Who doesn’t remember the mid-1960s Ford Mustang and the venerable Z cars that followed? Fast forward to today’s Nissan Z and its Nismo variant — an awesome powerhouse that takes the Performance Z and modifies or replaces just about everything to enhance its track capabilities.
As for its name, Nissan Motorsports was formed in 1984, the performance subsidiary of Nissan that designs and manufactures just a handful of cars starting with the 1987 Skyline GT-R followed by the GT-R Nismo in 1990. Today there are just a few more Nismo’s on the road, or more suitably, track.
We snagged a 2024 Z Nismo prototype with disclaimers “not representative of the final production vehicle” since it included enhanced engine parts, diffusers, suspension, spoilers, alloy wheels, exhaust and other components.
All the new mods add more than 100 pounds, bringing it to 3,704 pounds with its twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 rated at 420 horse, an increase of 20 ponies compared with its predecessor. Engineers chose a nine-speed automatic rather than a manual transmission due to its quicker response time around the track.
With our independent testing, the Z Nismo reached 60 miles per hour in a quick 4.1 seconds. Lighter forged aluminum 19-inch Rays wheels are cloaked in Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT600 summer paws with wider rear rubber to increase grip.
Perhaps the biggest obstacle for the Nismo is its base price of $66,085, more than 12 grand above the Performance Z and higher than rival Toyota GR Supra, BMW M2 and close to Porsche 718 Cayman and the mid-engine Chevy Corvette. Clearly, the Z Nismo appeals to Z aficionados that appreciate the recognizable and original Datsun 240Z and don’t mind paying top dollar to have one of the limited production cars.
While its track credentials are well established, the Nismo handles pavement with ease as a daily driver. Exterior treatment is aerodynamic with ground effects, reflective red streak surrounding the perimeter, sporty front and rear fascia, exclusive front grille, rear spoiler and side sills.
Three drive modes provide forward power. Around town, Normal will handle most driving needs with a softer suspension. Toggle to Sport mode while taking things up a notch for swifter gear changes and throw back in your Recaro seats. It’s really all most drivers will need.
For track conditions and outright thrust elsewhere, engage a new Sport Plus mode to take full advantage of the 384-pound feet of all out torque. As if you needed more exhaust noise, the two Sport modes add audio pops and clatter sounds into the cabin.
Surprisingly, front seat adjustments are minimal with manual controls to move back or forward and that’s it. No up or down movement is available.
The infotainment system is a carryover from the standard Z with a larger 9-inch touchscreen. The Nismo has a full suite of driver assist features including adaptive cruise, front and rear parking sensors, rear cross traffic detection, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning and forward collision mitigation.
Bottom line. The Nismo is the ultimate Z car — fun to drive on the open road, track worthy and a tribute to its sports car origins.