There's much to love about the Nissan Z, though some folks aren't particularly fond of its large, rectangular grille. It seems Nissan is listening, because a new front fascia with a split-grille design is coming as an option later this year for buyers in Japan. Availability for other markets is still unknown.
We first saw this split grille nearly a year ago on the Nissan Fairlady Z Customized Proto. It debuted at the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon, and it returned for display at the 2023 event just a few weeks ago. The prototype features other small exterior tweaks, but the fascia with a thin upper grille and a wider lower grille is what grabs the eye. At the time, Nissan said it was relegated to this prototype but Japanese Nostalgic Car reports the fascia will enter production in mid-2023 as a dealer-installed option.
Gallery: Nissan Fairlady Z Customized Proto
Unfortunately, it seems the upgrade is exclusive to Japan. Motor1.com contacted Nissan to ask about potential availability in North America, and we will certainly update this post if new information surfaces. However, there could be other factors at play for the optional face in the US.
Last July, we spotted a Nissan Z test vehicle in Arizona with a camouflaged nose. It appeared to have the split-grille fascia, leading to speculation of a future Z Nismo model in the works. More spy photos surfaced in December 2022, showing two test vehicles wearing various amounts of camouflage that further support the split-grille Nismo theory. As such, it's possible the design won't be an optional upgrade in North America, but standard on a Nismo model.
Gallery: Nissan Z Nismo Spy Shots
If that's the case, it could be a while before we have an answer for Z fans in the States. While the standard model debuted in 2021, it didn't go on sale until 2022. It's possible a reveal might happen later this year, coinciding with the release of the new fascia for Japan.
