Every so often a car comes out of one of the automakers from the land of the rising sun that captivates the hearts of every automotive enthusiast in the industry. Almost four decades ago, Nissan graced the world with the mesmerizing Nissan 300ZX. Sold Stateside from 1984 to 1996 the 300ZX was a rear-wheel drive, front-engine sports car equipped with a 3.0 liter V-6 engine either naturally aspirated or turbocharged. The 300ZX was also known as the Fairlady Z in some circles. But that was almost 40 years ago, and times have changed, but still, the auto enthusiasts miss their Fairlady. Brainstorming with the idea of what a new 350ZX Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) could look like, TopSpeed and Bimble Designs came up with an exquisite rendering of such a car. The studio design stays unmistakably close to the original, while at the same time managing to bring its looks up to modern design standards for outstanding results.
The 300ZX Fairlady Is One Of Nissan's Most Iconic Cars Ever
The original Z31 Nissan 300ZX made history not only for its street cred but also because it was Japan’s first-ever car with a mass-produced V-6 engine. That naturally aspirated engine made 160 horsepower and 173 pound-feet of torque, and it was paired to a 5-speed manual transmission. The turbo version made 245 pound-feet of torque at 3,600 rpm according to Nissan while horsepower figures were between 200 and 229 depending on where you look. Regardless, with a wet weight of just under 3,000 pounds, the Fairlady could move.
Bimble Designs has been hard at work creating some awesome versions of what the industry could bring. Its BEV interpretation of the Nissan 300ZX takes inspiration from the design of the original Z31 (1983-1989) and particularly the Z32 (1989-2000). It follows its timeless proportions faithfully, adding nice modern touches such as full LED lighting, better aerodynamics with a more pronounced rear wing, side skirts, front, and rear spoilers, as well as ‘winglet’ type side mirrors. The wheels are bigger and the front fascia kept the friendly eyes of the Fairlady looking over the roof but has a more aggressive lower end with a low front grill that could be used to direct wind to help cool the battery pack and control the flow of air under the car.
This Is How Nissan Could Leverage Electrification To Bring Back The 300ZX
The 300ZX BEV should not steer too much away from its ICE counterparts of old. Performance should be relatively similar, with more horsepower than it used to have back several decades ago, but only to place it at a respectable performance tier by today’s standards. The goal should be not to overdo it, and like the old 300ZX models, the 300ZX BEV should be affordable. Something buyers looking for a Tesla Model 3 or Hyundai Ioniq 6, for example, could have a look at as well.
A battery pack of about 100 kWh should be enough to give it a good range without being excessively heavy, and two electric motors should be used to power each of the rear wheels. This would allow for an optimal implementation of torque vectoring, maintain the original rear-wheel drive configuration, and provide a power output of ideally 400 to 450 horsepower. That should give the 350ZX BEV plenty of acceleration with the full torque of the electric motors available on tap and a respectable top speed.
On Par With What The Original Offered In Its Time
The car would also deliver a performance that, especially with the help of driver aids, is approachable for most drivers, and still allow for some fun when the driver feels so inclined. Traction control could be turned off for track days’ donuts and burnouts, and the two-door, 2+2 seating arrangement would be ideal for some added versatility. Ride modes should be available particularly when it comes to selecting how much regenerative braking is available to allow the driver to choose how the car is going to behave when he puts his foot off the throttle.
According to a recent trend of adding some visceral excitement to BEVs by implementing sound to these ever-so-quiet motors, the front grille, responsible for directing airflow beneath the car, could be used to blow air on some specially designed internal vents that could reproduce high-performance engine sounds by producing a higher pitch as speed builds up, along with the increase in airflow.
The BEV Nissan 300RX Would Still Be Compact And Agile
The sleek and lightweight body of this compact car is fully taken into consideration in this rendering. Furthermore, for the interior, a fully digital cockpit with large touchscreen displays and the amenities of voice assistance could be easily implemented. There’s no need to neglect modern comforts and a modern interior design as well. Finally, a smart suspension system could be considered, if the cost would not be prohibitive so that the car could be lowered slightly on good roads or a track day for better dynamic behavior, especially when going around corners.
The advent of mass electrification has brought many opportunities for legacy carmakers to bring back some old models in a new BEV suit. This would allow them to capitalize on the emotional connection these vehicles created with a large customer base. But the problem is everyone seems to be scattered around firing in all different directions while trying to keep up with dominating BEV brands such as Tesla and BYD. Hopefully, we’ll see more blasts from the past resurrected as BEVs.