Since its introduction earlier in 2023, the Nissan Z has been nothing short of a stunning success. It’s the first Nissan sports car since the 370Z, and its V6 twin-turbo power provides all the horsepower needed for some incredible driving experiences.
Unlike so many of its rivals, the Nissan Z is a budget-friendly sports car. With a starting price of $40,990, it opens up the segment to more people.
The Nissan Z has also proven already that it is also mod-friendly, with plenty of people and companies already deciding to take the sports car and unleash even more performance. It’s a sports car that is doing a lot of good right now, and it is also a sports car that we likely all wish we could drive.
Modders Are Already Getting Their Hands Dirty With The Nissan Z
2023 Nissan Z Engine Specs
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Manufacturer |
Nissan |
|
Production Years |
2016 – Present |
|
Configuration |
Twin-Turbo V6 |
|
Displacement |
3.0-Liter |
|
Power |
400 hp |
|
Torque |
350 lb-ft |
|
Fuel |
Gasoline |
|
Notable Applications |
Infiniti Q50/Nissan Skyline |
Even though the Nissan Z is new to the market, plenty of tuner shops and modders are already getting their hands on the Nissan sports car. One of those tuning shops is Z1 Motorsports, which has an incredible showroom with an insane number of mods for the Nissan Z.
The relative practicality of working on the Nissan Z means that fitting new parts is quite easy, and Z1 Motorsports are able to add 3D-printed parts to the car. This has also revolutionized what tuners can do to the Nissan Z.
Automotive content creator Larry Chen recently checked out a modified Nissan Z by Sung Kang and Veilside Team. This particular Z sports tributes to Han’s Mazda RX-7 from the Fast and Furious Tokyo Drift movie.
This time, the majority of the modifications are cosmetic. The body kit across the Nissan is very extreme, with a prominent splitter, a new rear spoiler, and chrome across the window tops. The versatility of Nissan Z mods are great, with this body kit a clip-on kit, adding extra width to create a wide-body Nissan Z. The clip nature of the changes means the Nissan can easily go back to stock if the owner desires.
Why The 2023 Nissan Z Has Become So Highly Regarded
We were lucky enough to get to drive the Nissan Z recently on its home turf in Japan, both on the highway and on Japan’s most famed “touge” or mountain pass. Driving the Nissan Z from Tokyo to Hakone, the Nissan Z is able to stretch its legs and cruise.
It is in this area that the sports car excels. It’s a comfortable sports car to be in, and the quietness of the cabin only adds to the very pleasurable driving experience. Few sports cars can come close to that.
When considering that the Nissan has a 400 hp engine under the hood, getting a fuel efficiency number of just over 27 MPG is nothing short of remarkable. But once we took the car onto the Hakone Turnpike, the Nissan Z was really able to stretch its legs.
Gone is the relaxing, long-distance cruiser, and in comes the powerful and punch sports car that the Nissan Z is at heart. With 350 lb-ft of torque, the Nissan Z is really able to punch out of the corners, and it picks up speed with ease from its rear wheels. The only downside is the lack of stability of the car in first gear.
What helps the Nissan Z to perform so well is the remarkable powertrain that is under the hood. The 3.0-liter VR230DDTT twin-turbo V6 is the same engine found under the hood of the current Infiniti Q55.
400 hp is more than enough for some truly epic fun on mountain roads and racetracks. For gearheads, things are even better thanks to the six-speed manual transmission, allowing drivers to really feel the power and torque that is underneath their right foot.
Modding The 2023 Nissan Z Will Elevate Its Performance
While not everyone will want to modify their car, the mod-friendly nature of the Nissan Z only adds to its appeal. To showcase the potential of the Nissan Z and modifications, GReddy tweaked things a bit on one example to extract more performance.
They tweaked the speed limiter, modified the exhaust, and added boost pressure to the Nissan. With that in mind, GReddy was able to get the 2023 Z up from its 155 mph top speed to 177 mph. They achieved this by modifying the ECU software. A muffler on the exhaust system added 10 hp, while all the other changes ensured the 2023 Nissan Z now has 474 hp and 517 lb-ft of torque.
As some of the cars at the Tokyo Auto Salon show, this is on the tamer end of the modification spectrum. There is clearly the potential for the Nissan Z to have even more performance and power unlocked.
Nissan Have Unveiled Their Own Custom Z Sports Cars
It isn’t just tuners though that are unveiling modified Nissan Z’s. Nissan recently took the covers off the new Nissan NISMO Z and showed off the 2023 sports car with a new streamlined grille. This rectified one of the only criticisms leveled at the Z. A more aggressive rear diffuser is another notable addition to this Nissan, as are the two red and black Recaro racing seats and the strip along the rear of the Nissan.
This new Nissan Z is similar to that of the Fairlady Z Customized Proto unveiled in Japan in 2022.
Then there was a retro orange Nissan Z that removed the awkward grille on the standard production car and paid homage to the Fairlady Z432R, also known as the Datsun 240Z. The stunning orange paintwork comes with dual exhaust pipes, a large rear spoiler, and white Nissan Z logos on the tires.
Sadly, the Customized Z was only a concept model but it did win the Grand Prix in the Tokyo International Custom Car Contest in 2022. Both Nissan and the various modders and tuners have shown just what potential there is at the heart of their latest sports car. With that in mind, the Nissan Z is quite a bargain as prices in the automotive industry continue to rise.
Sources: Nissan