‘And it’s all yellow’: New Nissan Z proto walks the precarious tightrope spanning retro and modern design

Will the new Nissan Z proto be a happy exception to what seems to be an all-too-common problem with retro-styled cars that recall the glory days of a classic model?

We’ve seen many retro-styled new model releases come and go over the past 20 years or so. A number of them have followed a similar pattern. When an automaker announces the grand return of some legendary classic, there is often a high level of press interest and overall hype in the market.

But then the retro model goes on the market, and reality sets in, with lackluster sales suggesting consumers liked the idea of the return of a classic look more than they liked the actual product.

Take, for example, the return in 2002 of the Ford Thunderbird as a two-seater roadster for the model’s 11^th generation. If Ford had done it right, they might have had a domestic answer to the Mazda Miata on their hands.

But the neo-classic Thunderbird turned out to be anything but. What appeared to be an effort to render an updated take on a classic design instead ended up looking like a cartoonish parody of the lovely original 1955 Ford Thunderbird roadster.

And the failure showed in the marketplace. Sales of the retro-modern Ford Thunderbird ended up being lackluster and production numbers low, for a model that appealed to a very narrow market segment of older buyers.

Even for those who love the retro birds, the 11^th generation has proven to be a challenging model to preserve due to their very limited proliferation. Many crucial parts have become hard to come by.

Now, however, Nissan, as a brand that has faced struggles ranging from an aging lineup to scandals within its corporate governance, is seeking to recapture some of the energy of the legendary classic series of Datsun 240Z, 260Z, and 280Z sports coupes.

In the wake of competition in the halo car sports coupe space ranging from the reinvented Toyota Supra to the game-changing mid-engine C8 Corvette, Nissan is teasing the market with a prototype of a long-overdue recasting of its Nissan Z-car lineup that, for the first time in decades, bears a significant resemblance to the inspiring Datsun Zs of the late 60s, 70s, and 80s.

Yet trying to recapture a past vibe is a tricky game. It’s a delicate balancing act between successfully tapping into golden-age energy, vs. looking dated or caricatured, or like an awkward effort to repackage old wine in new skins.  

So how well has Nissan done in executing their retro-modern Z-car effort?

At this juncture, my take is that they’ve come close with the new Nissan Z proto. And with some further refinement based on feedback they’re currently receiving, perhaps they will be able to smooth out some of the flaws and create something that truly brings some excitement to the market and strengthens Nissan’s competitive position.

Clearly, there are several things that Nissan did right with the Nissan Z proto.

The most successful point of design is the silhouette (pictured above as this article’s feature image), the perspective from which the Nissan Z proto most clearly resembles the long, sleek proportions of the original 240z/260z/280z series, in contrast to the rather bubble-like look of the most recent generations of Nissan Zs.

From the rear, the look is also elegant, with the curved lines and lighting details giving the prototype an enticingly sporty look that relates closely to the classic lineup while also conveying a bright, fresh, clean, and modern feel. 

On the other hand, the front-end is probably the Nissan Z proto’s greatest downside. It doesn’t seem to fit well with the rest of the design.

In contrast to the sleek silhouette and elegantly curved corners of the rest of the car’s design, the front end looks bulky and overly angular, giving the car an awkwardly top-heavy look, as if the front-end of a different model had been glued on as an afterthought.

And the oversized, “angry-maw” grille, which has become such a cliché across the lineups of automakers worldwide across all categories from sports cars to executive sedans to crossovers and SUVs, doesn’t help the cause of the new Nissan Z proto.

Oddly, that front end looks almost as if it belongs on a modern muscle car rather than low-slung, sleek sports coupe.

Contrast that with the new Toyota Supra, for example, which offers a refreshing departure from the front-end designs of most of the current Toyota and Lexus lineup, not to mention the sea of angry maws and “beaver teef” that automotive designers have inflicted on the market in recent years.

Last but not least, I’ll touch on one aesthetic decision that, though shockingly simple, just might have been the smartest thought of all behind the new Nissan Z proto: it’s yellow.

That the original Datsun 240Z was inspired in part by the Jaguar E-Type—which Enzo Ferrari famously described as “the most beautiful car in the world”—is almost indisputable when you take a look at examples of each model, and primrose yellow is arguably the most iconic E-type color.

You can make a case for the popularity of yellow having carried over directly to the Datsun Z series, and I would surmise that I’m far from alone in saying that, when I close my eyes and think of a Datsun 240Z, 260Z, or 280Z, I picture a yellow one.

So it’s clearly no accident that Nissan chose yellow for the new Nissan Z proto.

All in all, the prototype is a solid effort that probably deserves at least a B+ at this juncture. Hopefully, Nissan will be as smart about doing something a bit more finessed and imaginative with the front end to move their new Z up into the A category, but time will tell.

If consumers do respond enthusiastically with open wallets when the new generation Nissan Z eventually hits the showrooms, it will be a great win for the industry and for automotive culture. But whether that happens will be determined by a complex interplay of varying economic and sociocultural factors.

With 2020 being what it has been, it’s tough to commit to almost any prediction at this point.

I’m really rooting for Nissan on this one because the original Z cars have such a special place in automotive history, and such a personal sentimental meaning for me. My emotional connection with the Z series is tied in, among other things, with my love for the Jaguar E-Type and, generally, for the vibrancy of the automotive space across the board during the era when the classic Datsun Zs roamed the earth.

So I hope the new Z, once it’s ready for prime time, will be a hit. But to crib a quip from the legendary sportscaster Warner Wolf, I won’t bet my house on it.