Randy OUTSTANDING job you have done with the 370Z. It looks like a Japanese Porsche. I love it and get looks ALL the time while driving it; it is a car that looks like an exotic. All your years of hard work paid off and we all get to benefit from it!

One major element of success associated with the Datsun 240Z was that it made it though the Design to Production hand-off with its Styling in tact. This is a very very rare occurrence - in any field. The Datsun 240Z was a clean slate design and the original designer did get to follow it though at least the Automotive and Manufacturing Design phases. Of course Nissan Motors Ltd. was a much smaller corporation then.

I was at the Detroit Auto Show when the new 350Z was introduced. As you can see by the pictures below - the Styling Concept Drawings show a quite beautiful design.

When I had an opportunity to talk to Mr. Shiro Nakamura, I ask him why the production car was so much thicker/fatter than the concept drawings. His answer surprised me at first... but then it made perfect sense. Mr. Nakamura said "we couldn't get the height of the firewall any shorter". I looked at him with some question still on my face, so he continued...and said "G35".

Oh.. I see!! The 350Z was built on the existing G35 platform - just shortened. That explained it - and I thought almost at once of the AM-X that I had owned so many years ago. A AMC Javelin with the rear seat cut out!.

At that time - Nissan was just recovering from a near bankruptcy and couldn't afford an entirely new platform for the limited production Z Car, as was originally promised by the previous President of Nissn, Mr. Hanawa.

If the 370Z sells well in this depressed economy - perhaps at some point in the future - Nissan will once again be able to afford to develop a new platform strictly for another Z Car. If that happens, you'll see a car that get though the Manufactureing and Production phase with its original styling pretty much in tact.

Nonetheless - the 370Z is a beautiful job.

FWIW,
Carl B.

Hi all,

Had a question about the designer.. I am looking at the Nissan Website and it shows that the product design division is Kazuki Yamazaki. I am a little bit confused about this. My question is that are there more than 1 designer of the 370Z?

^^^

That may be the current design chief of the division! If Randy even sees this, I love the 370Z design. Just it may be to safety restriction & collision test that it seems bulky compare to the 350Z even a 240Z.

But it stated that Mr Yamazaki is the one who is in charged of the 370Z exterior design.

im very sure there are many talented people that were involved in designing and building this car, not just one guy with a concept rendering..

Good points and excellent post. 240z, you have, huh? That is ok by me.

Nissan has commonly shared parts/platforms with other Nissan vehicles. The 280ZX suspension is very similar to the Datsun 510 with many of the parts being interchangeable or adaptable. The Maxima and Z cars also share a common line. The S130 (280ZX) and the 810 (Maxima) had virtually the same platform. The Maxima has shared the engine from the Z cars since it's origin in 1977. It was common practice to use similar parts or chassis with both the Datsun and Nissan lines even before there was any economic crisis...

Tang ina randy!!

Hi all,

Im a big fan of 370z design.. I want to know more about Mr. Randy.. Do any of you guys know where I can find biography or history of Mr. Randy? Thx

Stalker!!

Love the design of the Z34. Randy, my absolute favorite part of the design is the sharp, yet refined angle at the top of the A pillars/windshield. It makes the car look so much more aggressive and sporty than the 350Z. Absolutely love the design from every angle, it's just gorgeous.

Randy, did you have any say in paint colors?

Cool thanks Guys for the comments. I just got a 'nice car' at lunchtime today from this old lady and her husband as they walked by. My white nismo had been dirty the last week and a half and it makes a big difference after a good wash! How I wish I could lower it and do a few things to it but I cant really because its my employee lease car.

No I didnt have any say with the colors and I think there is room for improvement there. When I first started at Nissan in 02 I ordered a lemans sunset orange 350Z. That color had a ton of flop and was just eye catching and really showed off the form and lines of the car. It was iconic and was reminiscent of the orange 240Z's but done in a new way.

I like the white and the graphite and 40th colors have really nice contrast in the paint but there should be more colors in my opinion.

Also I dont know if anyone saw it but in the September issue of OCTANE magazine (big UK based magazine) there is a little article with Matsuo-san the chief designer of the 240Z and myself. It was really amazing for me to have met that man and get to spend the day with him and listening to his stories. We just got it at work the other day but if your at a Borders checking out all the car mags look for it.


And on another note I've done a few 370Z oil paintings mostly last year that I need to get some good shots of so I can share with you guys. May sound a bit juvenille but I did this bad *** one of the 370Z as megatron like the transformers 370z toy that they sell in Japan. I've been crazy busy but I promise to do that soon.....

^in for awesomeness

Hey Randy thanks for the info on the Octane magazine article. I would never have thought to look for any 240Z stuff in there but it looks like a great article. It's still sitting on my work bench waiting for me to read it but at least I've got it before I can't get it and wished I'd picked up a copy.

I'm a long time Z car fan and I think it's outstanding how you incorperated the lines of the 240Z but didn't try to remake the car like most of the North American auto makers have done. A tribute instead of a copy.

Thanks again :)

PS - Do you still have an S30?