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Reports Point Toward a Hybrid Four-Cylinder Drivetrain for the Next-Gen Z

(Credit: © Nissan)

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Reports Point Toward a Hybrid Four-Cylinder Drivetrain for the Next-Gen Z

2013 Nissan 370z

2013 Nissan 370z (Credit: © Nissan)

Just days ago I discussed a report that Nissan is mulling over offering a few different engines for the successor to the 370Z. Within that report was the possibility of a four-cylinder engine. Well, if a report from the Japanese magazine Best Car via Motoring.com.au is on target, then we are in for an even bigger surprise. According to the report, sources close to the development of the new Z claim that the next-generation model will feature a hybrid powertrain that uses a turbocharged, four-cylinder powerplant.

That’s right, my fellow petrol heads, the new Z car will not only offer a four-cylinder engine, but it will also feature forced induction and a hybrid system. According to the report, the engine will be a 2.0-liter unit provided by Mercedes-Benz — likely the same unit found in the CLA250 — and the electric power will be provided by a motor mounted between the transmission and the engine, similar to Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist system. This motor will not only act as a starter, but as a generator too that will add juice to the batteries on deceleration or coasting.

The report goes on to claim that the powertrain will develop a total of 184 kW (247 horsepower) at 6,000 rpm and 350 Nm (258 pound-feet) of torque between 1,250 and 3,500 rpm. To the chagrin of many Z car enthusiasts, this hybrid power will route exclusively through a seven-speed automatic transmission. However, you can rest assured that this will likely not be some slushbox automatic.

Included in the report is another claim that the next-generation Z will debut only as a convertible with this hybrid drivetrain, but other variants will join in later. This convertible top may not be the traditional drop-top that we’re familiar with. Instead, it may be a targa top or a T-bar roof (I guess someone didn’t learn in the 1980s that T-bars are terrible…).

Following the hybrid convertible, the source claims Nissan will offer the traditional V-6 engine, and a naturally aspirated, four-cylinder base engine may be on the table as well.

While these reports all sound awesome, I take them with a grain of salt, as they are way too specific for being so early on in the development of the next Z. I suspect that the claims are true, to a degree, but I bet a good bit of the details are not fully confirmed. We’ll bring you more specifics as they become available.

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