Nissan Design Exec Hard At Work On Next-Gen Z-Model | Feature

During a recent interview, Nissan’s senior VP for global design, Alfonso Albaisa, revealed that he’s currently working on an all-new Z-car and that there’s a lot of pressure to get it right.

While rumblings about a 370Z replacement have been circulating the web for a while now, this marks the first time that a senior Nissan official has gone on record about what this car means to the Japanese automaker, while also confirming that the new model is on its way.

Talking to WhichCar about his to-do list regarding his designs at Nissan, Albaisa stated: “The Z-car, oh my god. Huge pressure. You can imagine I’m completely excited that I am in the position to work on that.”

In case you’re not familiar with his work, we’ll remind you that he’s the one that designed that 1940s-themed Prototype 9 show car for Pebble Beach last year. He also worked on the Infiniti Q Inspiration Concept, unveiled earlier this year at NAIAS.

Yet, working on the 370Z’s successor means having to deal with huge expectations, not only from inside the firm, but from driving enthusiasts all around the world. Thankfully, Albaisa is well aware of how iconic Nissan’s Z-models are.

“Democratization of the sports car, the 240Z, unforgettable,” he said. “Even in the modern day…the 300ZX of 1989, this Japanese simplicity was impressive.”

While there’s been no official word as to when we can expect to see a next-gen Z-car break cover, it’s quite possible that Nissan will look to give us a sneak peak during next year’s Tokyo Motor Show (October 2019), which marks the 50th anniversary of the 240Z’s launch.

Rendering: CarScoops / Josh Byrnes