The Nissan 370Z Thread

Demand, Markups, And (Still) The Chip Shortage Are Why You Probably Haven't See The New Z On The Road Yet

Less than a thousand of Nissan's new sports car have been made since it went on sale last summer.

Since the debut of the new Nissan Z, I think I’ve seen a grand total of two on the street. If you’re like me and wondering just when and where you would see one of these things, I may have found an answer. And it’s an unfortunate combination of demand, markups, and the chip shortage.

After what seemed like decades, Nissan finally confirmed that it was working on a new Z sports car. The 370Z was way past its prime, having been on sale for over a decade, essentially a heavily updated version of the 350Z, a car that first went on sale in 2002. After teasing us, a near production-ready concept was shown in late 2020 called the Proto Z. The production version of the Z went on sale in late summer 2022. Still, nearly a year after going on sale, there are hardly any Z’s to be found.

 
Nissan Teases Drift-Ready Z Nismo

What's better than a Nissan Z? A Nissan Z sideways

There’s a little known fact about performance vehicles: Nearly all of them, from the most high-tech modern supercars to the oldest classic muscle, look better sideways. Whether they’re recovering from a slide on track or drifting through loose dirt, there’s something inherently cool about a car getting slideways.

Nissan, of course, knows this. The company has been a longtime participant in Formula Drift, sponsoring driver Chris Forsberg, and is well aware of how good the new Nissan Z looks with smoke pouring from its rear. So it’s no surprise that, when the company wanted to tease a higher-performance NISMO grade, it elected to do so in dramatic, smoky fashion.

 
A hotter Nismo version of the Nissan Z is coming

Nissan gives us our first look at a track-tuned Z. Puts drifty Chris Forsberg at the wheel

Are you an American that likes sports cars? Because if you are, oh boy do we have some good news for you.
Nissan has released a YouTube video that gives us our very first look at a hotter version of the Z sports car, although it clearly hasn’t worked out exactly what said version will be called. On YouTube it is referred to as the Nissan Nismo Z, while the press release mentions that a Z NISMO will arrive later this summer.

Anyway, we’ll stick with Nismo Z for now. We don’t have any details about changes from the standard car just yet, but we do know that the Nismo will still use a twin-turbo V6 and that it’ll likely have a power increase from the Z’s 400bhp.

 
The 2024 Nissan Z NISMO Is The Best Performing Z Yet

Z NISMO gets an extra 20 horsepower and a host of track-focused upgrades.

The Nissan Z was highly anticipated, especially after the decade that the 370Z was on sale. Buyers and fans have been ready for something new. While the Z has been on sale for over a year now, many buyers haven’t been able to get their hands on one for a number of reasons. That hasn’t stopped Nissan from going ahead and developing a high-performance version of the Z. Enter the 2024 Nissan Z NISMO.

Nissan stuck to the same playbook it used on the previous 370Z NISMO: a bit more power and track goodies. NISMO reworked the Z’s twin-turbo V6 with improved cooling, improved boost and turbine speed on the turbochargers, and ignition spark timing that’s based on the GT-R NISMO’s. Engine oil cooling has also been enhanced for track duty. The result is 420 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque, a 20 horsepower, and 34 lb-ft of torque increase over the standard Z.

The Z’s nine-speed transmission and performance settings have been slightly re-tuned as well. The engine management software was tweaked resulting in downshift timing that’s been cut in half compared to the standard Nissan Z’s Performance trim. A more aggressive launch control has been added as well as a new Sport + driving mode that Nissan says has shift programming specifically tuned for track duty.

Underneath the Z NISMO, the chassis has been stiffened. There’s front and rear underfloor bracing Nissan says helps improve torsional rigidity by 2.5 percent. To increase lateral rigidity, the front and rear suspension bushings were stiffened as well as a stiffer mounting bushing for the steering rack.

 
This is the new Nissan Z Nismo, and it arrives with a glaring omission

Hey Nissan, where’s the manual gearbox?

Nissan would probably prefer we focus on the new Z Nismo's 420hp, 384lb ft of torque, suspension tweaks and nifty new wheels and tires. And sure, we'll talk about those. But right now we can’t help but wonder: where the heck is the manual gearbox?

