When we talk about the best Japanese performance cars of all time, the name Nissan always leads the conversation. After all, this is the brand that produced Godzilla in the R32, R33, and R34 Skyline, but even more impressive, Nissan has built the ultimate supercar killer in the R35 GT-R. While the GT-R is a premium, Nissan always produced the Z as the second-tier performance offering, with the 370Z being its latest. This all changed with the announcement of the all-new Z (it’s not called 400Z – it’s simply just Z). The completely redesigned, reimagined, and highly-anticipated Z created more buzz than we can think of in recent years. Thanks to Nissan, we got to drive the all-new Nissan Z Performance for a week to see if the hype is real, or if it’s all just talk. More importantly, we wanted to see how it stacked up against the competition.

Note: While the first Z will be a 2023 model, ours is technically a 2022 Nissan Z Performance. This means that it’s a pre-production/prototype vehicle. As a result, some of the tuning, fit-and-finish, options, and overall quality may change in production vehicles.

53 Years Of Z And Counting

The legend of the Z started many years ago in 1970. The Z was under the Datsun banner when the 240Z was born. The second generation changed the name to 280ZX, which was the generation that offered a turbocharged engine for the first time. Both the third and fourth generation offered the 300ZX, which had the turbocharged engine and the twin-turbocharged engine, respectively.

In 2003, the 350Z we all know and love was born, which offered the popular VQ35DE naturally-aspirated engine. The sixth generation of Z was the 370Z, the model’s most powerful generation with 350 horsepower and 276 lb-ft of torque at its highest rating throughout the generation. With the last two generations veering away from the turbocharged and the twin-turbocharged engines, Nissan made a statement with the all-new Z, bringing back the twin-turbocharged engine in a completely different way, and reaching a new milestone of announcing the new most powerful Z.

The Return Of The Twin-Turbo

In the last couple of decades, we’ve seen a huge movement from naturally-aspirated to turbochargers. While they used to say “there is no replacement for displacement,” forced-induction proved otherwise. The efficiency and performance of forced-induction application motived most automakers to pursue turbochargers, and over the last few years, the rise in twin-turbochargers began. Nissan is no stranger to twin-turbos; however. Their most recent twin-turbo platform is the iconic R35 GT-R (with the Skyline before that). Under the same umbrella, Infiniti offers a twin-turbocharged engine of their own named VR30DDTT in their Q60 Red Sport.

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The VR30DDTT is now also in the all-new Z, which is a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter engine. The Z gets a 6-speed manual transmission, or a 9-speed automatic to work with that engine. Our loner came with the 6-speed manual. The 2022 Nissan Z Performance delivers 400 horsepower at 6,400 RPM and 350 lb-ft of torque at 1,600 RPM. The engine sends the power to the rear wheels, which makes for quite the fun, driver car. Not too many people know what the Infiniti Q60 Red Sport brings, but some like to call it the “Baby GT-R.” This means the all-new Z is now the younger sister to the GT-R, and it’s the biggest compliment we can give it.

Classic Exterior With Modern Touches

We’ve seen cars like the Dodge Challenger and the Dodge Charger attempt to show inspiration from their original classic models. Somehow, it doesn’t always work. The art of being able to keep aerodynamics efficient, while paying tribute to vintage cars is just difficult. Not to mention the size difference of some of these vehicles. Well, Nissan did it perfectly. The exterior of the 2022 Z Performance is simply the right blend of classic and modern. It almost takes cue from each generation of Z.

The headlights are very modern versions of the 240Z, while the rear pay homage to the 300ZX. The entire silhouette doesn’t veer off from the 350Z and the 370Z. In fact, it’s basically the exact same dimensions and basic chassis. While identical in dimension, Nissan increased the Z’s rigidity by 10-percent. Whether you look at it from the side, front, or back, the Z makes itself known and brings a truly beautiful, classy, and classic design.

