Nissan Z (2023)

The engineering team tuned the chassis, cooling, suspension and steering to ensure the driver always feels connected with the car. Getting behind the wheel, the Z feels new and modern, yet still familiar.

When it comes to delivering predictable, responsive handling, the engineering team took a multi-prong approach, especially for high-speed driving and cornering. Enhanced body rigidity, an electronic power steering with rack assist and a strong mechanical feel, and wider front tires (on both Sport and Performance grades) help increase maximum cornering G up to 13 percent.

Both front and rear dampers use a new monotube shock absorber design with a larger diameter than the outgoing 370Z, resulting in an approximately 20 percent reduction in dampening force to help minimize impact shock over uneven surfaces, enhance road-following performance and improve handling stability. The front double-wishbone aluminum suspension features new geometry, including increased caster angle, improving straight line stability. A two-point front strut tower brace is standard. The rear independent multi-link aluminum suspension has also been reconfigured with new settings.

Two drive modes are offered on automatic transmission models, standard and sport. Standard mode is best suited for commuting and long highway drives for a pleasant drive. Sport mode unlocks the Z's performance potential, offering faster acceleration control, a sports-mode steering algorithm, active sound enhancement and sports-mode vehicle dynamic control setting best matched to take on a spirited run through a winding road. All Z Performance grade models (automatic and manual) utilize a mechanical clutch-type limited-slip differential.

Responsive braking is provided by 4-wheel ventilated disc brakes. Larger sport brakes with red-painted calipers are standard on Performance grade models. The Z Sport grade rides on dark-painted 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with Yokohama ADVAN Sport high performance tires, while Z Performance grades features 19-inch RAYS® super lightweight forged aluminum-alloy mounted with Bridgestone Potenza® S007 high performance tires.

2023 Z design - past meets future

The 2023 Nissan Z boasts a fresh, sleek exterior design with an appearance that communicates respect to its lineage. Its long hood and short deck are fundamentally Z, with a fresh look that is "love at first sight." The design theme for the exterior and interior of the new Z was "tradition with modern technology."

"Inspired by the voices of thousands of Z owners and Z lovers, and ignited by internal conversations around the six generations of Z that have come before, we found ourselves gravitating towards the sketches that touched the high points of certain decades while remaining true to our vision of the future," said Alfonso Albaisa, global head of design at Nissan. "Ultimately, we created a Z that travels between the decades while being completely modern."

For the exterior, the new Z takes on a traditional rear-wheel-drive sports car design, with a long hood, lower rear stance and a silhouette that pays homage to the first-generation Z. The designers utilized the latest technologies to streamline the design, and incorporated LED lighting to give dimension without unnecessary elements. The LED headlights have two half-circles that take their inspiration from the Japan market-only 240ZG of the 1970s, which fit naturally with the new Z's identity.

The link to the original Z is most striking when viewing the 2023 Z from the side. The roofline flows from the nose to the squared-off rear to create a distinctive first-generation Z profile, whose rear edge was slightly lower than the front fender height giving the Z its unique posture.

The signature transition from the rear quarter glass to the low-slung position of the rear tail adds to the effect. Door handles are a flush-mounted design and the rear hatch design is ultra-thin, yet with increased rigidity over the previous 370Z design. In the rear, the blister fenders smoothly direct flow air past the horizontal rear panel. The rear combination lamps incorporate modern technology into the design reminiscent of the Z32 (1990-1996) 300ZX, including new 3D signature LED taillights.

The Z Performance grade features a rear spoiler that creates positive pressure where the rear hatch and spoiler meet, mitigating rear lift. The front spoiler takes advantage of knowledge gained through Nissan GT-R development to utilize negative pressure zones.

The new 2023 Nissan Z is available in three monotone exterior colors - Black Diamond Metallic, Gun Metallic and Rosewood Metallic. The new Z is also offered with a two-tone exterior, including six colors combined with a Super Black roof: Brilliant Silver, Boulder Gray, new Seiran Blue, new Ikazuchi Yellow, Passion Red TriCoat and Everest White Pearl TriCoat.

Z interior: modern tech with a vintage touch

Designed to fit the driver and passenger like a glove, the 2023 Z cabin seamlessly blends modern technology with vintage Z touches. The center stack takes inspiration from other generations before it, with three analog pod gauges on the instrument panel, 8.0-inch touchscreen audio display in the center and climate control switches near the shifter.