That's right, the Z Nismo only comes with a nine-speed automatic, whereas the standard Z can be had with a slick-shifting six-speed manual. To its credit, Nissan says the nine-speed "has been enhanced for faster and more dynamic shifting performance", and it includes launch control. Still, we can't imagine buying a regular Z without the manual, let alone this more hardcore version of Nissan's two-door, rear-drive coupe.

Sigh. Anyway. The Nismo uses the same 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 as the standard Z, but it has an additional 20hp and 34lb ft of torque. Stiffer springs and dampers should improve the coupe's overall agility, while Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tires will give the Z extra grip. The Nismo's gloss black Rays 19-inch wheels are wider than the ones you get on a standard Z, measuring 10 inches up front and 10.5 inches at the rear.

Finally, extra underfloor bracing and stiffer suspension bushings make the whole car more rigid, and the Nismo should stop better too, thanks to larger 15-inch front and 13.8-inch rear brake rotors.

 
Nissan Z Nismo

The 2024 Nissan Z doubles down on thrilling performance with the return of Z NISMO, delivering an exhilarating track-ready experience for enthusiast drivers. The NISMO grade builds on the capabilities of the Z Sport and Performance grades for those who seek more excitement and dynamic performance. Targeted enhancements amplify the precisely tuned Z to excite drivers of all abilities.

Z NISMO elevates the iconic sports car's performance with additional horsepower and torque, NISMO-tuned suspension and brakes, revised aerodynamic bodywork, stiffened suspension, and wider wheels with a more aggressive tire compound.

Building on the equipment offered on the Performance grade, interior enhancements include red-anodized engine-start and drive mode buttons, manual-adjust Recaro seats and a leather and Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel with a red marker at the 12 o'clock position.

The 2024 Nissan Z NISMO goes on sale in fall 2023.

Z NISMO design

Exterior revisions to Z NISMO were specifically engineered to improve aerodynamic performance on the race track. As a result of the changes, Z NISMO produces positive downforce.

The front of Z NISMO prominently features a styling element called the "Grand-Nose" or "G-Nose," which extends farther forward than on other grades and recalls a similar design treatment on the heritage Nissan Fairlady 240ZG.

The new front fascia also features a restyled grille opening with the thinnest honeycomb mesh of any Nissan production car. That mesh grille balances the need to reduce drag with permitting cooling air to the engine bay. Canards at the car's front corners create vortexes over the front wheels, further benefiting aerodynamic performance. A subtle red accent runs along the lower edge of the front fascia.


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New Nissan Z Nismo debuts with more power, honed chassis

The new Nissan Z Nismo was created with the purpose of providing a “track-ready” experience for enthusiast drivers.

Revealed abroad on Tuesday, the new performance model will hit the streets with more power and other significant dynamic upgrades.

Unfortunately, with the regular Nissan Z still eluding the South African market, it’s unlikely that we’re going to see the Nismo version on local shores any time soon.

So what makes it special?

For starters, Z Nismo owners can look forward to a bit more power, with outputs rising to 313kW and 520Nm, which is an increase of 15kW and 45Nm over the regular Nissan Z, which was launched internationally in late 2021.

 
Here’s why the new Nissan Z Nismo doesn’t have a manual gearbox

We’ll take driver involvement over outright quickness, but not everyone agrees

At the unveiling of the new Nissan Z Nismo in Los Angeles on Monday evening, the crowd was buzzing about two things: why was it so unbelievably freaking hot in the event space? And, more importantly, why didn't Nissan fit the Z Nismo with a manual transmission?

For the first question, let's say climate change, not to mention a lack of air conditioning. As for the second, we sought the knowledge of Hiroshi Tamura, chief product specialist of the Nissan Z and GT-R – a man known throughout the halls of Nissan simply as 'Mr. GT-R'.

Tamura-san explained that Nissan explored the idea of a manual Z Nismo, but the problem was that it would've actually been slower than the base Z.

"To be honest, base car with two pedals [is] faster than Nismo with three pedals," Tamura-san said. "Base, 400hp; quicker than Nismo."

 
The 2023 Nissan Z Reminds Us That Cheap Thrills Are Timeless

Or: How I learned to stop fussing over plastic and enjoy one of the last affordable rear-wheel drive, manual sports cars anyone’s willing to make anymore.

 
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