Frankfurt Motor Display: Nissan gets to Gripz with the next Z – NY Daily News
Nissan Gripz Concept is an SUV-shaped hint at the next Nissan Z sports car
The Nissan Gripz is the next version of the 370Z sports car, only taller.
Unwind, the next Z car isn’t turning into an SUV here at the Frankfurt Motor Showcase. Nissan’s intention is to showcase the design of the next Z, without providing too much away in terms of the production car’s final finished form.
Despite having exterior styling that’s cranked up to eleven on the crazy scale, the Gripz Concept truly isn’t that vastly different in design when compared to latest Nissan production models, such as the fresh Maxima sedan and Murano SUV.
The Gripz is an homage to off-road racing variants of the original Z sports car.
Inspiration for the Nissan Gripz Concept came from the legendary 240Z desert racers as well as the sleek two-wheel world of road cycling.
Vehicles like the Fairlady Z helped inspire the fresh Nissan.
In the pictures released ahead of the Gripz’ debut here in Frankfurt, you can see the front fascia is predominated by a large grille with a U-shaped swoop, very skinny LED headlights, along with some fairly ample fog-lights. The same design theme rules the front half of both the Maxima and Murano – and don’t even get us embarked on the totally funky front-end of the Juke crossover!
Step away from the “Oh my god, the next Z is a sport-ute” ledge, and you’ll see the proportions of the Gripz Concept hint that the REAL next Z sports car is going to retain a very compact profile, with even more emphasis on eye-catching details.
Nissan’s Gripz Concept will make its global premiere at the Frankfurt Motor Showcase.
The Gripz is also an homage to off-road racing variants of the original Z sports car. Those dune-trekking classics ideally meld the Z’s graceful form, massive tires, and a jacked-up suspension into one incredible machine – so why is everyone freaking out about a Z concept that sits a little higher off the ground?
We think Nissan will either keep very quiet about the mechanical parts of this concept car in Frankfurt – so far they’re not telling anything – or, the Gripz Concept could showcase a downsized engine family, possibly a turbocharged 4-cylinder motor that could be coming to the next Z.
See out for much more to come from Frankfurt, and the Gripz Concept, as the NY Daily News Autos team continually covers both media preview days on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 14-15.
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