Nissan Z


Debut: 2022
Maker: Nissan
Predecessor: 370Z



 Published on 21 Oct 2022
All rights reserved. 


Nissan is wise not to call it 300ZX, for the better or worse.


It takes Nissan 14 long years to come up with the replacement of 370Z. Why? Because bean counters found the numbers didn’t work. Sports car market in general has been declining for a couple of decades. Some players withdrew (e.g. Mercedes SLK, Honda S2000 and Lotus Elise), some collaborate to survive (e.g. BMW Z4 and Toyota Supra), some go upmarket to keep profit (e.g. Porsche Boxster/Cayman) and some are just waiting to die (Audi TT, Chevy Camaro, if you count them as sports cars). Even a brand as strong as Ford Mustang has to go global to complement the sales lost in its home market. Nissan’s Z label isn’t as strong as Mustang. It certainly carries a lot of history and romance, in particular the 300ZX (Z32) that ran between 1989 and 2000, but that was a long time ago.

Recent generations of Z-cars have been underwhelming. When Le Cost Killer revived the label exactly 20 years ago with 350Z, it was deemed to be a bold move. However, it was the project’s low development and production costs that got his approval. Instead of a bespoke sports car platform, the 350Z was derived from the FM platform of Skyline sedan and shared its VQ-series engine as well. Turbocharging was ditched, as were 4-wheel steering, adjustable dampers and 2+2 body option. The 350Z was a much simplified product, using creative styling to hide its low-rent cockpit and lack of sophistication. This allowed the car to be priced more affordable yet turning a profit. It was proved to be a success, so 370Z followed in 2008 as a mild evolution.



It took Nissan 20 years to re-discover the strength of 300ZX, which is still the best looking Z car of all.


The engineering chief of the new Z-car admits that budget is the main constraint. It would not have been possible to get management’s greenlight if they ask for a new platform and motor, so the new car is settled with yet another evolution of the 20-year-old FM platform and a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 that comes straight from Infiniti Q50 / Q60 Red Sport 400. At least, the latter offers 400 horsepower and its specifications is a reminiscent of the last 300ZX. Whether the old chassis can cope is another matter.

The use of old chassis means hard points and key dimensions remain unchanged. There is nothing wrong with its rather compact length and generous wheelbase of 2550 mm, but unfortunately, the high cowl and He-Man proportion of the last 2 generations are carried over, which is not so sexy. And ridiculously, the Z-car is better known as Fairlady in Japan!

Still, Nissan’s designers have done a rather good job to renovate its exterior. While I don’t like its headlamps and square grille, the subtle power budge is a reminiscent of the original 240Z, and best of all, the tail is a tribute to the last 300ZX. It reminds us that car is still the best-looking Z-car of all. Even when you look back today, you can’t help amazed how sexy, sophisticated and refined its design was. Its flush glass and millimeter assembly gaps were well beyond its age. Not sure why it took Nissan 20 years to re-discover its own strength. The new Z is not a groundbreaking design, but it is still nice to see it claws back some of the beauty it lost in the last couple of decades.



Old-school interior carries over a lot of cheap parts.


Inside, the new Z needs to compromise with the old car’s flawed ergonomics and many cheap switchgears. While the dashboard is new, its architecture is clearly based on the old car, which is old-fashioned. You sit low relative to the cowl, so forward vision isn’t great. Rear quarter visibility is limited by tiny windows, while side view is not much better, hampered by high waistline and a sloping roofline. Seat adjustment switches are strangely located at the transmission tunnel. The new digital instrument display is no fancy but at least clear and easy to read. The center touchscreen is competent, but the trio of turbo boost, turbo speed and battery gauge added to the top of dashboard is gimmicky – do you really need to monitor turbo boost level these days? While build quality is improved from the old car, there are still plenty of cheap hard plastics and switches that are either carried over or sourced from other Nissan products.

