Does this Nissan Z logo mean…
We have closely followed any tidbit we can get our hands on regarding the upcoming Nissan Z. Rumors are numerous from an EV powered, crossover, four-door and even a heritage design with their new 3.8 V6. Some of these rumors could pan out, but we wanted some fact-based information too. Another slice of information came through today as what ostensibly could be the next Nissan “Z” logo.
Recently, Global Vice President of Design, Alfonso Albaisa said he wanted to build a Nissan Z, and hinted at a heritage design. Ivan Espinosa, corporate vice president of global and Japan product planning said that they have something planned for the Nissan Z – that they “Haven’t forgotten it.”
History
Those are all the “official” facts up until now. Today, thanks to our friends at Autoblog, we’ve caught wind of the trademark that takes us all back. That’s right, it’s the same “Z” design as the original (Nissan) Datsun 240Z from nearly 50-years ago. Introduced in the United States by “Mr. K” Yutaka Katayama, president of Nissan Motors USA operations – the 240Z was a hit.
One ting that made the 240Z so popular was the bang-for-the-buck proposition it represented. Something recent Nissan Zs have moved away from. Nissan loaded later Z models with high tech and serious performance, but the original vibe was lost.
Does this heritage-infused emblem hint at what Nissan has in mind? Nissan desperately needs a winner and a new image. Is it possible we may get an affordable sports car that’s as iconic as the original? We’ll keep an eye out for this one.
Speaking of Nissan and a new engine:
