Nissan Z: Nismo version gets a manual at last as evergreen sports car upgraded

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Nissan has delivered two blasts from the past with its updated Z sports car; the standard model gets retro styling, while the Z Nismo gains a long-demanded manual.

The regular Z produces an unchanged 298kW and 475Nm from a three-litre twin-turbocharged V6, sent to the rear wheels through either a six-speed manual or a nine-speed automatic sourced from Mercedes-Benz, both with rev-matching.

Both versions are the same price; $76,800 before on-roads, a refreshingly small year-on-year markup of just $640.

The regular Z also gets a new front bumper, new 19-inch wheels and a Z badge displacing the Nissan logo on the front, all three of which are callbacks to the classic 240Zs of yore. 

A striking new Umryu Green paint option is available for an extra charge, as is the reintroduced Boulder Grey. Tan upholstery is a new no-cost option, which means the beloved tan-on-green combo can now be had on the Z.

The updates go beyond nostalgia bait, with Nissan claiming upgraded monotube dampers improve both handling and ride comfort.

Nismo version revised

The biggest news though is from Nismo, Nissan’s motorsports skunkworks, which has finally made a six-speed manual available in its enhanced Z Nismo.

Upon launch two years ago, the Z Nismo came solely with the auto. Adding insult to purists’ injury, it was and remains Mercedes’ torque-converter version, not AMG’s sharper multi-clutch version – though Chasing Cars liked the automatic, many potential buyers didn’t.

Nismo hasn’t stopped at the gearbox. New two-piece front brake rotors filter down from the Nissan GT-R, which are 9.0kg lighter than the brakes they replace. 

The V6 is uprated to 309kW and 520Nm, while Recaro seats replace Nissan’s own pews. Nismo has left the exterior alone, the Z carrying over the existing styling theme. Both manual and auto Z Nismos are $95,000 before on-roads.

The GT-R was discontinued in 2025 after a full 18 years in production, and the Z, being a heavy update of 2008’s 370Z rather than a clean-sheet redesign, promises to be another Methuselah from Nissan. 

To update the cabin slightly, a wireless phone charger and auto-dimming rear view mirror are now standard, as is ‘a new intelligent-key design’.

Priced competitively

The maturing Z and Z Nismo family remain competitively priced in what’s a shrinking sportscar landscape, with the likes of the V8-powered Ford Mustang GT manual ($84,917) splitting the Japanese pair. 

Compared to the $128,600 BMW M2, the Nissan appears a bargain, but compared to the admittedly slower Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ twins ($43,940 and $47,890 respectively), it’s daylight robbery.

Warranty and roadside assistance are both 10 years and 300,000km – so long as you service your Z with Nissan. If you don’t, this reverts to a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty and a one-year, unlimited-kilometre roadside assistance package.

Sales of the upgraded Nissan Z will begin this month, with first deliveries expected in September.

2026 Nissan Z: prices in Australia

All prices listed are before on-road costs.

• Nissan Z (manual or automatic): $76,800
• Nissan Z Nismo (manual or automatic): $95,000