The 2010 model year is a bad one for Honda. For the first time that I can remember, they do not have a sports car in the lineup. Early in the 90’s they had the NSX, Integra and even the Prelude holding up the bottom end. Sadly the NSX is no longer in product and the Integra/RSX is no longer available either. The S2000 debuted in 2000 but 2009 was the last model year in the series. Across both the Acura and Honda brands, there’s nary a sports car in the lineup. Earlier this year, Honda pulled out of F1 racing and the replacement sponsor scored a few wins in their absence.

It’s rivals, however, still have quite a few sporting models. Toyota even still has the Celica, and Nissan has the 370z, GT-R and arguably, the Altima Coupe. Even Hyundai has the new Genesis Coupe which is a spectacular car that even comes with Brembos.

Is this the trend for all companies going forward? Will the push for fuel efficiency and economical  cars kill the sports car? Will limited sales numbers and political incorrect nature of high-horsepower and poor fuel economy put the end to sports car demand?

Edmund’s Inside Line just broke the news about the new Nismo version of the new Nissan 370z. With power bumped up to 350hp using a new intake, exhaust and ECU reprogramming, this version of the Z should be one of the fastest to hit our shores. Pics are below.

CanadianDriver just posted an interview of Randy Rodriguez, the designer of the new Nissan 370z. Born in Surrey, BC, he now resides in California and works for Nissan Design America. He currently owns an original 1971 Datsun Z and based a few of the design elements on that car, and a shark. See the full interview for the details.

I’m pretty surprised by the way that Nissan has chosen to price the new Nissan 370z. Starting at only $39,998, it represents a much cheaper entry point than the previous 350z did when it debuted in it’s last model year.

The 2008 350z had the Grand Touring model as it’s lowest price point at $49,948. The 2009 370z Touring comes in at $39,948. Equipping the 370z with the Sport Pack includes better brakes, spoilers front and rear, and 19″ forged rims, bringing the final price to $43,948 before taxes – still $6,000 cheaper than the outgoing car!

The 370z car configurator is available on their website.

The new 370z, the replacement for the 350z, is coming to North America. Already on sale in Japan, here are a series of commerials from there:

At the LA Auto Show, the 370z debuted with it’s official specs. Here is their clip:

The all-new 2009 Nissan 370Z, the first full redesign of the iconic Nissan Z since its reintroduction as a 2003 model, solidifies the strengths of its predecessor with an unmatched balance of performance, style and value. Nearly every piece and component of the 370Z has been rethought or redesigned, including a shorter wheelbase, greater use of lightweight body materials, larger engine with 26 more horsepower, a new 7-speed automatic transmission and the world’s first synchronized downshift rev matching system for the 6-speed manual transmission. Performance has been enhanced with a more rigid body structure, better power-to-weight ratio and a new 332 horsepower 3.7-liter DOHC V6 engine with Variable Valve Event and Lift Control.

Hidden inside this paragraph is the “downshift rev matching system”. I’m not sure what this means, but I think that when you begin letting out the clutch when downshifting, the car will automatically adjust the engine speed making shifts smoother and more seamless.

The LA Auto Show is where the new 370z will debut. However, ahead of the launch, Nissan has released full pictures of the new car. While the only thing that can be confirmed is a displacement of 3.7 L, other technical details that are rumored are a new 7-speed automatic transmission, overall shorter length and lighter weight.