The Nissan Z lineage dates back to the days of the 1970 Datsun 240Z, which was an incredibly stylish sports car.
The latest vehicle to carry on the heritage is one that takes the style from the 240Z and mixes it with some of the goodies offered in other models throughout the more than 40 years this car has been out on the road. If you thought every Z car would build on the last, think again. This latest version does something completely different by being a heritage model that we’ll truly admire.
Forget the New School Way of Thinking
Too many modern supercars take the fun out of driving. The computerization offered today tells us that many sports cars can shift smoother, better, and faster than a human. Because of this fact, many supercars don’t offer a manual transmission. Thankfully, Nissan continues to give us this feature in the updated performance car we love. If you want a Z car with a manual transmission, you can have it. This isn’t the only Japanese car to offer this old-school feature either. Maybe they know something those Europeans should think about. Shifting gears is part of the fun of driving a sports car.
Of course, if you must have an automatic transmission, the Z is offered with one, but only begrudgingly.
Major Styling Cues from the 240Z
The original Z car, the Datsun 240 Z, had a long hood with a short rear deck. It featured a rectangular grille and headlights with a unique oval shape called flower petal. These styling cues are found in the latest Nissan Z as well. This gives you a car that truly appears to be a throwback to many generations in the past.
Minor styling elements come from other Z cars of the past. The taillights are directly borrowed from the 300ZX, which was the 1990s version of the Z car. Strangely enough, one borrowed style feature doesn’t come from a Z car at all. The steering wheel shape is the same one found in the 1999 Skyline that we saw in the film “2 Fast 2 Furious,” giving us something fun to talk about when we roll up in the latest Z car.
Taking Power to a New Level
The 370Z was so named because of the 3.7-liter engine. The latest version of this Nissan sports car has a smaller engine but more horsepower than before. The previous model offered naturally aspirated power, but the new Nissan Z uses a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine to produce 400 horsepower. This is an incredible number for a small, lightweight sports car that delivers an excellent package of features and qualities for the drive.
If you’re looking for more performance out of this Nissan, you’ll want to step into the Z Performance trim. This model gives you stronger brakes, a limited-slip differential, 19-inch super lightweight aluminum alloy wheels, a Bose audio system, and added trim elements to make this car more fun to drive.
A Limited Run with a Higher Price Tag
The starting price for the entry-level version of this Z car is $41,015, while the Z Performance trim increases that price by $10,000. To get the ball rolling with this new model, a limited run of 240 Z Proto Spec cars are being offered. These cars bring a price of $54,015 and give us a special look we can easily admire. These cars are all painted bright yellow, have black roofs, and include gold wheels, yellow brake calipers, and yellow interior accents. You’ll have to get in line early if you want one of these specialized cars.
Improved Comfort and Handing from Nissan
The new Nissan Z features a re-engineered suspension that is stiffer and made to offer better handling and comfort during your drive. The wheelbase of this new car is identical to the outgoing 370Z, giving us a car that has the right dimensions for our driving pleasure.
Looking around in the cabin, you’ll find a digital instrument cluster, a pair of power seats, several electronic driving aids, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control. If you drive the manual version of this car, you’ll have these items, which are sometimes only offered in a vehicle with an automatic transmission.
The Nissan Z Offers an Excellent Drive
While we don’t have any official sprint times, this new Z car appears to have all the makings of a great car to carry on the name. This impressive machine delivers power when you want it and rides perfectly through the curves and turns where it’s supposed to shine. When the idea is to have a car that brings a lot of fun to the party, this Nissan delivers better than most others you’ll find in the market today.
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