The biggest improvement has to be power. The 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 produces a neat 400 horsepower at 6400 rpm and 350 pound-foot of torque from 1600-5200 rpm, compared with 332 hp at 7000 rpm and 270 lbft at 5200 rpm of the old 3.7-liter mill. Its shorter stroke and modern construction has the old engine’s notorious vibration banished. However, compared with the BMW straight-six employed by arch-rival Toyota Supra, Nissan’s VR30DDTT seems to be unremarkable. Although it is more powerful on paper, in the real world the contrary is true – the Supra is a lot quicker. Car and Driver found the Z takes 4.5 seconds to go from standstill to 60 mph, and a rather disappointing 10.6 seconds to 100 mph, whereas a Supra with manual gearbox takes 3.9 and 9.6 seconds, respectively (automatic car is even quicker). The Nissan V6 is neither as eager to rev to its 7000 rpm redline nor as responsive, lag-free and torquey at lower revs. The exhaust note it produces is also less melodic to ears, which is no surprise considering the difference between straight-six and V6.

The Z-car’s 6-speed manual gearbox is an improvement from the old unit, being less notchy to shift, but it is still far from world-class, despite auto rev-matching and no-lift shift function. The alternate 9-speed automatic is just a lift from Nissan’s sedans and trucks, not worth a place in a pure sports car.



Not exactly fast. Not exactly exciting.


The aging chassis is given some reinforcement around the engine compartment and hatchback, boosting torsional rigidity by a rather modest 11 percent. The suspensions of double-wishbone and multi-link are carried over, although a new upper wishbone increases front caster angle to boost directional stability. New monotube dampers have less friction, allowing springs, dampers and anti-roll bars to be stiffened a little bit. Overall, the Z gained 70 kg from the early 370Z. Weight distribution continues to deteriorate, from 53:47 of 350Z to 55:45 of 370Z and today’s 56:44. And that’s for manual gearbox. Automatic will shift one more percent to the wrong side. A Ford Mustang V8 has better static balance.

In the US, $41,000 will buy you the basic Z, but you will definitely upgrade to Performance spec. which gains a clutch-type LSD, stiffer suspension, larger brakes and 19-inch wheels for $51,000. However, the aging architecture still forgoes modern must-have options like adaptive dampers, e-LSD and a clever traction/stability control. If the Z drives like an MX-5 or GR86, that might not be much a problem. Unfortunately, it does not. Push the Z on a great road and you will find it steers and controls its body less satisfying than a Supra, a Mustang Mach 1 or even a BMW M240i xDrive. Part of this is down to its Bridgestone Potenza S007 B tires that produce significantly less grip than the Michelin PS 4S tires of its rivals. This hampers its roadholding and turns its nose to wash wide earlier than keen drivers would expect. Braking performance is also compromised by the weak rubbers. Other problems are attributed to the aging chassis and suspension, which fails to tie the car down at speed or in hard cornering. There is more roll and pitch than a Mustang driver would accept. Despite the car’s generous wheelbase, its soft suspension fails to damp over high-speed bumps, so the car bounces a lot. The interior bits vibrate over rougher roads. The Z just lacks the chassis rigidity and damping sophistication required for a modern sports car. Its steering is also criticized for lacking feel.

Driving with less effort, the Z becomes more agreeable. The soft suspension works better at slower pace and smoother road. The engine’s unresponsive low-end and rubbery gearshift are also less noticeable when you don’t rush them. Still, you have to question if the $51K price is well spent, considering the aforementioned rivals are all in the same ballpark.

When the Z was unveiled a year ago, I questioned why it was called Z instead of 300ZX. Now I am glad it didn't, because that would protect one of the most legendary labels from downgrading.
Verdict:
 Published on 2 Nov 2023
All rights reserved. 
Z Nismo


A hardcore driver's car without manual transmission is an odd combination.


The new Z launched last year is a little disappointing, neither fast nor sporty enough to impress car enthusiasts. Maybe the addition of Nismo version could help. Nismo, or Nissan Motorsports, is the official tuning arm of Nissan. While it is not quite as famous as BMW’s M or Mercedes’ AMG, it did produce some exciting performance cars in the past couple of decades, such as the Silvia S14-based 270R and the current GT-R Nismo. The last generation 370Z got a Nismo version, too, but its performance upgrade was relatively modest. What about the new one?

