The Nissan Z Is Here to Stay – and It Could Go Hybrid
• A Nissan executive is categorical: The Nissan Z isn’t going anywhere.
Nissan doesn’t have pockets quite as deep as some of the auto giants it competes with. The Japanese automaker has been accused of lagging behind, but it has also been lauded for working near-miracles with the means it has.
The Z sports car is a good example. When it was renewed, it could arguably have used a more thorough modernization than it received. But the company remained within its means. The model isn’t perfect, but it respects the spirit of what the Z has always been.
The truth is, however, that with electrification in full swing and the popularity of sports cars declining, some have predicted the Z isn’t long for this world.
During a question-and-answer session at the company's recent Fast Forward event, chief planning officer Ponz Pandikuthira was categorical: the Z is here to stay. Sports cars will remain, he said, even though they sell less and are rarely profitable enough to justify keeping them in the catalog.
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