The next Z car is causing quite a stir in the automotive landscape and as the days roll by more info is coming in. What we know for sure so far is it will be getting all the new drivetrain upgrades found on it’s Infiniti G37 cousin, including that sweet 3.7-liter V6 and the 330 ponies that come with it. Also, this will be a decidedly more hardcore car than the 350Z.

While the 350Z was a great car, it was a bit soft around the edges. Too much weight coupled with too much wheelbase gives you a stable, but unexiting, drive. The 370Z will be markedly shorter between the wheels and a good deal lighter too. It’ll be less GT and more GP, if you know what I mean. This here is a formula for really upsetting Porsche 911 and Cayman owners. They claimed Porsche-matching prowess with the last one but fell just a bit short. Still, it was nothing that it’s $50,000 cheaper price couldn’t hide.

These shots collected by the crew at Edmund’s InsideLine.com show that this is a much more muscular, more taunt, Nissan Z. Those wheel arches are the stuff of exotic cars and the whole car’s stance screams speed. It incorporates a few nods to the legendary 240Z in it’s design language, but ultimately it stays rather faithfull to the current 350Z’s overall shape. Nissan probably did not want to alienate current 350Z owners by making this model far more superior and different looking. This way, a Z is a Z, no matter how far away you look at it.

Expect an official debut at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show. Nissan is betting this new Z will bring back customers to it’s showrooms and put the Z back in the automotive spotlight, at least for a little while. I for one, can’t wait to take one for a spin!

Above: Looks like the boys at Nissan no not to ruin a good thing…..

-Source: Edmund’s Inside Line

-Photos: Scott Jacobs for Edmunds