Nissan Z (RZ34) Sports Car (2022)

Nissan Z RZ34 is the 7th-generation compact sports car bearing the Z moniker (also called Fairlady Z). Replacing the 370Z that has been on the market for a decade, the new Z comes with broad powertrain, chassis, and body upgrades and will go on the market for the 2023 model year.

Worth noting is the fact that the new Z shares the same RZ34 chassis code with the 370Z. The obvious reason given by Nissan is the fact that the new car, while enjoying many points of improvements, is built on a refined version of the same chassis. The deeper reason that motivated Nissan to do so is that compliance costs for new chasses have gone up dramatically; in order to keep the new Z affordable, Nissan decided to improve the old chassis.

Another interesting point is that the new Nissan Z RZ34 shares very similar dimensions with the Toyota GR Supra: The two cars have the same length, though the Nissan has a longer wheelbase. Its twin-turbocharged V6 engine puts out more power than the BMW-source B58, though it is down on torque.

Inside, drivers will be delighted to find that the new Z is still available with a 6-speed manual transmission. Nissan even keeps the real handbrake. While digital displays have replaced the instrument cluster, basic functions can still be accessed directly with physical buttons. Nissan also throws in three physical boost gauges on the dashboard, which must make tuners feel like home.

While Nissan's marketing team wants to talk about "technology" and displays, it is clear that buyers of the new Z are more likely to be attracted to the car for its driving characteristics and iconic lineage.