (excluding fuel). Weight has been reduced in every area of the car: of particular note are the Lexan® windscreen, the all-carbon fibre intake plenum cover, and specific exhaust system. Another important feature introduced in the F430 Challenge is the new steering wheel which has a quick release mechanism to provide easier access for drivers. The steering wheel also has buttons for communication with the pits, to set the pit lane speed and to interface with the new colour digital instrument panel. The rear of the car is characterised by the specific exhaust system which has high central tail pipes, and by the modified grille which increases the extraction of hot air from the rear of the engine bay. The anti-roll bars, springs and single-rate shocks have also been modified for racing use. The F430 Challenge also features new centre-locking wheels and pneumatic air jacks for faster wheel changes in the pit lane.

The F430 Challenge will be seen for the first time in the UK on the Sabelt stand, a new sponsor of the series, at Autosport International, the UK Racing Car Show at the NEC in Birmingham.