Nissan Z 3D Frame

The Nissan Z-series is a model series of sports cars manufactured by Nissan in seven generations since 1969. The original Z was first sold on October of 1969 in Japan as the Nissan Fairlady Z at Nissan Exhibition dealerships that previously sold the Nissan Bluebird. It was initially marketed as the Datsun 240Z for international customers. Since then, Nissan has manufactured seven generations of Z-cars, with the most recent—simply known as the Nissan Z—in production since 2022.

The seventh-generation Nissan Z was first hinted at in 2018, when Alfonso Albaisa, senior vice president for global design at Nissan, confirmed to Australian automotive magazine WhichCar that a successor to the Nissan 370Z was being developed. On March 19, 2020, Nissan filed a trademark for two new logos: one was its new corporate logo, while the other was a new version of the Z-car logo, further confirming the existence of a new Z-car. Then, on May 28, 2020, as part of its global restructuring plan, named “Nissan Next”, Nissan’s official YouTube channel released a one-minute, twelve-second video showcasing its updated vehicle lineup, including the new Z-car; this video also confirmed the claim that the new Z-car would have retro styling, with its overall shape and circular running lights referencing the 240Z. On September 15, 2020, Nissan revealed the prototype version called the “Nissan Z Proto”. The prototype is 4,382 mm (172.5 in) long, which is 142 mm (5.6 in) longer than the current Nissan Z car, the 370Z, and no wider.

The production 2023 Nissan Z was revealed on August 17, 2021, in New York City. Debuting as a 2023 model, the Nissan Z is the brand’s first Z car without a number in the model name (which in the past had reflected the displacement of the engine). On August 18, 2021, Nissan confirmed that the new Z would not carry the Z35 chassis code but instead the RZ34 chassis code. The seventh generation Z is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0L VR30DDTT V6 producing 406 PS (299 kW; 400 hp) and 350 lb-ft of torque mated to a six speed manual transmission complete with an Exedy clutch or a nine-speed automatic Jatco transmission.