Nissan locks in Z Nismo for Oz

NISSAN Australia has confirmed that its 313kW Z Nismo is locked in for Down Under, with deliveries possible before the end of the year.

Set to make its debut in North America in Q3, the Nissan Z Nismo adds not only more power and torque, but significant handling enhancements, more aggressive tyres, and a signature look the Japanese manufacturer says contributes to improved on-track performance.

Sitting atop the Z Sport and Performance grades, the Z Nismo builds on the equipment levels offered in the latter with a racetrack-honed aerodynamic package and prominent frontal styling treatment that recalls the G-Nose of the Nissan Fairlady 240ZG.

The new frontal treatment also boasts a restyled grille with “the thinnest honeycomb mesh of any Nissan production car” to date, corner canards, and a subtle red accent along the lower edge of the front bar.

Complementing the G-Nose is a taller, wider rear spoiler whose three-piece design extends onto the rear fenders. The rear bumper is reprofiled to aid with air separation and to further reduce drag, the package said to draw inspiration from the GT-R Nismo while likewise sporting a red accent line on its lower edge.

With its own unique sill design, and a dark metallic grey ‘katana blade’ styling element above the window line, the profile of the Z Nismo is further enhanced by the addition of a black-painted roof and gloss black 19-inch Rays alloy wheels.

Nissan will offer the Z Nismo in five colours: Black Diamond Pearl, Brilliant Silver, Passion Red TriCoat, Everest White Pearl TriCoat and the Nismo-exclusive Stealth Grey.

Inside, enhancements include a red-anodized engine-start and drive mode buttons, manual-adjust Recaro seats and a leather and Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel with red 12 o’clock marker.

The instrument panel graphics feature a red outline around the tachometer, a Nismo logo and a special red “flash” during the start-up animation.

But perhaps most importantly, the Z Nismo offers a 15kW/46Nm uplift in output when measured against the ‘standard’ model. The 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 now outputs 313kW at 6400rpm and 521Nm from 2000-5200rpm, “ensuring drivers have strong performance across the rev range”.

Nissan achieved the increases through the inclusion of an improved cooling system, revised electronic wastegate control, and an independent ignition spark timing strategy “inspired by the GT-R Nismo”. The model also includes a higher capacity engine oil cooler for “extended track performance”.

The automatic-only Z Nismo uses Nissan’s nine-speed transmission which has been “enhanced for faster and more dynamic shifting performance”. Revised clutch packs and engine management software mean the transmission’s downshift times are reduced by half compared with the Z Performance, while launch control offers “aggressive standing-start acceleration”.

In addition to those changes, the Z Nismo adds a new Sport+ driving mode Nissan says is tuned for circuit driving.

Importantly, the Z Nismo arrives with a host of chassis, suspension and braking refinements aimed at “optimizing precision, predictability and cornering grip”. Model-specific stabiliser bars front and rear join stiffer springs and larger retuned dampers, which are coupled with lightweight Rays alloy wheels and wider 285/35R19 Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT600 tyres.

Additional bracing stiffens the chassis to help it better respond to the increased cornering forces enabled by the enhancements listed above. They include additional front, rear and rear underfloor bracing, stiffer front and rear suspension bushings, and stiffer steering rack mounts contributing to an increase in torsional rigidity of 2.5 per cent.

Finally, the Nissan Z Nismo offers some of the largest brakes ever offered on a Z car, measuring 15.0 inches (381mm) up front and 13.8 inches (350mm) at the rear. A “more performance focused” brake pad compound is utilized, contributing, Nissan says, to “impressive brake pedal feel and enhanced braking performance in extended track use”.

Pricing for the 2024 Nissan Z Nismo will be announced closer to the model’s local launch. It is expected to arrive concurrently with the MY24 Z Sport and Performance range, which, like the Z Nismo, will offer more specification and equipment, including Amazon Alexa connectivity for Performance and Z Nismo grades.

All 2024 Nissan Z variants will further feature 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.