Based on the new Z, its twin-turbo V6 has rewritten codes to increase boost pressure. In addition to upgraded oil and inter-cooling, output is lifted by 20 hp to 420 hp, while peak torque gains 34 pound-foot to 384 lbft. Meanwhile, Nismo ditches the manual gearbox of the standard car and opts for a beefed up version of 9-speed automatic, saying it is faster than the manual would be. Yes, a strengthened clutch allows it to quicken upshifts by 27 percent and downshifts by 50 percent in the quickest Sport+ mode, but ditching manual gearbox on a driver’s car seems anticlimax, especially one supposed to be a hardcore driver’s car, isn’t it?

On the chassis side, the Nismo version has its suspension stiffened, no matter springs, dampers, roll bars or bushings. Extra bracings improves its torsional rigidity slightly. The front brakes are enlarged from 355 to 380 mm, while wider and lighter forged alloy wheels are wrapped with stickier Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT600 rubbers, especially as the rear tires get 10 mm wider. More grip and traction is guaranteed. Outside, there are deeper chin spoiler and skirts to improve both downforce and drag. Inside, new Recaro buckets hug the driver and passenger tighter, although they sacrifice electric adjustment.


It is what the standard Z car should have been from the outset...


On the road, the Z Nismo is not noticeably quicker than the standard car, as its 5 percent extra power is nearly offset by 4.7 percent of weight gain. However, it does feel noticeably sportier to drive. The steering feels sharper, the body control tighter, the braking is more responsive and more powerful, and the added grip allows it corner faster and harder. In short, it is what the standard Z car should have been from the outset.

As for everyday driving, the retuned suspension does feel firm. It is not exactly punishing, but the lack of adaptive dampers means it suffers quite a lot on poorer surfaces. Moreover, the beefy tires generate constant noises on the move, hampering cruising refinement.

Is it as good as rivals to drive? Probably not. Toyota Supra and BMW M2 are quicker, sweeter to steer and more versatile. Opt for manual gearbox, they are more engaging to drive than the Nismo. Ford Mustang Darkhorse looks cooler and offers V8 power and sound. The mid-engined Porsche 718 and Alpine A110 have the same seat count as the Nissan but offer a driving experience far superior.

Moreover, the Nismo version is by no means a bargain. At $66,000, it is actually more expensive than the starting prices of its rivals, or $13K dearer than the fully loaded Z Performance. At such a hefty price, there are quite a lot of options for driving enthusiasts.
Verdict:

Specifications





Year
Layout
Chassis
Body
Length / width / height
Wheelbase
Engine
Capacity
Valve gears
Induction
Other engine features
Max power
Max torque
Transmission
Suspension layout
Suspension features
Tires
Kerb weight
Top speed
0-60 mph (sec)
0-100 mph (sec)
Z Performance
2022
Front-engined, RWD
Steel monocoque
Mainly steel
4380 / 1845 / 1315 mm
2550 mm
V6, 60-degree
2997 c.c.
DOHC 24 valves, DVVT
Twin-turbo
DI
400 hp / 6400 rpm
350 lbft / 1600-5600 rpm
6-speed manual
F: double-wishbone; R: multi-link
-
F: 255/40WR19; R: 275/35WR19
1604 kg
155 mph (limited)
4.5* / 4.9**
10.6* / 12.3**
Z Nismo
2023
Front-engined, RWD
Steel monocoque
Mainly steel
4400 / 1870 / 1315 mm
2550 mm
V6, 60-degree
2997 c.c.
DOHC 24 valves, DVVT
Twin-turbo
DI
420 hp / 6400 rpm
384 lbft / 2000-5200 rpm
9-speed automatic
F: double-wishbone; R: multi-link
-
F: 255/40WR19; R: 285/35WR19
1680 kg
155 mph (limited)
3.9*
9.4*


























Performance tested by: *C&D, **MT





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