One of the most celebrated sports cars will make a triumphant return to Australia soon, although some fans may baulk at the price.
Nissan will go back to the future soon when it launches a new version of its famed Z sports car.
The much-needed successor to the 370Z, now simply called the Z, will arrive mid-year priced from $73,300 plus on-road costs. That’s a huge leap from the previous car, which started at $50,490 plus on-roads.
Early adopters will be asked to pay even more for a special edition “Proto Spec” version that has a special two-tone yellow and black paint job, bespoke interior and 19-inch bronze forged alloy wheels with yellow brake calipers. Available in limited numbers the “Proto Spec” version will cost $80,700.
To compensate for the price increase, the new Z delivers a big boost in power, a more modern interior and the safety tech missing on its dated predecessor.
A modern 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 replaces the old school 3.7-litre V6. Power is up from 245kW to 298kW, while torque jumps from 363Nm to 475Nm.
The engine, which featured in the discontinued Infiniti Q60, should transform the driving experience, as maximum torque arrives at a low 1600rpm, compared with 5200rpm with the old motor.
Nissan didn’t quote a 0-100km/h for the 370Z and says only that the new car will shave the 0-100km/h time by 15 per cent, but it is expected to stop the clock at less than 5 seconds flat. Launch control is standard on the car.
The styling of the new seventh-generation Z pays homage to earlier versions of the car. The headlight design pays homage to the original 1969 240Z, while the tail-lights are reminiscent of the 300ZX coupe that sold in the 1990s.
The new cabin is light-years away from the dated interior of the 370Z, which launched here in 2009 and was more or less a major upgrade of the previous 350Z that launched in 2003.
Leather-accented sports seats are complemented by a 12.3-inch digital driver display with several different configurations, while an 8-inch centre screen can mirror the display on both Apple and Android phones.
Modern safety features such as auto emergency braking, forward collision warning, blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are also included.
More importantly for sports car enthusiasts the new Z will retain a close-ratio six-speed auto, paired with a high-performance clutch linked to the rear wheels by a carbon-fibre composite drive shaft.
An optional nine-speed auto comes with paddle shifters and two shift modes – standard and sport.
Nissan managing director, Adam Paterson, says the new model will be the “Fastest, most powerful and most exciting Z car ever”.
Originally published as Nissan Z pricing announced ahead of mid-year launch
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