Project CARS 3: Power of Z

For a video game first, a car bearing the new Nissan logo has arrived in Project CARS 3 via the Power Pack DLC and this Nissan is none other than a prototype that previews the first Fairlady Z of the Reiwa era. It's time to get to know the next-generation Fairlady Z in concept form.

The concept bearing the new Nissan logo in question is called the Z Proto, it's the preview of the next-generation Fairlady Z coming soon and when it hits, it will be the first Fairlady Z of the Reiwa era and it will possess greater values compared to its Z34 predecessor.

First hinted at the Nissan A-Z teaser video last May 2020 and then unveiled to the world at the Nissan Pavilion in Yokohama, Japan, last September 2020, the Z Proto pays tribute to the Fairlady Z's 50-year history since the first one and it promises to be the ultimate Z ever made. The Z Proto's exterior design is a greatest hits compilation of the Fairlady Z lineage. The exterior sports a yellow pearlescent paint exterior, a homage to a popular color scheme applied on the S30 and Z32, while the front design draws inspiration from the 240ZG, a side view from the original S30 Fairlady Z, and the rearview inspired from the Z32. On the interior, the Z Proto features cutting-edge technology with vintage touches.

Nissan says that the Z Proto promises to be the ultimate Z ever made because of its turbocharged V6 engine mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox but out of curiosity, no one knows what kind of turbocharged V6 this prototype runs on but some say, it's the 3.0L V6 Twin Turbo engine lifted from the Skyline V37 400R and some say it's been tipped to produce almost 450PS of power. If it's true, we're looking at the most powerful Z ever made, and looks like Nissan's on the roll to create the Z to end all Z generations in the midst of the new normal.

It's true that Nissan said that the Z Proto is an exhilarating, dynamic performer but it's a lot more than that because thanks to some extensive R&D and after rigorous torture tests on the track, the next Z Proto is poised to be the quickest and the most agile Z ever made and to put this theory to the test...

...I've visited the Fuji Speedway and find out if the next Fairlady Z is better than its predecessor, the Z34 Fairlady Z, which is also included in Project CARS 3's Power Pack.

Almost 13 years of fun before its imminent replacement and still going on strong, this Z34 really is something, but this is no time to get sentimental because it's time to find out if the next Z is better than the soon-to-be-replaced Z34 Fairlady Z. With that, let the experiment begin.

After a hot lap, here are the results;

Z34 - 2:09.437

Z Proto - 2:00.313

Guess Nissan's not lying about the next Fairlady Z's capabilities because they really mean it!

The Z Proto not only previews the next-generation Fairlady Z but also celebrates its five-decade history as a sportscar that rewrites the rules. From surviving through the Safari Rally to IMSA, from Super GT to Formula Drift, the Fairlady Z really is the true Japanese masterpiece speedo boys can't get enough of, and with the imminent arrival of the next Fairlady Z, the preparation begins.

It's an honor for Project CARS 3 to feature a new Nissan car bearing the new Nissan logo. Speaking of which...

Brace yourselves. Z is coming...