Nissan prices Z at $73,300

IT’S ONE of the most anticipated launches of this year, but one of the biggest question marks hovering over the arrival of the new Nissan Z has been that of, “how much?”.

The outgoing 370Z had a starting price of $50,490 (plus on-road costs) – an especially attractive number for a low-slung two-door coupe that offered compelling performance – topping out at $64,490 (+ ORCs) for the flagship Nismo variant in automatic trim.

However, the 370Z’s replacement (now simply called ‘Z’) brings with it a significant tech boost both in the engine bay and inside the cabin. A twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 replaces the old 3.7-litre naturally-aspirated V6 and produces peak outputs of 298kW and 475Nm – big steps up in power and torque – while the cabin is much more screen-centric and boasts new connectivity options. However, with more technology comes greater cost. 

When it officially launches, the new Z will wear a $73,300 (+ ORCs) price tag regardless of whether you select the six-speed manual or the nine-speed automatic version. A limited number of Z Proto Spec flagship models will also be offered, these priced at $80,700. 

For Australia, Nissan is bypassing the lower-specification base grade that’s destined for the US market. Instead, all Australia-bound Zs will feature a larger brake package (four-piston calipers at the front, two-piston versions at the rear), a proper mechanical limited-slip differential, sports seats, eight-speaker Bose audio, 19-inch alloy wheels, launch control, and front and rear spoilers as standard. The Z Proto Spec adds some cosmetic wow via 19-inch bronze-finished forged alloys, yellow accents on the interior, a blacked-out roof turret, plus an exclusive Ikazuchi Yellow pearl finish matched with bright yellow brake calipers. 

The only real spec low-lights are the fact that Aussie Zs will only get an 8-inch infotainment screen rather than the much more upmarket looking 9-incher that’s available to Americans, as well as a quieter exhaust that’s mandated by ADR drive-by noise rules. 

In other respects, the model represents solid value. The Z will easily undercut its most obvious rival the Toyota Supra, with that car opening at $87,003 (+ ORCs) in GT automatic form. There’s no word on whether the upcoming manual Supra will trim that price down.

However, it means the Nissan Z will no longer be the most affordable high-performance coupe. While the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ remain under the $50 000 barrier, they’ve always played in a lower performance tier to the Z. In terms of big-power coupes, the most affordable option is now the 6-speed manual version of Ford’s 5.0-litre V8-powered Mustang GT, which offers 339kW of power and 556Nm of torque for $64,390 (+ ORCs). 

The new Z will be launched locally in the middle of this year, with deliveries of the first model of Nissan’s big product offensive scheduled to commence in the latter half of 2022.