Rivalry brewing? Nissan says 370Z to battle Porsche Cayman, Boxster

Just yesterday, we told you how Porsche engineers have accused Nissan of reporting an unrealistic Nurburgring lap time for its GT-R sports car. Today, it's Nissan taking a jab at Porsche, with marketing boss Tetsuo Shimada saying the forthcoming 370Z will be a full-fledged competitor to the Porsche Cayman and Boxster, for a much lower price.



"With the 370Z, we are focusing more on the driving performance, as a pure driving sports car," Shimada told Automotive News.

But can Nissan really take on the much more expensive Boxster and Cayman with its modestly priced Z? Nissan's GT-R has managed to go neck-and-neck with Porsche's 911, so it's conceivable the 370Z could do the same in its own segment.

The 370Z is expected to use the same VQ37VHR powerplant found in the Infiniti G37 "” a V6 displacing 3.7-liter "” delivering at least 330 horsepower. Recent rumors indicate a 4.5-liter V8 might also be offered.

Expect to see the all-new Z at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show in November. Nissan will likely introduce the coupe version first, with a convertible to follow in the coming months. The car will go on sale in Japan in December, and in North America in early 2009.