2001 Nissan Fairlady Z Concept - AllCarIndex

Original name: ニッサン フェアレディZ コンセプト

The new Z represents nothing less than the birth of a totally new car that blends Nissan's sports car tradition with cutting-edge technologies and a fresh design. Continuing the Z heritage of design, performance and value that has remained unchanged since the first-generation model, this new-generation Z car promises to provide all users with immense joy of ownership and complete driving pleasure.

"Lust then love". These key words epitomize the new Z.

The Fairlady Z was designed to impress viewers at first sight with its newness as a sports car and to remain an object of unending adoration for ages to come. While inheriting the "Z-ness" passed on through successive generations, this Fairlady Z embodies many new features for a sports car, all of which have been perfected to exceptionally high quality.

A car that beautifully expresses high performance rather than merely boasting of it. That, in a nutshell, is the new Fairlady Z.

Next-generation driving performance

Pleasing road performance

The Fairlady Z adopts the new-generation FM Package characterized by revolutionary performance innovations attained with a new vehicle layout and by technological improvements made to individual parts. This results in a direct, pleasing steering feel and driving performance faithful to the driver's wishes. Moreover, thanks to the optimum front/rear weight distribution achieved with the FM Package and the use of Italian-made Brembo Spa brakes, which have already been highly acclaimed on the R34 Skyline GT-R, the car delivers superb braking performance combined with a suitably stiff pedal feel.

Sporty feeling VQ35DE engine

The newly developed 3.5-liter VQ35DE V6 engine features an expanded power range as a result of reworking the intake port design and adopting continuously variable valve timing control (CVTC). This enables the engine to deliver not only outstanding start-off acceleration and high-speed passing performance, but also torque characteristics suitable for city driving. Driveability has been further improved by adopting an electronically controlled throttle, and the use of a highly rigid cylinder block combines with other measures to produce engine sounds worthy of a sports car.

New 6-speed manual transmission

The 6-speed manual transmission has been newly developed specifically for the Z. It features close-ratio gearing in the 1st-5th speed ranges to provide an acceleration feel befitting a sports car. Every part has been thoroughly reduced in weight and size through the application of advanced structural analysis techniques. As a result, this new transmission is superior to the previous 5-speed in terms of size and weight.

Additionally, a short, quick shift feel worthy of a sports car has been achieved based on extensive analyses of the actions of shifting (longitudinal movement) and selecting gears (lateral movement). A fine-grip shift knob has also been adopted to deliver a premium-quality shift feel. The new concept embodied in this shift knob combines materials for absorbing shock in the longitudinal direction of shifter movement with materials for allowing a direct feel in the lateral direction.

Newness and timeless appeal

Nimble exterior design

The exterior design of the Fairlady Z expresses everywhere the Z-ness sustained by the car's heritage. Design cues passed on from the first-generation Z include the long nose and short deck styling, triangular cabin form and the lines extending from the arch-shaped roof to the hatchback opening. To that heritage a newness has been added to contrast the soft, warm body shape with the geometrical forms of the headlamps and other parts. The result shows a new direction in car design suitable for the 21st century.

Like an F1 racing machine, the body's center of gravity is placed in the middle and the tires are positioned at the four corners to emphasize the car's nimble agility. The body surfaces, on the other hand, are rendered with a certain roundness to impart a soft impression. While the design strongly accentuates the bulge of the fenders, the volume at each corner has been pared to emphasize the shortness of the overhangs. The 18" wheels also serve as a design element that hints at superb driving performance.

The headlamps are of the projector and free form (low beam) type that provide a wider illumination pattern and greater brightness. Meticulous attention was also paid to the fine design details, including the look of built-in quality and the perceived impression of the materials. The car's stellar quality is also expressed by the distinctive vertical door handles and the twin exhaust tailpipes with their 100-mm aperture.

Sporty and functional interior

Modernized yet traditional design

Seen from a top, the interior has a spindle-like shape resembling a rugby ball. Ample lateral space is provided between the driver's seat and the front passenger's seat, while the cabin width is tapered at the front and rear to emphasize a sporty feeling. The three independent instruments tilt in tandem with the adjustment of the tilt steering column to ensure clear visibility regardless of where the driver's seat is positioned. The door form is composed of soft, emotive surfaces, while the door handles are contrastingly executed with a sharp design. This is one way in which the contrast seen in the exterior design has been adroitly incorporated into the interior design as well.

A strut tower brace adorned with the Z logo has been adopted in the rear luggage area. Other interior design elements that continue the Z heritage are the gently-sloping T-shaped dashboard and the three consecutive center instruments consisting of the drive computer, oil pressure gauge and voltmeter. In addition, the use of aluminum for the instrument finishers, door handles and other places enhances the high-quality look of the interior. Though the Fairlady Z has been executed as a sports car, thorough attention has also been paid to storage capacity, with sufficient luggage space for carrying two golf bags behind the seats, a second luggage box capable of storing a briefcase and other storage places.

SOURCE: Nissan