Has seeing the Z in real life changed your mind?

[West Aussie]

I'm definitely considering the twins if the Z doesn't work out. Over here I don't see them often...even the previous generation. Very surprising since I'm in the NY/NJ area. I see so many Mustangs and Chargers though lol.

Mustangs are also very popular here, but still not as popular as the 86, BRZ is still seen a lot…but not as much as the 86

 

[Blackbeard]

Down here what you see the most is the big 3 , I think I’ve seen a Supra maybe like once or twice in my area, I haven’t even seen anyone driving the new 86, my cousin drives one of the older ones

 

[therumblewagon]

Echoing a lot of sentiment in here—I was fortunate enough too see the Proto Spec in person in October, and let me tell ya, the moment I walked into the Auto Show doors, the boost kicked in once I found where Nissan was and I can't remember a time where I've moved quicker.

If you haven't seen Jay Leno's Garage episode on the new Z, have a look on YouTube. That video avoids the shaky/moving camera that is popular (obnoxious) these days, and also doesn't use a wide angle lens that tends to distort the vehicle proportions. I thought the Z appeared very nice in Jay's video. Looking forward to seeing a Z in person.

This is definitely the best video I can recall that does the car justice compared to what you see in person. As @indio22 said, he's great about keeping the camera stationary with the occasional slow pan, which lets you appreciate details, and it helps you get perspective, especially when he's standing right by it.

 

[Dan Cohen]

I totally understand no test drives to a point. A serious buyer should be allowed a short drive so as not to put too many miles on the car. I also do not think it will be a big problem since most will all be sold cars going to customers so will not be a lot of cars sitting around to test drive any way. If you are a serious buyer I mean really what could possibly be bad about the car at this point. If you want a new Z then you know you want a new Z. END OF STORY. Just buy it.

 

[fliplover]

So far I've seen (and sat in) the yellow and have now seen the boulder grey. Larry Chen's pictures of the boulder gray were amazing, but after seeing it in person, I personally don't feel this color does the car justice. The body lines seem washed out.

It may look better outdoors, but I'm passing on the grey.

 

[AlphalphaMale]

One of the videos did say the grille looks worse when viewed from lower angles (which is what a lot go arty photographers tend to do), but is better when standing normally.

I haven't seen the new Z in person. I thought the 350Z was fat and ugly when I first saw pictures of it. Over time and seeing more of them on the road, I grew to like it a little bit more, especially when the fatter and uglier 370Z arrived. The pictures of the new Z already make it look far better than either of those.

Huh? The 370Z was *smaller* than the 350Z in every way, and also weighed less and had more power.

 

[Heavy Dupree]

I could walk into the local Porsche dealership tomorrow and test drive a $240k 911.

If you can any at a Porsche dealership.

 

[FBD]

Very strange, wonder how many US dealers he has spoken with. I could walk into the local Porsche dealership tomorrow and test drive a $240k 911.

Haha really? Not where I am from. You need to be a qualified buyer. Oh right...there aren't even any Porsches at the dealer lot...

 

[Denver the Last Dinosaur]

Huh? The 370Z was *smaller* than the 350Z in every way, and also weighed less and had more power.

Maybe, but the design changes made the 370Z look fatter and uglier than the 350Z.

 

[FBD]

Maybe, but the design changes made the 370Z look fatter and uglier than the 350Z.

Have you ever owned a 300/350/370? Most on here would completely disagree with you. Wrong forum.

 

[Denver the Last Dinosaur]

Have you ever owned a 300/350/370? Most on here would completely disagree with you. Wrong forum.

Good for them - that's their opinion. The entire topic is "Has seeing the Z in real life changed your mind?", which is all about people's personal opinions. The above was simply my opinion. I never said anyone else did or had to agree with me.

 

[FBD]

Good for them - that's their opinion. The entire topic is "Has seeing the Z in real life changed your mind?", which is all about people's personal opinions. The above was simply my opinion. I never said anyone else did or had to agree with me.

Indeed, you have quite helpfully reminded us the title of this thread. And yet comments regarding "the design changes [that] made the 370Z look fatter and uglier than the 350Z" are a bit hasty, and prematurely dismissive. The entire rationale for the newly imagined 350Z at the time was to leave behind the Grand Touring "ZX" of the 300ZX and reclaim the original spirit of the more focused "Z" first captured in the originals of the 240Z and 260Z. The 350Z reclaimed the classic proportions of the original 240/260 with the long nose, squat haunches, set-back inline six, now a V6 midship powerplant in its place offering greater balance. The 370Z pushed this evolution yet again. Greater set-back balance, shorter footprint overall, and even more squat in the rear shoulders for brute mechanical grip and off the line traction. Again, a reclamation of the original proportions from the 70s. The newest iteration of the 2023 Z tries to capture and imagine yet again the original, this time by incorporating design cues and lines from the legendary six time Car and Driver Sports Car of the year: the Z32 300ZX. Reductive analysis approximating "fatter," and "uglier" entirely misses the nuances of the title of this thread: "Has seeing the Z in real life changed your mind". The newest proportions of the 2023 Z are a carefully considered pushing forward of the same proportions of the 350Z and 370Z. There is no 2023 Z without the carefully forged lead ups of the 350Z and 370Z. A less careful eye might assume the new Z is an all new Z, and fail to see its indebtedness to its forebears.

 

[Denver the Last Dinosaur]

Whatever.

 

[ZDreamer]

I totally understand no test drives to a point. A serious buyer should be allowed a short drive so as not to put too many miles on the car. I also do not think it will be a big problem since most will all be sold cars going to customers so will not be a lot of cars sitting around to test drive any way. If you are a serious buyer I mean really what could possibly be bad about the car at this point. If you want a new Z then you know you want a new Z. END OF STORY. Just buy it.

Nissan can afford to build one or two cars for each major dealer let people do joy ride. Based on NHTSA crash test database, nissan can claim the 350Z crash test and not have to crash any of the new Z since it's on the exact platform.

 

[TaroBaapG35]

Saw the Z in person at the ATL show. Love it even more now. Yes the grill is an acquired taste, but I'm not worried as the 370z had a similar issue with the fangs etc that was remedied quite early on with wrap/plastidip/paint.

The length of the hood was interesting as it seems longer then the 370z, but time will tell if that's true once we get to see both side by side (not in pictures). Hopefully some of the mods from 370z bolt on over, similar to how some 1st gen brz parts are seeming to work on 2nd gen.

Overall car looks really good. Sharp lines in certain areas and softer in others, but the boulder grey def makes the car seem subdued, which isn't bad. Wifey liked the grey, but she's adamant on yellow or red (not a fan of red and yellow is too bright for me on this car, but it looks good!). I need to convince her on the White + Red combo again.