Nissan Z NISMO Fans Will Soon Get Their Wish
What's missing from the Nissan Z? A lower base price and better soundproofing are certainly good answers, but ask just about any driving purist and they’ll point to the lack of a manual transmission with the high-performance NISMO model, which only offers a nine-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
However, things are about to change. Nissan Americas' new president, Christian Meunier, revealed on a recent Automotive News podcast that a manual Z NISMO will be joining the lineup in the near future.
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When exactly? He wouldn’t say. The 2026 model has not yet been announced, and Nissan has given no indication of an upcoming update. The current generation of the Z dates back to 2023.
When blessed with the NISMO treatment, the Japanese sports coupe cranks its twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 up from 400 to 420 horsepower and from 350 to 384 lb-ft of torque. It also benefits from a reinforced chassis, a completely revised and beefier suspension, more aggressive brakes and Dunlop SP SPORT MAXX GT600 tires derived from the almighty GT-R.
Still, a number of fans and potential customers want more. Indeed, the Z NISMO would be much more engaging to drive with three pedals and a stick, both on the road and on the track. Sure, its acceleration times would be less impressive (0-100 km/h in 4.5 seconds with the autobox), but the thrill behind the wheel would make you forget about that.
The upcoming manual transmission will likely be the same unit found in the Sport and Performance models, with six gears and an Exedy high-performance clutch, although Nissan engineers are bound to make some changes to accommodate the Z NISMO's increased capabilities.
Excited yet? Oh, and in case you've missed it, check out our latest Nissan Z NISMO review.