Just the Z!

No numbers. Just Z. 

Nissan revealed the long-awaited Z car and it’s basically the Z Proto, the concept shown last year. Back then company officials they expected it the final product would be very close to the concept and they didn’t lie. It’s about 95% of the Proto.

Let’s get right to it. The new model, which is officially a 2023 model year entry, is powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 putting out 400 hp and available with a standard 6-speed manual or 9-speed auto with paddles. 

“It’s smoot and powerful and pulls hard in any gear,” said Ashwani Gupta, Nissan’s COO, and a former Z owner himself. “It’s fun to drive either way.”

Past meets present

The 2023 model, which will hit dealers next spring, was originally introduced in October 1969 as the 1970 Datsun 240Z, in a warehouse just five miles from where the virtual debut of the newest iteration took place.

Borrowing the long hood from the original 240Z and the taillights from the 300ZX, Nissan’s design team took great pains to try to remain true to the car’s essence while putting a modern twist on the exterior as well as the interior. 

The instrument gauge cluster is a 12.3-inch programmable screen, but a quick scan to the driver’s right shows three round gauges, just like those found on the original. It also comes with standard 8-inch touchscreen — a larger 9-inch version is available — that’s Apple CarPlay and Android Auto ready and tied an eight-speaker Bose sound system.

No pricing was released for the new model, but it will come in Sport and Performance grade levels as well as a limited-edition “Proto Spec” of which just 240 will be produced.