NEW SPORTS CAR BRINGS BACK OLD MAGIC
Blend of greatest hits shines on road where it drives like a reborn 300ZX twin-turbo
The new Nissan Z won't match the impact of the original Datsun 240Z. It can't.
The new Z is not quite the bargain the 240Z was when it came out, nor is it quite the cutting-edge powerhouse the 300ZX was in its day. Instead, it's a sort of blend of Nissan Z greatest hits, a sprinkling of sports-car magic from various generations.
Tucked in behind a front end designed to ape the 1972 Fuji Grand Championship-winning Fairlady 240ZG is a new twin-turbo V6. It has the same 3.0-litre displacement as the bigger engine you get in the Supra, and slightly bests the Toyota's straight-six engine with an honest 400 horsepower.
But with great power comes great, uh, weight. Anyone complaining about the lack of turbocharging in the Toyota GR86 should take a good hard look at what the intercoolers, turbos, and associated plumbing and cooling does to the new Z over the old 370Z. Base model to base model, there's an increase of 70 kilograms. Performance models equipped with the standard manual transmission tip the scales at above 1,600 kg. The new nine-speed automatic is 30 kg heavier.
However, the holy invocation, “standard manual transmission,” has just been uttered. In a world where mankind has abandoned the stick shift, here comes Nissan with a row-your-own gearbox attached to 400 horsepower worth of eventually paying for your local tire shop to put three new espresso makers in its waiting room. Even better, the public appears to be responding — Nissan says 70 per cent of Canadian pre-orders for the new Z are for the six-speed manual version.
None of those owners will be disappointed, and neither will those who order the nine-speed automatic. The latter does a good job of holding revs in the sportier of the two drive modes.
The Z is, at heart, a simple car. While torsional stiffness is up by about 10 per cent, the chassis is nearly identical to the outgoing 370Z. Options for traction control are either “on” or “off.” The upgraded brake option is a four-piston caliper with 355-mm rotors up front, and two-piston 350mm units in the rear. Added grip comes from bigger tires, with Performance models getting 19-inch forged wheels with 255-mm-section front tires, 275 mm out back.
On a short-track course, braking seemed up to the challenge, but given the car's weight, anyone looking at dedicated track use should explore more heat-resistant braking setups.
The track is not really where the Z shines, it's out on the road. The automatic version is no slouch, but the manual is an absolute charmer.
The Z might look a bit like a modernized 240Z, but it drives like a reborn 300ZX twin-turbo. Torque comes on in a rush from 1,600 to 5,200 r.p.m., but peak power is still high enough (6,500 r.p.m.) to make it worth the wringing out to red line (7,000 r.p.m.). Just watch your speed, because this car pulls like a freight train in the mid-range.
Handling is more about outright grip than nimbleness in quick transitions, but this is a predictable and confidence-inspiring car. Ride quality is less jouncy than the 370Z, thanks to new monotube dampers, and the car doesn't get twitchy over bumpy pavement. Some patience is required in getting the power down because there's so much torque, but that just makes for an involving drive.
Some mention should be made of interior improvements. Upgrades take it from the 370Z's Speak & Spell-grade infotainment to an acceptably modern look. All Canadian models will have an eight-inch central screen and no onboard navigation, but Apple Carplay and Android Auto are standard. Driver assists such as forward collision warning and blind-spot assist are also standard.
The best news is the pricing, which starts at $46,498 for the entry-level sport model. And the Z manages to pull off the hardest trick of them all: It arrives already a classic, a brand-new sports car of the old school.