Driving Impressions: 2023 Nissan Z

By: Mark Moskowitz MD

Z-Vival

Revival or Survival – Nissan's 2023 Z

Something had to be done. Nissan's now fifty plus year old sports car's US sales had fallen from 27,278 units in 2005 to 7,391 in 2015 and continued to fall by more than 1000 units annually for the next four years. The auto manufacturer had signed off production in 2020 with a model that was advertised as sold out after just 1955 units had left dealerships. Was it concentration on electrics or more likely small SUVs? Or the distractions of adventures at the corporate top? Or was it the French?

I shall admit to biases. I've owned six of the Datsun sports cars from the sixties. My wife graduated from a 510 sedan and our first new car purchase together was a 510 wagon. And while saddened when they abandoned their English roadster (how else could one describe the Datsun 2000?), I could not help but admire the stunning 240Z. Hiatus is OK but the Z is too important to shelve indefinitely.

The new Z rides on the 370's chassis. Wheelbase, width and more are unchanged. But it's better. Twin turbos boost a smaller but more effervescent V-6. Power is delivered via a 9-speed automatic which, when in sport mode, always seems to be in the right gear. (Launch control is built in to the automatic.) There's no cost differential between this transmission and the six-speed manual but I would challenge one to go quicker with the latter. I found 0-60 achievable at 4.5 seconds (I-pad timer). Think about the competition; that's very quick.

The Z was agile in the parking lot and around town, and the steering precise throughout the variety of speeds and surfaces encountered. Much has been done to improve handling – more chassis bracing, bigger shocks, electronic steering and new suspension geometry. Dampers are softer than before; the Z was predictable and even rode well over bumps and other road imperfections. It traveled high speed twisties with aplomb but its softness deterred me from finding its limits. Motor Trend recorded lateral acceleration limits at .92g, a bit lower than many modern sports cars. No surprise that I could get the Z sideways around pylons but I could easily get it back.

Styling changes while not dramatic are for the good. Nissan's press releases intimate that the best views are from the side. I agree. Gone are the distraction of longitudinal accent lights up front and headlights which cut an irregular outline in the fender. That lateral view of the Passion Red Z (a $1695 paint option) evoked the memory of Bob Sharp's spoiler equipped race cars of the seventies.

The late century Z32 provided inspiration for the tail lights. Cooling is facilitated by a single grill inlet; viewed from a crouch it seems disproportionately large. From any other angles, it's appropriate if not racey. A black roof is offered in combination with multiple colors; homage to earlier t-tops, perhaps. It's a strong addition.

I found the interior attractive and convenient. The Performance package added leather to the seats outer shell. The center suede gripped well and seemed cooler than all but actively ventilated seats. One could complain that the right-sided electric seat adjustments are limited to back angle and distance from pedals, but these are supplemented with a pair of manual controls which separately elevate the front and rear of the seat bottom. Do it just right and the base of the seat back acts as a lumbar support. Once adjusted I found the seating position optimal and comfortable. (Most sports cars are not shared by their owners- I am not averse to the cost and weight savings of manual adjustments.) The foot wells were roomy and 'knee wells' wide with padded surrounds. Four hours behind the wheel left me cool and collected though no small part of this was an easy to adjust and powerful climate control system with tntc (too numerous to count) outlets.

A multiprogrammable digital dashboard is supplemented by an 8-inch touch screen (which allows Android and Apple input) in the base model and a 9-inch display with Nav in the Performance edition. I never found harmony with the Nav's voice command system.

Cool bits worthy of mention include a retro three pack of gauges which pop out of the dash. Boost, turbo speed and charging are measured. I am not certain that these three represent the combination I would most desire for the easiest visibility – but again very cool. A horizontally oriented automatic shifter was both low profile and easy to activate without direct visualization. The paddles worked well too. Accessible, shallow storage bins are positioned behind each seat. Though keys, phone, and wallet fit in a cubby at the front of the console, they would be well placed there as would a purse. An IPad fits in the compartments but does not lay flat.

Both the base and Performance packages represent value in today's market. Specifically, the Performance version adds bigger four piston front an two piston rear painted calipers, 19 inch RAYS wheels, spoilers, an eight speaker premium stereo, heated seats and outside mirrors, and more. Both packages boast a solid chassis and a powerful motor. I can recommend them both. The new Z should be a hit for Nissan.

One could call the Z a bargain GT. My musings included the eventual additions of an adjustable suspension and adjustable bolsters (for drivers bigger than me - 5'10' 190 lbs.), park assist with a front facing camera, and perhaps a heads-up display. A package like that would give some Eurocars costing twice as much very effective competition.

Photo credit: Mark Moskowitz MD

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