All-new Nissan Z premieres in New York

Now devoid of any numerical prefix, Nissan says the car is the modern incarnation of iconic Z predecessors, inspired by the six generations of Z that have come before.  Ultimately, Nissan believes it has crafted a Z that travels between the decades while being completely modern.

For the exterior, the new Z takes on a traditional rear-wheel-drive sports car design, with a long hood, lower rear stance and a silhouette that pays homage to the first-generation Z. The designers utilized the latest technologies to streamline the design, and incorporated LED lighting to give dimension without unnecessary elements. The LED headlights have two half-circles that take their inspiration from the JDM 240Z of the 1970s, which fit naturally with the new Z’s identity.

The link to the original Z is most striking when viewing the 2023 Z from the side. The roofline flows from the nose to the squared-off rear to create a distinctive first-generation Z profile, whose rear edge was slightly lower than the front fender height giving the Z its unique posture.

Designed to fit the driver and passenger like a glove, the 2023 Z cabin seamlessly blends modern technology with vintage Z touches.

The 12.3-inch TFT meter display is all-new with three display modes – Normal, Enhanced, Sport – to suit driver preferences. The new Z’s centre stack uses a three-zone approach, placing three analogue pod gauges on the instrument panel (boost, turbo speed, volt) within the driver’s eyesight.

Both manual and automatic transmission shift levers are new, each of them custom-engineered for optimised grip and comfort. The deep-dish steering wheel offers the driver quick access controls without losing its vintage aesthetic.

Under the bonnet, the 2023 Z’s 3.0-litre V6 twin turbo engine adds a significant bump in power output over the previous generation 370Z. The engine is rated at 400hp (298kW) at 6,400 rpm and 475Nm of torque starting from 1,600 to 5,600 rpm. With an increase of 50kW and a 30 percent increase in torque, the engine is designed to deliver a sharp, yet smooth response to the driver’s input, along with an estimated 15% improvement in 0-100km/h acceleration.

Nissan says that getting behind the wheel of the Z will feel modern yet familiar.

One of the defining traits of the Z has always been a bond between the car and driver – a physical and visceral connection, no matter what the road ahead. Nissan says this human-machine bond dominates the engineering and thought process behind the new Z, especially in the presence of the standard, 6-speed close-ratio manual transmission.

Aluminium paddle shifters are standard on all auto-equipped models, with unique paddle shifters, the same design as found in the Nissan GT-R. All Z Performance grade models (automatic and manual) utilise a mechanical clutch-type limited-slip differential.

With Kiwi buyers having a very close affinity to the Z, it will be one of the most hotly anticipated releases of 2022. New Zealand enthusiasts will know more details about likely arrival dates and local specification in the months ahead.