2023 Nissan Z gets faster, softer, looks better

The 2023 Nissan Z exists only because of enthusiasts within the company. The back-channel transactions of Hiroshi Tamura, head of sports car products, and design boss Alfonso Albaiser have made the Nissan Brass look beautiful enough to make it worthwhile to continue the 53-year history of Z. One caveat was that the new car would have to be built based on the previous platform to save on development costs.

This leaves the Z team with the challenge of distinguishing the Z35 from its Z34-generation predecessor considerably while using many of the same parts. After running the new Z on the Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s infield course and on the road-controlled lead-follow laps in Lake Mid National Park, I can say that Nissan has kept that balance.

A turbo comes back

The main difference became apparent with the first stabbing of the throttle: more power. This generation of Z has no numerical prefix, but it would be 400. The 370Z’s 3.7-liter V-6 produces 332 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque, giving way to a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 that can propel up to 400 hp and 350 lb-ft. It has the same engine as the Infiniti Q50 / Q60 and is the first turbo of the Z since the Z32 run ended in 1997.

The new engine delivers significantly more thrust from the stop and a ton of thrums down from the outgoing V-6 but still sounds like the spirited version.

A sprint exercise from the previous day proved how fast the new engine makes this car faster than the last. Pulling a roughly 800-foot straight-line, the new Z uses a launch control of 87 miles per hour with the new 9-speed automatic transmission and 85 miles per hour with a carry-over 6-speed manual, both of which are first for the Z. A 370Z with manual runs only 77 miles per hour on the same run. That’s a big gap. Nissan isn’t quoting a 0-60 mph time, but it’s probably in the low-4-second range, compared to about 5.0-seconds for the normally ambitious V-6.

I get laps in cars with both transmissions. 9-Speed ​​shifts quickly and usually chooses the right gear for the job. However, the Twin-Turbo V-6 revs at a very slow speed to emphasize the expected corner exit in a track car. The Sport mode doesn’t hold gear until then, and its transfers aren’t as fast-fire as competitors’ 8- and 10-speed automatic or dual-clutch boxes. I continue to try to grab a lower gear through the GT-R-sourced shift pedals. It’s the Rev. problem again. Instead of kicking me in the pants, the V-6 makes steady motion as it approaches its 6,800-rpm redline. My, how much we lost with the 500 to 700-hp sports car. It’s not slow in any way, and you won’t feel it on the road where the need for speed isn’t so urgent.

Otherwise, the 6-speed manual is a delight. It comes standard with downshift rev matching and this year it adds no-lift upshift. It comes with a nice weighted clutch with a natural takeup point and a shifter that slots easily from gear to gear. It roots the rear wheel power via a carbon-fiber-composite drive shaft that you can boast of in cars and coffee. This is one of your last chances to get a manual transmission, folks. Don’t waste it.

Soft and hard

At the corner of this 1.8-mile road course, the new Z feels familiar, the same Hankard Down, as fast as its predecessor, although it does ride softly.

The feeling is familiar because, according to Nissan’s instructions, the 370Z carries most of the engineering. Nissan has strengthened the platform to improve rigidity and handle the extra power of the turbocharged V-6. On the front, engineers have added more metallic power to the crash structure, underbody and firewall, and they have redesigned the strut tower brace to work with the new engine. In the back, they used open-channel steel instead of closed to play hatch glass and made more metallic structures. They applied more adhesive throughout the car and used a stronger adhesive to attach the windshield. As a result, the hatch area behind the new Z has 10.9% more torsional stiffness and 23.9% more rigidity.

With stronger bones, Nissan has changed the suspension to soften the ride and also changed the suspension geometry. Nissan had double-wishbone front suspension, but kept the front caster angle 5 to 6 degrees to improve straight-line durability. While this may slow down the turn-in response, Nissan prevented it by tightening the steering rack and switching from hydraulic to electric-aided power steering. Harder spring rates were tackled with new mono-tube dampers that provide more damp control despite having a 20% softer tone. Also, engineers have chosen a 10mm wide front tire to give the performance model a more familiar patch.

