Well, it’s about time.
It seems like an eternity since we’ve had a new Nissan Z — and it has been. The 370Z debuted in 2009, and its predecessor, the 350Z arrived in 2002. Since the two are somewhat related mechanically, you can be excused for thinking the 2022 Nissan Z is older than Methuselah.
Before you throw rocks, consider its archrival, the Toyota Supra. It vanished from the scene sometime during the Clinton Administration after having grown noticeably in size and price alongside the Z. But whereas the 350Z returned to its roots in 2002, Toyota simply gave up on the Supra, content to peddle vanilla cars to vanilla customers — until 2019.
But upon its return, Toyota didn’t engineer its own car, despite being the largest automaker in the world and possessing a large enough cash hoard to fund it. Instead, it gussied up the BMW Z4 with little resemblance to any Supra ever produced. And while the Supra is a good car, it isn’t a good Toyota Supra because, well, it isn’t really a Toyota Supra.
Despite being the smaller automaker with far less cash, Nissan engineered an all-new Z itself, despite the company’s fragile international alliance with Renault and Mitsubishi set up by its fugitive ex-CEO Carlos Ghosn. It arrives as sports car sales in the U.S. have risen 25% in the past four years. Given that 75% of the Z’s sales come from the U.S., the new Z’s arrival is well-timed.
What the company has wrought should be as welcome as a cool drink on a sweltering summer day, one that’s clearly a modern take on its most iconic vehicle.
Its look is familiar, resembling the concept revealed two years ago and wearing not only classic 240Z styling cues, but also others nicked from other generations, such as the tail lamps derived from those on the 300ZX. Up front, you’ll find headlight shapes straight from the first generation, but updated with latest lighting technology. The Z’s body lines and window shapes are updated, but archetypal Z. It’s grille shape, said to be taken from the first Z, is the only part that seems off. Its plain, sizable maw seems a bit artless.
The new shape sits on a wheelbase that’s unchanged from the 370Z, although the car is five inches longer overall. Far better looking than the Supra, the new Z is at once familiar and fresh, a new take on an old acquaintance. For now, Nissan only offers it as a coupe, the convertible having been axed in 2019.
Lift the Z’s long hood and you’ll find a familiar face, Nissan’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 that’s also used in the Infiniti Q50 and Q60 Red Sport. It generates 400 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque through a six-speed manual transmission with high-performance clutch or a nine-speed automatic with drive modes and launch control. That’s up from 332 horsepower and 270 pound-feet in the 370Z.
Nissan has engineered the transmissions for its high-performance prodigy. The six-speed manual allows you to accelerate while shifting without lifting your foot off the throttle, while the automatic allows for some tire bark before giving in to grip. Needless to say, it works as advertised, bringing a grin to your face.
Remarkably, the vehicle’s underlying architecture doesn’t reveal its age, proving to be a solid, stiff foundation for the task at hand thanks to a 10.8 percent increase in torsional stiffness aided and abetted by wider tires.
What results once you’re behind the wheel is a consummate sports car. No, it’s not the fastest; if you need that, opt for the beastly Nissan GT-R. Instead, Nissan delivers a car that’s joy to drive, with precise steering, and handling that’s as predictable as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. This is one steed you’ll want to exercise, and exercise hard. OK, the electric steering could use a bit more feel, but you’ll find the suspension’s monotube dampers provide the perfect balance of roll stiffness and comfort. Adept at whatever you throw at it, either on the track or on your favorite two-lane, the Z makes for a most wonderful dance partner. No wonder it was originally called the Fairlady Z in Japan, after the musical. It will leave your soul singing.
Best of all, the cozy two-seat cabin keeps the updates to the essentials, so you can concentrate on driving. The Z is offered in Sport and up-level Performance trim. An eight-inch touchscreen and a six-speaker audio system are standard on the Sport; a nine-inch screen and a Bose eight-speaker audio system with noise cancellation and a Wi-Fi hotspot are standard on the Performance. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth and SiriusXM Radio are standard on all models. Best of all, the Z’s classic center-mounted gauges remain intact, providing readouts for turbocharger boost, turbocharger turbine speed and voltmeter.
Opt for the Proto Spec on Performance models and you’ll get an exclusive shift lever knob, exclusive leather-appointed seats with yellow accents, exclusive Proto Spec suede + cloth door trim with yellow stitching, and special Proto Spec interior stitching, as well as yellow-colored brake calipers and bronze-colored aluminum-alloy wheels.
But no matter what hue you opt for, you’ll find it will color your with a performance vibe that can only come from a new old friend.
2022 Nissan Z
Base price: $39,990-$52,990
Engine: 3.0-liter DOHC twin-turbocharged V-6
Horsepower/Torque: 400/350 pound-feet
EPA fuel economy: Not available
Fuel required: Premium
Length/Width/Height: 172.4/72.6/51.8 inches
Ground clearance: 4.8 inches
Cargo capacity: 6.9 cubic feet
