Nissan Z

Nissan Z at a glance

Other models of the brand, from city cars to vans, sit in the Nissan catalogue.

Generations: the Z-car line and the RZ34

Nissan treats the Z as one continuous nameplate, and the RZ34 is its seventh chapter. The current car is technically an evolution of the 370Z underneath, with a new body, interior and engine, which is why its chassis code only gains an "R" over the Z34.

For context, the earlier Z-cars, which are separate entries in the wider Z family:

American Z-car sales passed one million in 1990. The 280ZX sold 86,007 units in its first year, a Z record at the time.

Development and model history

Nissan showed the Z Proto concept on 15 September 2020 and unveiled the production car in New York on 17 August 2021. The prototype was 4,382 mm long, only 2 mm more than the finished car. Production started in April 2022, opening with the Proto Spec launch edition limited to 240 cars, with yellow accents and its own badging.

The timeline since then:

• August 2023: Z Nismo revealed for the 2024 model year.
• 2025 model year: a Heritage edition for the US.
• 9 January 2026: a facelift shown at the Tokyo Auto Salon.
• March 2026: the US 2027 model-year update announced, with a manual gearbox for the Nismo, front brakes from the GT-R (R35) on the Nismo and a new front fascia for the Sport.

Engine, gearboxes and performance

Every Z uses the VR30DDTT, a 3.0-litre V6 with two turbochargers, direct injection and variable valve timing, running up to 1.0 bar (14.7 psi) of boost. Drive goes to the rear wheels through either a six-speed manual (FS6R31A) or a nine-speed automatic, the Jatco JR913E, which is a Mercedes-Benz 9G-Tronic built under licence.

In Hagerty's tests the automatic reached 97 km/h (60 mph) in 4.0 seconds and covered the quarter mile in 12.3 seconds at 187 km/h; the manual needed 4.3 seconds and 12.8 seconds at 180 km/h. If you want to compare the outputs in other units, the power converter does the maths.

Versions and equipment

The range has three levels, plus limited editions.

All versions get a 12.3-inch digital instrument display and three analogue gauges on top of the dashboard, an aluminium double-wishbone front suspension and a multi-link rear. The Sport has an 8.0-inch infotainment screen; the Performance adds a 9.0-inch touchscreen, eight Bose speakers and a mechanical clutch-type limited-slip differential.

The Nismo goes further than a power bump. It has revised cooling and engine management, a Sport+ driving mode, Recaro bucket seats and 2.5% more torsional rigidity than the Performance. Its driveshaft is steel rather than the carbon-fibre part of the other versions.

Prices and running costs

Launch prices in Japan were ¥5,241,500 for the Sport, ¥6,462,500 for the Performance and ¥6,966,300 for the Proto Spec. In the US the same three cost US$41,015, US$51,015 and US$54,015 (2022), roughly EUR 39,000, EUR 48,500 and EUR 51,500 at 2022 exchange rates. There is no official European price list, because the car was never homologated for the EU.

The same goes for running costs: without EU type approval there are no WLTP consumption or CO2 figures to quote. Expect the fuel bill of a 298 kW petrol coupe; the fuel cost calculator gives a quick estimate once you have a consumption figure from your market.

Safety

Euro NCAP has not rated the Z, which is not sold in Europe, and we have not found an independent European crash-test result to quote. For rated alternatives in other classes, see the safety rankings.

Reliability and sales

The RZ34 has been on sale only since 2022 and we have not found sourced data on recurring faults, so we do not list any. Sales figures show the car growing slowly into its markets:

On track the Z replaced the GT-R in Japan's Super GT GT500 class in 2022, and the #12 Calsonic Impul Z won that year's championship. A customer Z GT4 was introduced on 28 September 2022. On the road it was named Best Sports Coupe in Drive's 2023 Car of the Year awards in Australia and was a World Car of the Year finalist.

Rivals

The Z competes for the same buyers as the Toyota GR Supra, the BMW M2 and the Ford Mustang. Of these, the Supra is closest in concept: a two-seat Japanese coupe with a turbocharged engine and rear-wheel drive.