Test drive the New Z on video game

Nissan will roll out the sports car at the Los Angeles auto show on Nov. 19, a completely redesigned, higher-power version of the iconic Z car that has been in the automaker’s lineup off and on for nearly 40 years.

It replaces the 350Z, with the new numerical designation referring to the bigger engine – a 3.7-liter V-6 that replaces the current 3.5-liter.

For those who want to take a virtual spin in the new Z car, about eight weeks before it goes on sale, a new video game from Electronic Arts will go on sale Nov. 18 featuring the 370Z as its star.

Called Need for Speed Undercover, the new game was developed by Black Box of Vancouver, Canada, in conjunction with Nissan’s designers.

It will be offered in all of the key video-game formats. Those include Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable handheld, PC and mobile.

This is the first time an automaker has made the world introduction of one of its new models in a video game, Nissan said.

"For the past 15 years, Need for Speed has helped define contemporary automotive culture by bridging the gap between gamers and the world’s hottest cars," Keith Munro, vice president for marketing at Electronic Arts, said in an announcement.

"As such, we are very excited to partner with one of the automotive powerhouses today to exclusively reveal the all-new Nissan Z," he said. "Need for Speed is about style, fast-paced action and power; this is definitely a car made for Need for Speed fans."

It’s also the first time a new vehicle can be driven in a game before it’s available at dealerships, he said.

"Our relationship with EA has been instrumental in bringing the Nissan brand to a passionate and unique audience," said Christian Meunier, Nissan’s marketing vice president.

"By launching the all-new 2009 Nissan Z first through Need for Speed: Undercover, we also gain the spirit and energy that EA gamers experience so strongly. Together with EA, we have truly integrated the all-new 370Z in the overall game experience in a meaningful, multi-layered and profound way."

EA’s designers worked with Nissan to "accurately replicate the overall look, feel and performance" of the new Z, the automaker said, adding that, "From the game’s opening moment, players will be thrust right into the action with gamers whipping the 370Z in and out of traffic at high speed."

Not even the automotive media have been given a chance to drive the new Z yet. But a few of us were treated to a close-up look at the car in July in a secure future-product vault in the basement of Nissan’s new $100 million headquarters building near Nashville, Tenn. That sneak preview came during grand-opening ceremonies for the building, which the automaker began occupying in early July.

The car will come with a 3.7-liter version of the award-winning VQ engine series, replacing the 3.5-liter VQ engine used in the 2008 model. The current 350Z was introduced for 2003 as the fifth generation of the Z, bringing the vehicle back to the Nissan lineup after a nearly seven-year absence. The previous generation, the 300ZX, was discontinued in 1996.

The 2009 370Z has been changed enough to qualify it as the sixth generation, and the new engine should be a big hit with Z enthusiasts. A version of that engine was introduced last year to power the new Infiniti G37 coupe, and has been added to the G35 sedan for 2009, forcing it to be renamed the G37.

No horsepower rating has been released yet for the engine in the 370Z, but in the 2009 G37 coupe, it’s rated at 330 horsepower; in the G37 sedan, it has 328 horsepower.

A seven-speed automatic transmission is offered as an option on the ’09 G37, and presumably would be available in the 370Z as well. The 2008 Infiniti G models have a six-speed automatic, which is carried over to the new G models as the base transmission.

In the 2008 model of the 350Z, the 3.5-liter engine is rated at 306 horsepower. The only transmissions offered are a six-speed manual and five-speed automatic.

No other details of the new Z have been given yet, but one exterior photo has been released, as well as some shots of the car from the video game.

The 2009 370Z Coupe will begin reaching dealerships early next year, the automaker said.

The automotive columns of G. Chambers Williams III have appeared regularly in the Star-Telegram since 1995. Contact him at 210-250-3236; chambers@ star-telegram.com.