Nissan Just Might Kill The Z

It’s another day, and we have more evidence the Nissan Z will fade into the distance. This time, info comes via Drive, an Australian automotive publication. It had reporters on the ground at the show in Tokyo, where Nissan chief planning officer Philippe Klein dropped more hints that a new Z isn’t coming.

Klein did say the Z is “very much alive” right now. Yeah, it’s called the 370Z, which is a little long in the tooth. He went on to comment that the Z’s market segment is “gradually declining… making the (business) case more difficult.”

Translation: Nissan thinks there’s no financial justification for making a new Z. Ford has been making global headway with the Mustang, and that surely isn’t helping. Enthusiasts in markets where the American pony car wasn’t available turned to other affordable, rear-wheel-drive sport coupes, like the 370Z. Now that the Mustang is an option, that surely has eaten into Z sales.

After dropping that foreboding hint, Klein started talking about Godzilla, like it would make up for the death of the Z line. Sorry, but many enthusiasts cannot afford a GT-R, while the 370Z and a potential successor are within their means.

As the final slap in the face, Klein then said Nismo has the potential “to offer excitement to our customers leveraging the more conventional side.” Yeah, get ready for that “exciting” Altima Nismo. Woohoo.