The online configurator for the most anticipated Nissan in years has quietly gone live. Now if you head over to the Nissan USA website, you can build and price out a 2023 Nissan Z sports car.
First things first. The Nissan Z comes in three trim levels. The base Sport starts at $41,015 including destination charges. The good news is that the 400-horsepower twin-turbo V6 plucked from the Infiniti Q50 and Q60 Red Sport, as well as features like Apple CarPlay, are available even at the lowest grade.
Next up is the Performance trim, which adds exactly $10,000 to the sticker. With that you get four-piston Akebono calipers, leather seats, a Bose premium sound system, spoilers front and rear, a 1.5-way clutch-type limited-slip differential, and the wheels upgraded from stylish 18-inch 5-spokes to lightweight Rays 19-inchers. This is the trim we’d spring for, as the individual items would easily total more than 10 grand if you bought and installed them piecemeal.
Finally, there’s the Proto Spec, limited to 240 units in honor of the 240Z. To us, the additional $3,000 over Performance spec for the exclusive bronze-finish Rays, yellow-painted calipers, and unique seats isn’t a must, but we’re pretty sure there are enough dedicated Zed-heads out there who will spring for this very limited collectible. With prices of the 240Z skyrocketing, it’ll certainly be a worthwhile investment.
All three levels come with either a six-speed manual or nine-speed automatic transmission for the same price, but you know what you must do. Put your money where your mouth is and save the manuals.
The color palette has some nice hues. Ikazuchi Yellow has become the Z’s signature color and is the only choice for the Proto spec, but you can choose it on any Z. It, Seiran Blue, and Everest White are premium colors that require an additional $1,295. Passion red commands a $1,695 premium, while Boulder Gray and Brilliant Silver require only $895. All of those must be paired with a black roof, but three single-tone no-cost colors are available in Rosewood Metallic, Gun Metallic, and Black Diamond Pearl.
There are surprisingly few options available. You can add splash guards for $355 or exterior projection lighting at the doors for $395. Or, if you chose Sport the chin and deck spoilers can be bought individually. Perhaps the most surprising option is a rarely mentioned $595 racing stripe option (pictured above).
The interior offers a bit more personalization. Options range from a selection of floor mats to $500 illuminated kick plates to a $445 accent lighting package. The trunk area would likely feel naked without a $500 cargo cover and $105 mat. Then there’s the odds and ends like a roadside emergency kit for $66, a first aid kit for $55 and, amusingly, a $45 “trash bin” that’s basically a removable tumbler that sits in the cupholder.
Ticking every box on the list will bump the total up to $60,317 for a fully optioned Proto. That includes a $125 impact sensor alarm, a $360 dual camera recorder, and $450 virtual key. Fortunately, most of the items aren’t really necessary for a fun drive and you can still have a cracking good time with the base Z for only two-thirds that amount.
Keyword: The 2023 Nissan Z configurator is now live