Is this a potential NISMO version of the new Z? Or some sort of racing version? We’re stumped.
R GELAN on YouTube
At long last, a new Nissan Z is around the corner. The first drive for journalists is coming up, customer deliveries should be not far behind, and we’ll finally know whether it lives up to the name. But just when we thought our curiosity was about to be satiated, we see this video:
Spotted by Facebook Page Z1 Motorsports, the brief clip shows a new-generation Nissan Z with a much more aggressive body kit and wing. The tires, too, look wider and quite sticky. Even the exhaust as it passes seems a bit louder than we’d expect from an everyday sports car.
Nissan
The circumstances make it even weirder. We’re not sure who runs the YouTube channel R Gelan, where the video was posted, but it’d be weird if Nissan was running a development mule on an open track day where people outside of the company could spot it. If the car was already available to the public, we’d assume this was just a modified example, but to the best of our knowledge, the only 2023 Nissan Zs around right now are in the hands of the automaker itself.
That leaves a few options. One could be that this is a new Nismo variant of the Z, designed for more track-focused enthusiasts. Considering Nissan made Nismo versions of the GT-R and 370Z, that’s not a stretch, but the snug fit of the wheels into its wheel wells don’t scream “street car” to me. Another theory is that this is a development mule for a racing version of the Z, which seems plausible enough. Then again, it could be a tuning company that works directly with Nissan, working on aftermarket performance options for the car.
What do you think? Do any of these theories make sense to you? Or do you have another hypothesis? Let us know in the comments, and if any ideas gain traction we can try to look into this a bit more.
Keyword: What's the Deal With This Wild Nissan Z?