If you’re of a certain age — in other words, if like me, you’re as bald as a bowling ball — Nissan’s Z is a big deal. Back in the day — and again, there really was a time when I had hair — the 240Z was a breakthrough, literally popularizing the concept of a Japanese sports car. It was cheap, cheerful and, even all these years later, it remains stunningly gorgeous.
I have to admit, though, I don’t remember it quite as fondly as most. My neighbour, Ned McGee, had one and it was a little ragged around the edges by the time he got it. He couldn’t find anyone in our little northern Quebec ville to fettle its cranky SU-type carburetors and since I was handy with tools and constant vacuum carbs — they were common on motorcycles back then — I got seconded into his fight for a smooth idle. The kindest thing I can say about those old Hitachi carbs is that it was not a good time.
2023 Nissan Z Photo by David Booth
2023 Nissan Z Photo by David Booth
2023 Nissan Z Photo by David Booth
2023 Nissan Z engine Photo by David Booth
2023 Nissan Z engine Photo by David Booth
2023 Nissan Z Photo by David Booth
It’s good news — at least to me — that the new Z’s spiritual predecessor is actually the late ‘80s 300ZX rather than the original Z. Those first ZX Turbos were perhaps the best Japanese sports car of the time and more than the equal of the Porsches of the day. Hugely powerful, by 1990’s standards, it also handled a dream on the track and was more than adequately comfortable for grand touring. It was also, like the original Fairlady Z, stunning to look at.
The same descriptors could well describe this 2023 Nissan Z. Like the ZX, it’s powered by 3.0-litre turbocharged V6, this one booting out 400 horsepower and more than enough torque to shred the rear Bridgestones. Essentially, for those looking for continuity, the Z’s 3.0L is the same VR30DDTT 3.0L that powers Infiniti’s Q60S, only it needs to move noticeably less weight. And, compared with its predecessor — and methinks the 370Z is best left forgotten, don’t you? — it’s up some 68 horsepower and 80 torques, both at lower rpm than the previous 3.7-litre naturally-aspirated V6. Where the old non-turbo VQ37VHR felt anemic the higher the revs climbed, the new twin turbo comes in with quite a bang at around 4,000 rpm. It’s really quite entertaining.
All the more so since you can still get the Z mated to a good, ole-fashioned six-speed manual gearbox. Possessed of an excellent rev matching function as well as the ability to shift gears without releasing the gas, the “Power On Shift” gearbox is nostalgia improved.
2023 Nissan Z interior Photo by Nissan Canada
2023 Nissan Z interior Photo by Nissan Canada
2023 Nissan Z interior Photo by Nissan Canada
2023 Nissan Z interior Photo by Nissan Canada
2023 Nissan Z interior Photo by David Booth
2023 Nissan Z interior Photo by Nissan Canada
2023 Nissan Z interior Photo by Nissan Canada
That said, the nine-speed automatic is probably still faster. Nissan makes no claims as to the performance of the Z, in either manual or automatic guise. But, the nine-speed automatic certainly seems more responsive. Having nine-speeds, even if they are hooked up to a power-sapping torque convertor, will always keep you in the meatier part of the rev band. And, despite not being one of those new-fangled double-clutch autoboxes, it shifts plenty quickly. I know I’ll be labelled as a blasphemer, but I actually preferred paddle-shifting it on the racetrack than rowing the six-speed.
On the subject of racetrack, unfortunately Circuit Mont Tremblant, as is traditional on late fall track days in La Belle Province, was equal parts deluge and extremely slippery tarmac. The Bridgestone performance radials, typically quite gummy in the dry, might as well have been slicks on Tremblant’s notoriously slippery pavement. In other words, other than a few twists on public roads, I cannot affirm that the new Z is the track weapon the old 300ZX was.
What I can tell you is that the new Z’s steering is linear, the suspension supple and the front Akebono four-piston brakes nothing short of awesome. As to how the said and suspension, not to mentioned Bridgestone Potenza S007s— 255/40R19 (front) and 275/35R19 (rear) on the Performance model I drove – will stand up to the rigours of high G-forces, we won’t know until we can get another chance behind the wheel on a racetrack.
Indeed, the only downside I can confirm to the entire Z performance package is that there are no variable stability and/or tractional control modes. Unlike most sportsters, the Z boasts no Normal, Sport, Sport+ and Track modes, each allowing increasingly divergent amounts of rear tire slippage coming out of corners on the gas. The Nissan’s traction nannie is either off or on, which means those used to being saved by Porsche and Corvette performance stability control systems will need to (re)learn judicious throttle control. The 350 pound-feet of torque demands respect, double or even trebly so, on a soaking wet track.
As for more everyday driving, the new Z is a model of civility, all docile power and comfy-cozy interior. Of course, it’s much more modern than inside that 30-year-old 300ZX, but the new Z does Nissan’s old school penchant for racecar-like instrumentation. Where else but in a thoroughbred are you going to find a full set of oil pressure, water temperature and turbo boost gauges not to mention something I’ve actually never seen before, a readout detailing how fast your turbochargers are spinning. I know, for instance, that screaming along Mont Tremblant’s long back straight, the Z’s twin turbos were spinning more than 20,000 rpm.
2023 Nissan Z Photo by David Booth
The instrument panel is also configurable, one of its modes lending prominence to the all-important tachometer. The bucket seats are well coddling, though they are bolstered more than enough for big Gs. The seat adjusters, another old school throwback, are mounted on the right side of the seat cushion, rather on the left side lower frame of the seat or (as is becoming more common) on the inner door panel. Hell, there’s even an old-fashioned brake lever on the right side of the seat. In other words, one’s getting a full heaping of traditional technology cues along with all the high-tech electronics and internal combustion.
Perhaps the best news in all of this, though, is that the 2023 Z starts at $46,498. That’s about the same as we expect from Honda’s upcoming Civic Type R. Of course, to get the new Z at that price, you need to settle for two-piston front brakes, make do without the Launch Control system (available on both manual and automatic transmissions) and suffer the loss of EXEDY high performance clutch.
Nonetheless, if you’ve been following along, that means that the new Z will be, like the first 240 Z, cheap, cheerful and, judging from the reactions from everyone around the track, stunningly beautiful.
Keyword: Car Review: 2023 Nissan Z