The 2023 Nissan Z Review

What's old is new again. In the nissan z's case, literally. The good news is that Nissan saved a bunch of money on the new Z by using all the stuff that wasn't broken on the old 370Z, which afforded the automaker the funds to fit a 400-hp 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine under the sports car's hood. We hope Nissan's kept a few dollars in its back pocket to invest in a new-gen Z Nismo. The formula seems pretty straightforward: Take the regular Z, and make it more special. We decided to imagine what one would look like.

The red pinstripes around the extended skirts and splitters are a no-brainer, a key signature of the modern Nismo design language. A couple of subtle hood inlets give a nod to the twin turbos below while also borrowing a page from the Z's larger (and soon-to-be-departed) GT-R stablemate. To this, we added some fender extractor vents for a little more aggressiveness. Some red-accented inlets below the headlights help balance one part of the new Z's design where a lack of detail leaves the car looking a little sparse. Around back, red pinstriping accents the rear diffuser. Instead of howitzer-sized twin pipes, though, our Z Nismo gets beveled quad units flanking a more squared-off diffuser. A large, distinct wing inspired by the GT-R Nismo leaves no doubt about this car's performance pretense. Blacked-out brightwork on the side of the roof draws more attention to the go-fast looks below. If a new Z Nismo follows the formula of its predecessor, then expect the model to feature reworked suspension tuning, branded strut tower braces, improved brakes, and a small power bump say, an extra 15-25 hp. Will Nissan actually build a Z Nismo? We haven't heard, officially or otherwise, anything yet. Consider this a nudge to the company, then. Z enthusiasts are interested, we're interested, the car's tooling and development are already mostly amortized … give us an ultimate Z, please!