2010 Nissan Z: Retro styling or refined evolution?

The new Z: Taking the wraps off
Nissan has released photos of the new Z, set to make it's official public appearance at the LA Auto Show next month.

And coinciding with the release of the pictures, Nissan has launched Follow The Nissan Z. The car, of course, has a tremendous following and Nissan feels it appropriate to reward its fans by sending the car on a tour of the Unites States. Prior to its official launch, the new Z will show up for a series of sneak peak pit stops across the country. The new site shows where the car will be and corresponding dates. You can also sign up for updates via an online form.

Performance speculation
Right now, that's all we have is speculation. Official specifications have yet to be released but my guess is that information will come at its Los Angeles introduction.

But speculation is fun and I don't think you have to move far from Nissan's tree for ideas. Nissan's top-flight brand Infiniti has the Z's brother, the G37 Coupe, which was recently redesigned and got a performance bump along with it. The G37 has a 3.7-liter V6 packing 330 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 270 lb-ft of torque at 5,200 rpm. In addition the G37 is available with either a 7-speed automatic or a true 6-speed manual. The automatic does have a manual shift mode with rev matching when downshifting.

I think it's safe to assume the new Z will inherit these performance goodies, making for a great rear-wheel drive car for enthusiasts. True blue Z fans should be quite happy.

Has the Z's styling gone retro?
One thing I noticed immediately about the new Z is how it more closely resembles the early Z's. Is it just me or does it make you think of the original 240/260/280Z's? The new car has what appears to be noticeably shorter rear deck, or hatch, in this case. And with that shorter rear overhang, the hood appears longer. Overall, the car looks more compact. In my mind, that's a good thing. The outgoing model appeared visually cluttered to me. The new Z's look is more refined and purposeful, clearly that of a performance car. I see die-hard Z fans taking to this car even more.

Calling all Z owners
If you're a current Z owner, I would love to hear from you. What model and year do you have? What do you think of this new Z? I would be interested in hearing if you agree with me or not about the new car's styling. Do you see my comparison to old school Z's?