Like AMG to Mercedes-Benz and M to BMW, Nissan’s NISMO—taken from the words ‘Nissan’ and ‘Motorsport’—has been applied to the brand’s most track-orientated models since it transitioned from an on-track program to street cars with the launch of the Skyline R31 GTS-R Group A evolution special and then the infamous ‘Godzilla’ Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R.
However, many enthusiasts like myself have witnessed the badge water down over the years as the brand has stuck it on everything from a Patrol to Sentra, all-electric Ariya, and even the Juke, which to its credit sent 200PS (147kW) to all four wheels.
Still, every now and then the brand gets back to its roots and affixes the badge to something a little more exciting—like the Nissan Z NISMO.
This $94,000 before on-road costs sports car features significant changes to the standard Nissan Z in the handling, style, and power departments. The result is a more focused car that gives you a unique driving experience unlike anything else in its class. We spent a week with the car to figure out why it presents a compelling alternative to cars like the BMW M2 and Toyota Supra.
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How Much is the Nissan Z NISMO?
Nissan Z NISMO is priced from $94,000 before on-road costs in Australia. Here’s how much you’ll pay for the competition:
- Toyota Supra GTS – from AUD$96,295 plus on-road costs
- BMW M2 – from AUD$123,900 plus on-road costs
It might not be as quick as the new M2 Competition, but it’s significantly cheaper. The Toyota Supra sounds better and is powered by one of the great engines of the last 5 years, but it’s 50 per cent BMW and lacks a bit of character because of it. The Nissan Z NISMO is not the sensible choice here, but its engine is unique amongst its rivals, it looks the best by far, and it might be more collectable in the long run, too.
Here’s a list of changes that have been made to the Nissan Z NISMO, before I explain the effect they’ve had on the experience in my review below:
- Power increased to 309kW (+11kW) and 520Nm (+45Nm)
- NISMO-tuned 9-speed automatic with paddle shifters
- New NISMO styling – exterior and interior
- Gloss black RAYS® 19-inch wheels (0.5″ wider Fr & Rr & lighter)
- Enhanced Engine cooling
- Bigger front brake rotors (+25mm)
- NISMO aerodynamic enhancements
- NISMO chassis, tyre and wheel enhancements
- NISMO Sport+ Driving Mode
- NISMO-tuned Launch Control
- NISMO-tuned Active Sound Control
- NISMO branded RECARO® seats
- Heated and powered front seats not available on Z NISMO
Now, let’s check out the in-depth review of the Nissan Z NISMO.
What Changes Has Nissan Made to the Exterior of the Z NISMO?
I’ll start with the changes to the exterior because they’re significant. It all starts up front with a bumper that extends further forward than on lower model grades and recalls the heritage Nissan Fairlady 240ZG. This arrives alongside a new front fascia with a re-styled grille, canards at the front corner, and red accents along the lower edge of the front fascia. It takes an already beautiful design but puts it on a creatine diet.
My favourite angle remains at the rear of the Nissan Z NISMO where you can appreciate the wider three-piece rear spoiler (compared to Z Performance) that extends onto the rear fenders.
The bumper back here better resembles the rest of the NISMO lineage – with the GT-R NISMO a clear styling inspiration – and the same red accents extending around the bumper, exhaust cutouts, and new side sills.
Look hard enough and you’ll also notice the dark metallic grey version of the katana-blade styling element that now sits above the window sill.
You can have your new Nissan Z NISMO in a choice of five colours: Black Diamond Pearl, Brilliant Silver, Passion Red TriCoat, Everest White Pearl TriCoat and NISMO-exclusive Stealth Grey which would be the obvious choice, and the colour that was optioned on my test car. With the red accents and black Rays wheels, it looks particularly tasty, and significantly better than its over-styled competitors.
Has Anything Changed on the Inside?
The changes to the interior are less substantial than the exterior, but the biggest change would be the new RECARO seats finished in leather and Alcantara with a red centre section and NISMO logos on the headrests. They’re comfortable to sit in and highly supportive, but they’re a little loosey-goosey from the driver’s seat, especially in the lower back area, which seemed to move around a bit while cornering.
These seats are matched by a new sports steering wheel in leather and Alcantara and a racing-inspired red accent mark at the 12 o’clock position. It’s the right size and feels great in the hand.
Technology still consists of a rather small 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. That’s joined by a single USB-A outlet, a single USB-C outlet, and an 8-speaker Bose sound system, which sounds rather average. It’s a throwback experience, and you’ll have to forgive its 2014-era technology to fully appreciate it. You can certainly get more technology in cars that cost less.
Still, the Z NISMO has an advantage over everything else on the market because it wears the coveted NISMO badge.
