The Nissan 370Z

Electronic Arts, in partnership with automotive manufacturer, Nissan have unveiled the Nissan 370Z, which will feature in Need for Speed Undercover. This is the first time that a new car has been revealed through the medium of video games. The new Nissan Z will be available as a drive able vehicle exclusively in Need for Speed Undercover, which will be available in Australian stores ont he 20th of November.

The latest instalment in the Need For Speed franchise places gamers Undercover, working to bring down a crime syndicate by racing through the city. Promising to take gamers "back to the franchise's roots", Need for Speed Undercover will feature "break-neck cop chases and spectacular highway battles".

The Nissan 370Z to be included in Need for Speed Undercover will feature a brand new design, which is a "super evolution of the iconic Nissan Z", with the vehicle having its "first full redesign" since its introduction in 2003. The vehicle will be officially unveiled by Nissan at the Los Angeles Auto Show on the 19th of November, a day after the game launches in the U.S.

Kieth Munro, Vice President of Marketing at Electronic Arts is excited about the inclusion of the new Nissan vehicle in the game:

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. As such, we are very excited to partner with one of the automotive powerhouses today to exclusively reveal the all-new Nissan Z. Need for Speed is about style, fast-paced action and power; this is definitely a car made for Need for Speed fans. Come November, they’ll be able to test drive the all-new 370Z in the game before the car is released on the market.

Indeed this will be the case - but "test-driving" a vehicle within the traditionally questionable bounds of the Need for Speed world's less-than realistic physics may deter those who would seriously intend to purchase such a vehicle.


At least the game will feature some exotic vehicles such as this, right?
Christian Meunier, Vice President of Nissan marketing had the following to say regarding the inclusion of the vehicle within the game:

Our relationship with EA has been instrumental in bringing the Nissan brand to a passionate and unique audience. 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.

Hopefully, this won't mean that future titles in the Need for Speed are just elaborate advertisements for particular cars. If the series is intending to return to its roots, then I believe we'll need to be seeing a lot more exotic vehicles as opposed to the high-volume of Japanese cars that have dominated recent instalments in the series.

We'll found out if this is the case on the 20th of November, when the game launches in Australia. The game is scheduled to release on pretty much every current console in existence, with a version for the DS, PC, PSP, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii.