As much as I defend Toyota for compromising the Supra’s underpinnings with BMW parts, the fifth-gen model is outshined by the all-new Z. Coming out next year, the Nissan-branded rival flaunts better styling devoid of any unnecessary garnishing such as fake air vents.
Filmed by James Bell on the public roads of Phoenix, this validation prototype is pretty much the production-spec Z with black tape on the badges. I can’t explain why Nissan tries to hide the Z and Nissan badging after the grand unveiling, but regardless, that spec certainly is marvelous.
At launch, three monotone colors will be offered: Black Diamond Metallic, Rosewood Metallic, and the pictured Gun Metallic. The rear-wheel-drive sports car is further available in six exterior colors combined with a Super Black-painted roof. These are Boulder Gray, Seiran Blue, Ikazuchi Yellow, Passion Red TriCoat, Everest White Pearl TriCoat, and Brilliant Silver.
The wheels and calipers lead me to believe that we’re also dealing with the Performance trim level that sits above the Sport grade. By Performance, the peeps at Nissan refer to 19-inch RAYS lightweight wheels, Bridgestone Potenza S007 rubber shoes, a more sonorous exhaust muffler, beefier calipers and rotors, a mechanical limited-slip differential, and a plethora of convenience and premium-oriented features. The latter include 9.0-inch touchscreen infotainment with satellite navigation, Bose audio, Wi-Fi hotspot, heated and power leather-appointed seats, plus heated mirrors.
Available with either a six-speed manual or a nine-speed automatic produced by JATCO under license from Mercedes-Benz (yes, it’s a 9G-Tronic automatic transmission), the all-new Z takes its mojo from a 3.0-liter V6 that you already know from the Infiniti Q50, Q60, and the JDM Skyline.
VR30DDTT is how Nissan calls the force-fed powerplant. In this application, the Japanese automaker quotes 400 ponies at 6,400 revs and 350 pound-feet (475 Nm) from 1,600 to 5,200 rpm. Those numbers will keep the 3.0-liter Toyota Supra on its toes, but on the other hand, an instrumented comparison on the strip and circuit will settle this rivalry once and for all.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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