View Photos of the 2023 Nissan Z Performance
The best Z in recent memory needs better tires and more intelligent dampers to run with the pack leaders.
We were extremely excited at the prospect of a new Nissan Z. Turns out, we wish Nissan had taken the revamped car a bit further.
The new Z shares more with the 370Z than its well-executed heritage styling suggests, with a largely carryover chassis bringing along the same wheelbase, overall width, and height.
The nose is nearly five inches longer, because the designers not only wanted to mimic the graceful hood of the original 240Z, they also needed to accommodate layers of heat exchangers within the nose.
The Z Performance costs $51,015, and there are no significant options besides paint, with our $1695 Passion Red with black roof two-tone treatment being the priciest choice.
The Bridgestone S007 B-Silent tires don't generate all that much grip, even though the 255/40R-19 front and 275/35R-19 sizing found on the Z Performance nearly matches that of the Toyota GR Supra 3.0.
You can't see the clutch-type rear limited-slip differential, of course, but it's a feature that only comes on the Z Performance, and it truly does help put the power down unfailingly.
The six-speed manual is easier to operate than the 370Z's comparatively stiff shift action, but there's still a bit of rubberiness when your shift action gets more deliberate.
Major interior dimensions such as headroom, legroom, and hip room are identical to the 370Z, but it's easier to tweak your driving position because the steering wheel now telescopes.
The subwoofer is under the rear cargo area, which tends to make the stereo's sound quality wildly dependent on whether you have cargo back there.
The upper half of the dash and instrument panel come off well, but unwelcome 370Z relics linger farther down, in the form of iffy HVAC controls, ill-conceived power-seat adjustment switches, and parts-bin seat-heater and trunk-release switchgear.
A nine-speed automatic costs the same as the six-speed manual, but you can probably guess which one we favor.
2023 Nissan Z Performance
2023 Nissan Z Performance
2023 Nissan Z Performance
2023 Nissan Z Performance
2023 Nissan Z Performance
2023 Nissan Z Performance
2023 Nissan Z Performance
2023 Nissan Z Performance
2023 Nissan Z Performance
2023 Nissan Z Performance
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