2024 Nissan Z NISMO First Look: Is This What Enthusiasts Hoped For?

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The launch of the new Nissan Z car has been a bit of a roller coaster, both within Nissan and in the market. The debut of the high-performance 2024 Nissan Z NISMO is likely to continue that trajectory.

NISMO, for those not in the know, stands for Nissan Motorsports. This division has been responsible for some monster cars over the years and now it's had a go at the new Z. If you expect a GT-R engine, though, we've got bad news: The 2024 Nissan Z NISMO represents more of a going-over than a full rework.

More than anything else, the fact the 2024 Nissan Z NISMO will only be available with a nine-speed automatic transmission will likely come as the biggest disappointment to both Z and sports car fans. Both the base Z Sport and mid-grade Z Performance models are available with a six-speed manual which fits the car's old-school vibes, and you'd think fans were hoping this gearbox would be an option on the Z NISMO. But director of advance product planning, Paul Hawson, says otherwise.

Hawson tells MotorTrend that Nissan customer research showed Z buyers want quicker lap times. They want a car that can punch above its weight at a track day, and good modern automatics shift quicker than the best manuals. We already know the auto is 0.6-second quicker to 60 mph and through the quarter-mile, and it'll likely post a quicker lap time on a circuit as well. If it does, it'll be in part because this version of the automatic has revised clutch packs with extra plates promising quicker shifting, particularly downshifts which now take half as long as other models, Nissan says. It also says the car's new Sport+ drive mode is so good on the track that you don't need to use the paddle shifters.

Still, Hawson isn't ruling out adding a manual transmission option in the future. If enough customers demand it, he tells us, the company will make it happen.

Modest enhancements to the Z's twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 engine aren't a factor in the transmission choice, either. The Z NISMO makes 20 more horsepower and 34 more lb-ft of torque than the Sport and Performance versions for a total of 420 hp and 384 lb-ft. Nissan says the extra power comes from increased turbo boost and turbine speed (an extra 5,000 rpm for the turbine, which you'll see on the dash-top gauge) enabled by finer wastegate control, plus a cylinder-specific spark-timing system inspired by the GT-R and which required a new engine computer.

Getting the power down will continue to be aided by the same mechanical limited-slip differential as featured in the Z Performance, though Nissan says the launch control should feel "more aggressive" thanks to the transmission upgrades.

The second-biggest disappointment for performance enthusiasts will be the 2024 Nissan Z NISMO's 3,704-pound curb weight, making it the heaviest new Z you can buy. That's 102 pounds heavier than the next portliest trim and 218 pounds heavier than the lightest model.

There's good news, however. The incremental power gain is still enough to drop the weight-to-power ratio to 8.8 pounds per horsepower from 9.0 in the Z Performance automatic, and that figure is tied with the Z Performance manual. It's not as good as the Z Sport manual's 8.7, but it's moving in the right direction.

Nissan doesn't specify where the additional weight comes from, but Hawson confirms it's mostly the structural bracing in the front, rear, and under the rear floor. Nissan says the reinforcements, which are mostly additional welds, adhesives, and foams, are good for a modest 2.5-percent increase in torsional rigidity, at least. The bigger oil cooler and extra oil also contribute to the weight gain, as do the larger front brakes.

Weight is the enemy of performance, but not an enemy Hawson is particularly concerned about. He says Nissan has plenty of experience managing weight in a sports car and points to the GT-R as evidence. Further, he says removing features or incorporating expensive lightweight materials weren't necessary to get the driving behavior the NISMO team wanted.

The chassis bracing is a good indication of where NISMO's priorities lay. Most of the work done on this car centers around the handling. At the car's corners, larger, stiffer, track-tuned dampers and stiffer springs are complemented by stiffer anti-roll bars. Stiffer suspension and steering-rack bushings should also tighten things up. Hawson says the team's top priority was delivering a car that is fun and rewarding to drive on track and every change was made to that end. If modifying or replacing a particular component didn't improve the way the car feels to drive, it was left alone, which is why many of the individual changes are small on paper.

Exclusive NISMO-embossed 19-inch Rays nine-spoke wheels are a half-inch wider front and rear than those on the Z Performance but are "slightly" lighter. The big difference in lap times will no doubt come down to the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT600 tires, kissing cousin of the tire fitted to the GT-R and substantially stickier than the Z Performance's Bridgestone Potenza S007s. The front tires are the exact same size as those on the Z Performance, but the rears are 0.4 inch (10 millimeters) wider on the Z NISMO for better cornering performance. The ride height is unchanged from other Zs.

Backing them up are four-piston Akebono-branded front brake calipers now clamping 15.0-inch rotors, a full inch larger in diameter than the Z Performance's discs and intended to stand up better to track driving. Two-piston rear calipers clamp the same 13.8-inch rotors as found on the Z Performance. Track compound brake pads are fitted all around, which will hopefully address concerns about the Z's braking.

The final piece of the puzzle is an enhanced aerodynamic package courtesy of some new bodywork front and rear that NISMO says generates measurable downforce, though it doesn't say how much. The drag coefficient hasn't changed, so the aero improvements are either especially efficient or it's a small amount of downforce. Everyone will be talking about the nose job, as the standard Z's retro-inspired square grille has been controversial at best. This new nose, inspired by the 240ZG, stretches it to a trapezoid and inserts a horizontal bar near the top with a NISMO badge to break things up. Small vertical canards ahead of the front wheels should create beneficial vortices around those wheels.

The big news out back is the three-piece spoiler on the liftgate and rear fender tops that enhances and expands on the standard ducktail. Below, the rear bumper is reshaped with special attention paid to the corners where further GT-R inspiration contributes to better air separation and reduced drag. The tail, too, gets a NISMO badge.

New side sills are also said to reduce drag and lift, and though they look like they have an inlet ahead of the rear wheels, it's an aerodynamic element and not an air intake. There are also small fender flares all around to cover the equally small increases in track width compared to the Z Performance.

All 2024 Nissan Z NISMOs will stand out with the red stripe wrapping all the way around the bottom of the car, along with black roof, wheels, and door mirrors (which also get red stripes). The other big tell is the Katana-inspired trim piece between the windows and roof, which is now dark gray. There's also a NISMO-exclusive "stealth gray" paint color if you want to leave no doubt which Z you're driving.

The 2024 Nissan Z NISMO's interior has had less work done than the exterior, but it's tasteful. Leather and Alcantara Recaro seats with NISMO badges should come in handy on the track. The steering wheel also gets Alcantara at the nine and three positions, plus a red leather stripe at 12. Both the wheel and the seats get red accent stitching as well.

Elsewhere, the NISMO red theme carries over to the engine start/stop button and drive-mode rocker switch. It also shows up ringing the tachometer in the digital instrument cluster, which also gets a NISMO logo and a "special red flash" during the start-up animation.

Oh, and for 2024 all Z cars get the Amazon Alexa digital assistant built in.

Nissan hasn't announced the 2024 Z NISMO's price yet, but we won't have to wait too long. The car goes on-sale in the U.S. this fall. The Z Performance automatic starts at $52,085 with destination, so expect the NISMO to come in closer to $60,000 (before inevitable and insane dealer markups). We look forward to driving it to find out just how impactful all of the car's changes are when it comes to the package's outright dynamic performance.