You’ll never forget it either because I lost count of the number of badges affixed to everything from the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster to the seats and floor mats. Nissan even added an anodized red start/stop button, a fully digital TFT meter, a red outline around the tachometer, a NISMO logo and a special red flash during the start-up animation. It would be gimmicky if the badge didn’t carry such weight.
How Have the Performance Changes Affected the Driving Experience?
The same 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo engine carries over, but now produces 309kW (+11kW) and 520Nm (+45Nm) from just 2000rpm. This is thanks to improved cooling, revised electronic wastegate control for more boost, and GT-R Nismo-inspired independent ignition spark timing. Surprisingly, it’s pretty fuel-efficient despite all of these performance enhancements, using a claimed 10.4 litres per 100km.
What it’s lacking is sound, and the fake pops and crackles provided by the speakers in the rear of the car are quite embarrassing for a car wearing a NISMO badge. Still, it’s nothing an exhaust wouldn’t fix in the aftermarket. We’d put a NISMO Japan Titanium exhaust on immediately after purchase.
Nissan doesn’t provide an official 0-100km/h time for the NISMO variant. However, the bum-in-the-seat test tells me that the M2 and Toyota Supra GTS are quicker in a straight line. Still, that’s not to say the Z NISMO is a slouch because it plants you firmly in your seat under hard acceleration, and I’d estimate a low 4-second run from 0-100km/h, which is pretty impressive considering the standard car does the same sprint in 4.5 seconds.
When it comes time to step on the anchors, the front brakes are larger than standard, with 15.0-inch rotors matched to 13.8-inch rear brake rotors, and come equipped with a more performance-focused brake pad compound.
I think some reviewers have pointed the finger rather harshly at the 9-speed Jatco JR913E automatic transmission that comes with the Nissan Z NISMO. Yes, it denies downshifts sometimes despite claiming to be 50 per cent quicker, and when it does give you the gear, it’s not as crisp as a dual-clutch automatic. However, the up-shifts are faultless, and it’s far from the worst automatic on the market. Unless you’re tracking the car it certainly wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me. Would it be better with a manual? Of course, it would. Enough said.
You shouldn’t let the automatic transmission overlook the extensive changes Nissan has made to the chassis and suspension because they’re all designed to make the car perform better in spirited driving situations.
It starts with additional bracing on the front and rear underfloor to help increase torsional rigidity by 2.5% compared to the standard grades. Then comes stiffer front and rear suspension bushings, and a stiffer mounting bushing for the steering rack, further increasing lateral rigidity. It would be a bit rich for me to sit here and pretend like you can feel all of these changes every time you get in the car, but they’re welcome, and it does feel exceptionally tight and connected to the road.
I have to note that these changes (particularly the bracing) do add weight. The NISMO Z has a 1608kg kerb weight, which is 99kg heavier than the lightest Z model on sale. This also makes it heavier than the Toyota Supra GTS (1525kg). However, it’s still substantially lighter than the BMW M2 Competition (1,725kg).
You don’t specifically notice the weight while driving, but having spent time in a handful of lightweight sports cars like the Lotus Emira more recently, it does have that slightly bloated and overweight feeling that some modern cars suffer from. It’s our main gripe with the M2 Competition, and the simple fact is cars that weigh around 1,500kg are more fun to drive. Still, you won’t mistake the Z NISMO for anything but a riot.
Finally, black 19-inch RAYS wheels set off the entire vehicle. They’re 0.5 inches wider than the 19-inch wheels on Z Performance (10 inches wide front, 10.5 inches wide rear) and slightly lighter, too.
They’re wrapped in Dunlop SP SPORT MAXX GT600 tyres, which I found to be a bit of a handful in the wet like any extreme performance tyres are. My daily driver has a set of Yokohama ADVAN A052’s and it’s simply the price you pay for performance. Get them warm, however, and you’ll never look at a tyre the same way again.
Man of Many’s Verdict on the Nissan Z NISMO
When I’m looking at limited edition sports cars like the Nissan Z NISMO and the Audi RS 5 Competition Plus it’s hard to critically compare and contrast them with the competition because, despite their flaws, the people who want a vehicle like this will simply go out and buy them.
So what I look for instead is character, and the NISMO Z is full of it. It has an identity, and if you agree with its quirks, and can get around it’s automatic-only configuraiton, it’s a joy to drive. It might enter the conversation as a future collectable, too.
You don’t just have to take my word for it because the first 100 Nissan Z NISMO vehicle allocation sold out in 53 minutes. Thankfully, Nissan Australia has brought in another allocation, so if you’re in the market, it’s time to start chatting to your local Nissan Dealer.
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