Around this track, the 255 / 40R19 front and 275 / 35R19 rear Bridgestone Potenza S007 tires grip tightly-Nissan estimates 13% more Corning G Force কারণ because it reacts with duty to the way I throw it at an angle. The brakes are too slow and carry too much speed and it wants to push instead of rotating. Control the speed but get on the throttle very quickly and the rear end starts to kick out even though it is easily caught. It is mostly balanced, although the 55/45 front / rear weight ratio indicates that it is somewhat safer towards the underside.

Direct, well-weighted steering helps me keep the car exactly where I want it to be, but the soft suspension tuning doesn’t allow the car to respond as much to my inputs as I would like. This gives the Z the feel of a great traveler rather than a sports car and leaves plenty of room for a sharp Nismo model as a real sports model.

Brake performance has traditionally kept the Z from being a track car. The car didn’t have the coolness to handle the harshness of a track day. This car is no different in terms of cooling volume, but the performance model gets the last generation Nissmo brakes with a 14.0-inch front with a four-piston caliper and a 13.8-inch rear with a two-piston caliper. For these track sessions, Nissan has equipped cars with accessory performance pads that can be purchased through dealers.

With improved brakes and controlled speed on the track, the Z manages several laps without any brake fading and a powerful, predictable pedal. Performance model operated brakes should work for any road driving, but I recommend accessory pads and possibly even better brake fluid if you plan to take it on a track or autocross.

Throw it back the way

The introduction extends to the cabin, which has the same split controls as the last model in the driver’s seat, with a switch inside the side seat of the center console and manual control at the bottom and left. Seats are good and strong, but lots of sports cars have more comfortable, more comfortable seats. Nissan says a 6-foot-3 driver might fit, thanks to a new telescoping steering wheel, but my head comes close to the roof and I only stand 5-feet-9.

The internal layout still focuses on the driver, but the quality of both technology and equipment takes it one step further. A new 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster has a shift light that starts at green and turns red as the lights merge in the middle. IP offers three layouts, including a version with Touch Front and Center as it should be in a Z. The Base Sport model has an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen and Performance gets a 9.0-inch version. For those who want to keep track of how the car is moving, Nissan provides turbo boost, turbo speed and voltage gauges on top of the dash and can be augmented with oil and water temperature gauges in clusters.

Dash, door tops and other touch areas are now padded, and Nissan offers some fun colors such as seats in solid blue suede or a combination of black and red leather. This is a high-end environment that has been further calmed by extra sound detectors to get some roughness out of the jade.

The Z35 generation looks to the past to move forward and the new look may be the best reason to buy a car. The ratio screams a long hood with traditional sports cars, a low sloping roof that transforms into a fastback look and a small rear edge.

The nose design and overall side profile pay homage to the 1970’s 240Z. LED headlights have a rounded look thanks to two semi-circles that create daytime running light. Recall Z32 with horizontal LED taillights on the back. All this combined to make a beautiful sports car that is incredible as a Z. Nissan celebrates the look with bright, dark colors including Seren Blue, Ikazuki Yellow and Passion Red Tricot.

A price premium indicates 20 2023 despite the Z34 being original The Sport model starts at $ 41,015 and comes with 245 / 45R18 all-season tires, small touchscreen and fabric upholstery. This is $ 10,000 more than the base 2020 370Z The step-up performance model runs $ 51,015 প্রায় up to about $ 5,000 from the last Nissom — and summer performance tires have 19-inch wheels, big brakes, leather upholstery, 9.0-inch touchscreen, mechanical limited-slip differential, and a 19-inch. Adds wheels. Front chin spoiler and rear spoiler.

A special ProtoSpec model costs $ 54,015 and is limited to 240 units in the United States. It has an exclusive shift knob with yellow brake caliper with Z logo, bronze 19-inch RAYS wheels, manual transmission, suede and cloth doors. Trimmed, and yellow stitching across the cabin.

Looking faster, more refined, more capable, and better looking, the 2023 Nissan Z company continues a fun tradition of enthusiastic passion. The car they’ve built may not be completely new, but it’s still good news for enthusiasts outside the company as it honors various moments in the car’s 53-year history while offering more functionality. Not bad for a skunkworks project.

Nissan offers airfare, hotel and track time in Las Vegas Motor authority You can bring this first hand report.