NEXT-GEN NISSAN Z
ZED’S BACK, BABY, AND BRINGING THE MANUAL REAR-DRIVE MAGIC TO REALLY APPLY A BLOWTORCH TO SUPRA
It’s the long-awaited reboot of a sports car icon, so should Supra owners fret?
IT’S ONE of the most hotlyanticipated sports cars of the year – and when the covers finally came off the Nissan Z in recent weeks, it did not disappoint.
Although we’d seen its design before, the final production vehicle is nearly physically identical to the Z Prototype design study upon which it’s based. A rarity in this day and age.
After months of speculation, the Japanese marque confirmed the Z will be powered by its VR30DDTT powerplant – borrowed from the Infiniti Q50 Red Sport – which provides a decent power and torque increase over the outgoing 370Z.
While the 3.7-litre naturallyaspirated V6 in the old car could manage 253kW and 371Nm, the new 3.0-litre twin-turbo punches out 298kW at 6400rpm and a solid 475Nm between 1600 and 5600rpm.
Sticking with the classic twodoor, two-seat, rear-drive formula, power is sent to the back wheels via a six-speed manual transmission or a nine-speed torque converter automatic gearbox, the latter acquired from Mercedes-Benz as part of technology sharing between the two manufacturers.
The German connection is an important one, as the Z has been tipped as a hot rival for the Toyota Supra, aka the Japanese Z4.
Comparing the two reveals the commonalities – both cars feature forced-induction 3.0-litre sixes, both are rear-drive and have their strengths and weaknesses over each other.
Despite facing a 13kW deficit to the Z, the Supra features 15Nm more peak torque – even if its maximum torque range is around 800rpm less than the new contender.
What the Z offers over the Supra is a greater variety of choices, which will allow it to cater to a wider spectrum of customers.
Available in just two trims, the Supra can either be bought in GT or GTS guise and is only able to be ordered as an automatic, while the Z can be had with either two or three pedals – each transmission option available in two variants.
The entry-level Sport has twin-piston
front brake calipers and single-pot sliding units on the rear, 18-inch wheels and an electronically controlled differential – much like the Supra.
Stepping up to the Performance variant, brings four-pot front calipers and two-pot rears, 19-inch wheels all round and a mechanical limited-slip differential to improve power down for the multi-link rear end.
Although the Z is based on the same platform as the 370Z, its interior features significant upgrades which include an 8.0-inch infotainment screen (9.0-inch in Performance guise), a 12.3-inch digital dash, adaptive cruise control, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, as well as an eight-speaker Bose sound system for Performance owners.
Exterior design is a lot less busy than the Supra, and seems cleaner than the past few generations of the Z nameplate – creating an honest, modern interpretation of the original 240Z which turned 50 this year.
Despite Nissan remaining coy about the Z’s weight and 0-100km/h figures, the biggest question is what price the Japanese manufacturer will put on its new high-performance contender when it lands next year.
With Australian specification still yet to be finalised for the Z, it’s hard to tell what kind of money it will go for when it eventually arrives Down Under. The only indication we have is that the 370Z it replaces has topped out at $64,490 in Nismo trim.
For the Supra, Toyota’s flagship performance model is available from $87,000 in GT guise or $97,000 for the GTS. Based on US pricing, we’d expect the Z to land comfortably under that lower figure.