Tales from RMDE 2022 - Nissan Z
One of the most exciting cars at this year's Rocky Mountain Driving Experience was the 2023 Nissan Z that has just started hitting dealerships. Packing a twin-turbo 3.0 V-6 (the first factory turbo since the Z32 300ZX of the 1990's), the new Z is rocking 400hp which makes it the most…
One of the most exciting cars at this year's Rocky Mountain Driving Experience was the 2023 Nissan Z that has just started hitting dealerships. Packing a twin-turbo 3.0 V-6 (the first factory turbo since the Z32 300ZX of the 1990's), the new Z is rocking 400hp which makes it the most powerful car in its segment. The new car brings styling elements heavily cribbed from Nissan's original 240Z combined with rear lights reminiscent of those on the 90's ZX. Door handles are vertical in orientation and hint at those from the 350 and 370Z cars that immediately preceded this model and which the Z shares a platform.
This is the latest Z built on Nissan's FM chassis that has been with us since 2001 with the original Infiniti G35. It is a flexible platform that has been able to be modified to be the basis of every front-engined, rear drive application from Nissan and Infiniti from that G sedan and coupe, the Z cars, the Nissan Skyline/GT-R, and even rear-drive based crossovers. Here we have close to a 3600 lb sports car...but its low center of gravity and turbo power hides it's excess weight (200+ lbs more than the 370Z this car replaces).
Inside, the new Z has a driver focused cockpit featuring a center stack topped with a trio of auxiliary gauges that nod to the original Z as well as practically every Z through the last 50 years (save the aforementioned Z32 with it's very 90's interior treatment). In the new Z, the gauges give the driver insight into the turbo (boost pressure in the leftmost dial and turbine rpm in the center) as well as the charging system status way over on the right.
Below the auxiliary gauges you'll find a contemporary 9" touchscreen display (in the performance trim, 8” in the sport model) with support for wireless Apple CarPlay and (not wireless) Android Auto. At the bottom of the center stack, you'll find manual climate controls.
In front of the driver, there is a 12.3" fully virtual display with modes that are customized to the 3 display modes. Normal displays a speedometer and tachometer with a small center display of navigation or entertainment info. Enhanced reduces the sizes of the gauges and expands the center display. Sport mode, however is where it is at when bombing around your local racetrack with a central tachometer, upshift indicator, as well as performance extra gauges to the side (which can be customized to your preference). Some options for these extra gauges include a g-meter or operating info like oil pressure and temperature.
Note, the manual Z does not have driving modes, per se. The modes in question only alter what shows up on the instrument display. The automatic does have driving modes and this alters transmission behavior.
But, what is it like to actually drive this highly anticipated sports car?
To not put too fine a point on it...it is a delight. Nissan seems to have found a way to make the new car an engaging drive. I am an owner of a 3rd generation Miata. Part of what I love about my daily driver is that it is a perfectly usable car for day-to-day, never hitting you over the head that it is a sports car when you just need to get about your business...but, when you decide to have fun it is totally ready to dash down a canyon road or partake in a track day. So, it is with this glowing opinion of the Miata that I say the new Z reminds me of a Miata with 2.5 times the power. It is FAST, even though it is carrying around easily 25% more that the aforementioned Miata. However it never beats you up or reminds you that it is a sports car when it would be inconvenient.
The Z goes exactly where you point it. It allows you to control cornering with the throttle - with a slight lift of the gas causing the line to tighten up just a hair. It is a nice personality trait that gives you confidence that the car is not going to bite you if you push a bit too hard.
Visibility is good for a 2-seater. Space for nicknacks is just what you would hope for (with even a dedicated spot to the left of the shifter for a smart phone to live (it is lovely that you don't have to allocate a cupholder to hold your phone...though a wireless charging feature there would be nice. Room under the hatch is nice and a retractable cargo cover that attaches to the hatch helps makes sure your belongings stay hidden when that's what you prefer.
The manual is back to a 6-speed from the last Z's 7-speed manual. The previous car's optional rev-match feature is now standard though can be turned off if desired. The feature blips the throttle for you during downshifts, helping you match revs and not upset the balance of the car with driveline shocks. The optional 9-speed automatic also has it's own rev-match feature - but any real sports car intender really should try to get the manual transmission unless you are physically unable to drive with both feet and both hands involved. The manual is that good.
This is the first Z with electric power steering, though weight and feel are nicely done...there isn't a ton of communication coming back through the wheel (but our test drive was on public roads with plenty of other drivers around - so pushing hard enough to really notice how much communication you can expect at the limit wasn't on the menu.
Seats are nicely grippy without being too tight. Pedals are nicely positioned with enough room for my size 11's without feeling cramped.
The Z is a fun canyon carver, but that doesn't mean Nissan neglected safety gear. The Z is available with adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking with collision warning and pedestrian detection. Additionally, there is a lane departure warning system as well as blind spot warning. The Z also has ultrasonic sensors that enable a cross-traffic alert that helps you keep from pulling into crossing traffic, which is helpful when you can't see around obstacles. The last active safety feature is a high-beam assist that will deactivate your high-beams when a car is approaching and re-activate them as soon as the road is clear. A full compliment of passive safety gear is present as well with all the airbags you might expect. So, plenty of assistance and safety systems, but don't expect the car to drive for you as we are beginning to see in luxury models these days.
Overall, Nissan should have a winner on their hands. It is so nice to see a company honoring their history and keeping a true sports car in the lineup despite the world moving quickly to all-electric and self-driving offerings.
Rocky Mountain Driving Experience 2022
Time to get back to reviewing cars. I re-joined the Rocky Mountian Automotive Press and today is the annual Rocky Mountain Driving Experience.
A day full of driving and forming opinions of some of the newest cars on the market
Should be fun.
Time to get back to reviewing cars. I re-joined the Rocky Mountian Automotive Press and today is the annual Rocky Mountain Driving Experience.
A day full of driving and forming opinions of some of the newest cars on the market
Should be fun.