On May 16, 2022, Nissan announced its latest rendition of the “attainable dream car” – the 2023 Nissan Z, with nationwide deliveries starting this summer for the 2023 model year. We all know the Nishi-Ku Yokohama-based Japanese automaker speaks the pure truth when it describes the Nissan Z as an attainable dream car.
Priced at $39,990 to $52,990, the second-hardest part about buying the Nissan Z is choosing the perfect one for you. They are coming in three trims – Sport, Performance, and Proto Spec, each with optional packages cutting across six-speed manual and nine-speed automatic transmission specs. Thankfully, you can build your perfect Nissan Z online right from the comfort of your La-Z-Boy recliner.
The Z-Series Nissan is returning to “create a whole new generation of Nissan Z fans,” joining a sports car heritage dating five decades back to 1969. Having surmounted the hardest part of owning a Z, which is being fast enough to snag one of the 240 units slated for the US market, you want to make sure to have your Z prepped with options that take the customization a notch further.
Remembering The Fairlady Nissan Z
Michael Colleran, the Nissan U.S. Marketing and Sales senior vice president, said the Nissan Z is the company’s “heart and soul, bringing sports car design, performance, and excitement to a broad range of buyers, starting with the introduction of the first generation more than 50 years ago.”
The “50 years ago” Colleran is referring to is the Nissan Z Series marketed in Japan as the Nissan Fairlady Z, which the Japanese automaker launched in October 1969 and sold through the Nissan Exhibition dealerships as was the 1957 Nissan Bluebird compact car. It got called the Fairlady in Japan, even though they answer to different names in foreign markets, including Nissan S30, Nissan S130, Nissan 300ZX, Nissan 350Z, Nissan 370Z, and now Nissan Z.
The Fairlady was initially sold on the international market as the Datsun 240Z. Subsequently, Nissan maintained a long-running tradition of assigning each “Z” generation a number designation denoting the engine displacement, such as the 2.4-liter Datsun 240Z and the 3,696 cc Nissan 370Z.
However, the practice doesn’t continue with the most recent with the 7th generation simply known as Nissan Z. The main rivals of the original Fairlady were the likes of the Mitsubishi 3000GT, the Toyota Celica, Mazda RX-7, and the Toyota Supra. Throughout its six and now seven generations, the Z-Series Nissan's defining attributes that made it a hit in the US and elsewhere are its performance, stylish design, reliability, and perhaps most of all, its affordability.
Brief Overview Of The 2023 Nissan Z
The seventh generation Z-Series Nissan sports car is the successor of the Nissan 370Z, although the latest Z-car rides on a revised and modified version of its predecessor’s platform. Here’s the build-up to the new Z’s arrival. The first time we smelled the seventh-gen Z-car cooking was in 2018 when Alfonso Albaisa, Nissan’s Senior Vice President for Global Design, told Australia’s WhichCar magazine that the Nissan 370Z would soon have an heir.
The aroma wafted under our noses again in 2020 when the Japanese automaker filed a trademark for a new version of the Z-series logo. On May 28, roughly two months after filing the trademark, Nissan released a short clip via its YouTube channel unveiling its newest lineup, which – unsurprisingly – included the latest and updated Z-car. We could see that the cosmetic design, complete with the retro-style circular running lights, was a back-to-the-roots tribute to the original Fairlady.
Around four months after the YouTube video, Nissan revealed a prototype version of the new Z-car, measuring 5.6 inches longer than the outgoing Nissan 370Z but of the same width. The automaker called it the “Nissan Z Proto Concept.”
With its twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 engine, six-speed manual transmission, and a healthy 324 hp, the Nissan 370Z had plenty going for it in terms of handling and performance. But the new Z is here not only to improve the deficiencies of its predecessor, especially the interior and handling, but also to take on similarly priced rivals such as the 2022 Toyota Supra, Honda Civic Type R, and BMW Z4.
Will the new Z have the final word? Only time will tell. Here’s what Z has to offer and why the US market is lucky to have it, with Europe, including the UK, excluded due to strict emissions and noise regulations.
Our Coolest Optional Features Of The New Nissan Z
As stated earlier, you can head over to Nissan’s website and build your perfect 2023 Nissan Z, starting with a range of two-tone exterior paints, interior trims (we love the 12.3-inch customizable racing-inspired TFT meter and available 9.0-inch touchscreen display), and accessories.
Our favorite of the five exterior color selections is the two-tone Boulder Gray Pearl / Super Black paint job for the obvious reason that it enhances the car’s race-ready, performance ambiance. We'd definitely top off the cool factor with the optional exterior ground lighting, even if it sets us back an extra $395.
You're welcome to disagree since you still have the two-tone Ikazuchi Yellow TriCoat / Super Black, two-tone Passion Red TriCoat / Super Black, two-tone Seiran Blue TriCoat / Super Black, and the two-tone Brilliant Silver Metallic / Super Black to choose from. We promise the gray pearl isn’t our favorite because it’s the cheapest color option ($895) with the silver metallic priced the same, and the passion red TriCoat topping the price range at $1,695.
Naturally, for gearheads, the exterior styling isn't complete without the optional dual racing stripe, complete with a rear spoiler (thank you, Nissan) that will only set us back an extra $595. If you figure thieves might admire the optional NISMO 57 Clubsport 19” wheels a little too much for your peace of mind, then we recommend the optional dealer-installed wheel locks and coded wheel lock socket to help keep your wheels out of the wrong hands.
The four-set lock should set you back around $70. Space won’t let us explore the numerous extras coming with the new Nissan Z, but the starting point of any great sports car is its power plant – and there’s only one available – a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 mated to a six-speed manual gearbox (with an optional nine-speed automatic) to generate 400 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque.
Notably, that’s significant horse leaps ahead of the 350 power output and 276 lb-ft of torque generated by its predecessor. Thanks in large part to its aluminum alloy blocks and head cylinders shared with the Infiniti Q50 Coupe and Q60 Red Sport 400 sedan, the new Nissan Z is easily the most powerful among similarly priced cars, generating 18 horses more than the Toyota Supra and a stunning 80 more horses than the Honda Civic Type R.