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.