Perhaps a hint at what’s to come or a random power-up in a videogame?
Last September, the Nissan Z Proto was unveiled to the public. The automaker provided only enough information to keep the public interested in the prototype of the next-generation Z sportscar. The engine’s output and specifications were not disclosed, except that it was a twin-turbocharged, V6. It’s possible that Nissan hides the full potential of its performance engine in plain sight, especially in the digital world of a game.
Project Cars 3 is the game at issue. It recently released a new downloadable car pack, which included the Nissan Z Proto. The digital version has 445 horsepower (332 Kilowatts), which is far more than what most people expected. Rumours suggest that the new Z will get the 3.0-liter twin turbocharged V6 from Infiniti Q60 Red Sport. This engine packs the 400 horsepower. This was confirmed in February by photos of the engine under the Z Proto’s hood. What’s the deal with this rating of 445 horsepower for video games?
This is a videogame and real-world attributes have never been overemphasized or misrepresented in this realm. Project Cars 3 was launched with both the C8 Corvette (and the C8.R), the latter having a ridiculous 6,500 rpm redline. It’s evident that the flat-plane crank engine of the race car peaks much higher in real life. , a disappointing arcade-style racing game, is not a great source for credible information. We are not convinced that this is an accidental leak, given how secretive Nissan has been about the Z Proto.
We asked Nissan to clarify the Z Proto’s role in the game. Curiously, a spokesperson for Nissan stated that the automaker could not comment on future production plans or specifications. Our question was reiterated that it was about Nissan’s involvement in the game and not the actual car or production 400Z. We were left wondering if this initial reply was actually from Nissan , who is teasing its production car, at least with regard to maximum power output. The new Z could indeed be quite the machine if that is the case.
Another possibility is that it’s just an idle game. To make the Z Proto look great, an arbitrary horsepower figure was added. It’s very fast and emits a nice six-cylinder growl, with the proper wooshing from the digital turbos. It looks great in PC3 both inside and outside, as the screengrabs above demonstrate. Although Nissan’s cryptic reply raised eyebrows, we believe that 445 horsepower could be a fictional super-Z for a game with good graphics.
Nissan promised to respond to us about their involvement in Project Cars 3. However, that reply will be sent “as soon it’s possible.” We will share that reply here as soon as we get it.