The interior design team also sought advice from professional motorsports legends, such as Nissan Super GT500 driver Tsugio Matsuda, to give the Z an ideal sports car cabin for all driving scenes. This can be seen in the instrumentation, with all vital information found in the 12.3-inch customizable digital meter display and arranged to help the driver grasp it at a glance, such as the redline shift point at the 12 o'clock position.

The 12.3-inch TFT meter display is all-new with three display modes to suit driver preference. "Normal" mode offers a sporty feel with the center area for navigation, audio and vehicle information. "Enhanced" mode pushes the tachometer and speedometer to the edges of the display, giving more space in the center for a larger navigation map and information to be displayed. "Sport" mode prioritizes the tachometer in the center with shift-up light at the top for shift information in the driver's field of view. The Sport mode also allows for a boost gauge or G meter to be displayed.

The new Z's center stack uses a three-zone approach, placing three analog pod gauges on the instrument panel (boost, turbo speed, volt) within the driver's eyesight. Both the manual and automatic shift levers are new, each of them custom-engineered for optimized grip and comfort.

The new, deep-dish steering wheel offers the driver quick access controls without losing its vintage aesthetic.

The design of the seats utilizes know-how from the GT-R's development to enhance both hold and fit. An expanded use of suede on the seatback suppresses initial lateral shake on the body, creating more comfortable drives, as well as reducing body movement when the vehicle is aggressively cornering.

The 2023 Nissan Z Sport grade offers black woven cloth seats with an 8-way manual driver's seat and 4-way manual passenger seat. The Z Performance grade adds leather-appointed seating surfaces, 4-way power driver's seat with manual lifter, lumbar and thigh support, 4-way power passenger seat and heated seats.

A full range of convenience features are offered as standard equipment, including Nissan Intelligent Key™ with Push Button Start, Intelligent Cruise Control, Automatic Temperature Control, auto-dimming rearview mirror, RearView Monitor, two 12-volt power points, two USB points (Type-A and Type-C), and front and rear sonar sensors. The 8.0-inch display audio touchscreen with six speakers includes Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™, Bluetooth® Hands-free Phone System, Streaming Audio via Bluetooth®, SiriusXM® Radio, Hands-free Text Messaging Assistant and Siri® Eyes Free.

The Z Performance grade includes a 9.0-inch touchscreen with navigation and NissanConnect® Services with Wi-Fi hotspot. Also included is an 8-speaker Bose® Audio system with Active Noise Cancellation and Active Sound Enhancement.

Three interior color environments are available - Black, Red and Blue. The special Z Proto Spec edition features yellow accents throughout the cabin, including stitching on the instrument panel. The seats feature layered seat material to create depth and a gradation effect.

Two models, one limited edition

For the United States market, the 2023 Nissan Z will be offered in Sport and Performance grades, each with a choice of a 6-speed manual or new 9-speed automatic transmission.

All models include a range of standard driver assistance and safety technologies, including Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Blind Spot Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, High Beam Assist and Intelligent Forward Collision Warning.

In addition to the wide range of standard comfort, convenience and connectivity features on the Sport grade, the Performance grade adds the 8-speaker Bose® Audio System, 9.0-inch touchscreen with navigation, NissanConnect® Services with Wi-Fi hotspot, mechanical Limited Slip Differential, 19-inch RAYS® super lightweight forged aluminum-alloy mounted with Bridgestone Potenza® S007 high performance tires, Nissan Sport Brakes, heated side mirrors, aluminum sport pedals, dual exhaust with Performance grade muffler and heated, leather-appointed power seats.

One special edition is available, celebrating the distinctive Z Proto introduced in 2020 - called the Proto Spec. Limited to just 240 units in the U.S., the Proto Spec model includes yellow-colored brake calipers with Z logo, bronze-colored 19-inch RAYS aluminum-alloy wheels, exclusive shift lever knob (6MT only), exclusive Proto Spec leather-appointed seats with yellow accents, exclusive Proto Spec suede + cloth door trim with yellow stitching and special Proto Spec interior stitching.

"The Z is more than a sports car you drive, it is an extension of the driver that moves and responds to the driver's intentions," added Gupta. "Whether on an unexplored winding road or your daily commute, the Z brings a smile and awakens the senses."