Better Cabin But A Similar Design

The interior of the 2022 Z feels completely different than previous models at first glance; however, once you sit in it, you quickly realize it, too, has nearly identical dimensions. Aside from added cushions, the seats are basically the same. The three analog gauges are a great touch for the interior. They show Nissan’s commitment to the classic influence, as well as their commitment to the raw driving experience that the analog brings. The boost and the turbo speed gauges are great and useful, especially once drivers start tuning their cars, increasing boost and spooling their turbos faster.

Related: Here's How The 2023 Nissan Z Compares To The 2022 Toyota Supra

While the analog gauges are reminiscing of the past, the infotainment system is not. An optional 9-inch touchscreen sits in the center, which is home to wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Navigation, and the optional Bose system and Wi-Fi hotspot. What truly stands out from the driver’s perspective, however, is the 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. The steering wheel doesn’t have a flat-bottom, which somehow feels like the classic 240Z. Aside from the center screen and the gauge cluster, nothing really feels refined in the cabin. The air conditioner controllers are tough to reach, and they just don’t match the modern feel of the screen above. Overall, the interior is snug, yet comfortable; however, it doesn’t feel like a complete revamp. Instead, it’s a decent refresh.

Raw Driving Experience And Aggressive Demeanor

After a week of driving the 2022 Z Performance, we averaged 17 mpg. While this doesn’t seem great, we think it’s rather good given the way we drove it. The Z just wants to go. Once you taste the acceleration and how it’s delivered, you can’t help but want more. Despite the clear boost lag, the Z completely changes its character in the higher RPM range. The power delivery isn’t actually the best for exiting corners. It’s smooth until it’s not. Once you hit peak boost with traction control off, you will lose traction and it will be fun. However, it’s not the type of fun you want unintentionally. The power shoved you to the back of your seat suddenly, and it takes you for quite the fun ride.

The transmission feels crisp and always finds the gear. The click of the shifter getting into gear is simply addictive. Pressing the Sport button near the shifter will activate rev-matching, which works simply brilliant. If you don’t know how to heel-toe, this rev-matching feature will make you look pro. Whether you’re upshifting, downshifting, or flat-footing, it will always be in the right RPM as you shift. The brakes feel good. They are nothing special when compared to some of the sports two-seaters out there, but they do the job well. If you decide to track your car, you may want to explore some aftermarket solutions.

Related: 10 Things To Know Before Buying The 2023 Nissan Z

The chassis rigidity increase truly gives the Z serious confidence around corners. The two-seater remains relatively flat around twisties, and the steering feels great. The steering is very predictable and just makes for an extremely fun drive. As boost starts kicking in, the exhaust roars deeply and it’s a sweet, sweet sound. It makes you want to stay in the higher RPM. It’s important to note that the all-new Z gets to 60 mph in 4.5-seconds. While this makes for a fun drive, it’s only slightly quicker than the 370Z. Given the complete revamp of the engine, we expected more. Where the 2022 Z Performance truly shine is in how raw it feels on the road. It was almost a relief to see that it’s not too refined. This is truly a driver’s car. With such compliment, however, comes the question: is this enough to make it competitive?

Good As Is, But Tons Of Potential

Our 2022 Nissan Z Performance came with $53,610 price tag. This is almost the exact price of the 2022 Toyota Supra 3.0, which is when things get tricky. The six-cylinder Supra isn’t only quicker with a 3.7-second 0-60 mph, but it also comes with the adaptive suspension. The bottom line is, the Supra is the better performer. Where the Nissan Z excel, however, is in the driving engagement. The Supra is simply too refined for true enthusiasts. You could be into this, but if you’re a fan of the original Z, this one will satisfy your driving desires. It’s raw, it’s engaging, it makes you work, all without sacrificing too much of the comfort – this is a truly fun car. With that in mind, the Z starts at $39,990, which at this price is a no-brainer. Once you start adding features, that's when you can start competing with tougher two-seaters.

We talked about the 370Z being too close to the 2022 Z in terms of performance, but the good news is that the VR30DDTT engine has a lot of aftermarket potential. Aftermarket companies like AMS Performance have packages that could easily add 100 horsepower with just some basic bolt-ons, flex-fuel, and a tune. If you’re a fan of the old Z, you probably want to modify your vehicle, and if you decide to do so with the new Z’s proven engine, you are in for a treat.