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The latest report out of Japan suggests a hotter Nissan Z is due next year, with more power, improved handling, and more aggressive looks – but a circa-$100,000 price tag.
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A high-performance Nismo version of the new 2023 Nissan Z may arrive next year, according to the latest report out of Japan.
Japanese magazine Best Car reports the new Z’s much-anticipated Nismo variant could launch in mid 2023, with more power, a stiffer chassis, larger brakes and unique styling – all for a price up to 40 per cent higher than the standard model.
The Z Nismo will reportedly be an evolution of the Z Customised Proto concept (below) revealed by Nissan in January, with a new front bumper with a split air intake, more aggressive side sills and wheel arches, unique rear bumper and a larger rear spoiler.
While the Customised Proto concept has been patented in recent months – as reported by Drive last month – and prototypes with the show car’s front bumper have been spied, Best Car suggests the Nismo won’t be a carbon copy of the concept.
Powering the Z Nismo is set to be a revised version of the car’s 3.0-litre twin-turbo ‘VR30’ V6, which Best Car says is “expected” to produce more power than the standard 298kW/475Nm through a sports exhaust system and revised engine tuning.
Under the skin, upgrades over the base Z are rumoured to include retuned suspension, 20-inch wheels (up from 19-inch alloys), and “specially strengthened” performance brakes.
Best Car reports body stiffness will be boosted with Yamaha performance dampers (for the chassis; not to be confused with suspension dampers), a strut tower bar across the engine bay, and further braces and V-bars around the car.
Inside, the magazine says highlights will include Recaro sports seats with “exclusive” trim and red stitching, a leather and Alcantara steering wheel, and “red-ring” gauges – though it’s unclear if these refer to the graphics in the digital instrument cluster, or the analogue dials in the centre of the dashboard.
But the upgrades will come at a cost – Best Car says the Z Nismo is expected to cost approximately eight to nine million Japanese yen – an increase of about 25 to 40 per cent over the standard Z, in top-of-the-range form in Japan.
While a currency conversion would place the Nismo at $85,000 to $95,000 in Australia, applying the percentages to the standard Z’s $73,400 plus on-road costs price in Australia could push the range-topper to between $91,000 and $101,000 plus on-road costs.
With on-road costs added, it could cost as much as $110,000 drive-away – about $5000 more than the most expensive Toyota GR Supra ($97,000 plus on-road costs, or approximately $105,000 drive-away).
While Best Car quotes a mid 2023 release date for the Nismo, it says long wait times for the standard model – which saw new orders in Japan paused at the end of July – may push the launch back.
It adds that some of the Z Nismo’s upgrades will be available separately for buyers of standard Z coupes, as Nismo parts offered through dealerships.
In the meantime, Nismo (Nissan Motorsports) is preparing to reveal a Nissan Z race car for competition in the GT4 series. The covers are slated to come off on Wednesday.
Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family.
Read more about Alex Misoyannis
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