The latest Nissan Z hails from a long line of famous performance coupes. Its predecessors were some of the best-selling sports cars ever made, but the latest generation is one of the rarest new cars you can buy. It’s been out for a year now, but we’d wager you’ve seen at most one or two in the wild. Last year, Nissan decided to introduce a hi-po variant, the Nissan Z NISMO, like the one recently for sale on eBay Motors in Port Orange, Fla.
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Stellar Lineage
Nissan Z’s lineage dates back to 1969 and the original Datsun 240Z - opens in new window or tab.. It set the world on fire with its stellar performance, affordable price, and sharp styling. It was the first Japanese car to give European sports cars a run for their money, and it opened the door for other cars from Japan as well.
For the next few decades, the Z served as Nissan’s flagship sports car, brought home countless racing trophies, and permeated pop culture. It took a brief hiatus after the end of the fourth-generation 300ZX - opens in new window or tab. in 1996 but came back with a vengeance with the fifth-generation 350Z.
Most Powerful Z, Evah
Strictly speaking, the latest Z is a refresh of the sixth-gen 370Z - opens in new window or tab., albeit a very, very big one. In Nissan chassis code speak, the 370Z was the Z34, and the new Z is an RZ34 (instead of a Z35). Its biggest update is a twin-turbo V-6, sourced from its Infiniti Q60 Red Sport - opens in new window or tab. cousin. With 400 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque, it's the most powerful Z ever offered.
The all-new sheet metal is inspired by Z-cars of the past. The nose and grille take cues from the first-generation Z, with sugar scoop headlight bezels and a large front grille. Meanwhile, the rear panel and taillights pay homage to those of the fourth-generation 300ZX. Throwback details are scattered about like Easter eggs, such as the retro “Z” badges on the C-pillars reminiscent of the 240Z’s C-pillar emblems.
NISMO Package
The NISMO package adds a whole bunch of visual upgrades to the Z, increasing its width by an inch. These include:
- Aero kit with canards, side sills, rear bumper, rear spoiler, and red accent
- G-nose with honeycomb grille
- Additional front, rear, and rear-underfloor bracing to increase torsional rigidity by 2.5 percent compared to the standard Z
- Performance suspension with stiffer springs and steering rack bushings, performance stabilizer bars, and larger dampers
- 15-inch front brake rotors (up from 14) and performance brake pad compound
- Manual-adjust leather and Alcantara Recaro seats - opens in new window or tab.
The Z NISMO is equipped with exclusive gloss black Rays Engineering wheels - opens in new window or tab. measuring 19x10 in front and 19x10.5 at the rear. Nissan says they are lighter than the 0.5-inch narrower wheels on the Z Performance. Mounted on them are exclusive Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT 600 tires - opens in new window or tab..
A Surprisingly Rare Z Car
The Z NISMO for sale is almost as good as new, with just 16,000 miles. Potential buyers may want to inquire whether those were accumulated on the freeway or the race track. It’s painted Stealth Gray, one of five available colors but the only one exclusive to the Z NISMO. It comes with several dealer accessories as well, which brought the final price to $68,500 when it rolled out of the showroom. Now it can be had for $54,899, a price that includes the satisfaction of owning a surprisingly rare sports car that’s sure to be a future classic.
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This article is meant to provide general guidance only. Automotive maintenance, repair, upgrade, and installation may depend on vehicle-specifics such as make and model. Always consult your owner's manual, repair guide for specific information for your particular vehicle and consider a licensed auto-care professional's help as well, particularly for advance repairs.