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2023 Nissan Z Track Battles Toyota Supra, It Sadly Isn’t Fast Enough

Let’s get one thing clear from the beginning: the joy a sports car brings to a driver isn’t measured in seconds to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) or in the quarter mile (402 meters). That’s the specialty of strip monsters and million-dollar exotics like the Bugatti Chiron. The sports car is best enjoyed in the corners, yet Nissan didn’t get it right with the Z.
2023 Nissan Z vs Supra feat WRX, Miata, Veloster N, F-Pace SVR — Jason Cammisa on the ICONS Ep. 07 33 photos
Photo: Hagerty on YouTube
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In the hands of Randy “The Rocket” Pobst, a manual-equipped model with the row-your-own tranny goes 1:25.32 on the Streets of Willow Springs road course. Opting for the nine-speed automatic, which is produced by Nissan subsidiary JATCO under license from German automaker Mercedes, helps the Z improve to 1:24.76 with the same guy behind the steering wheel.

The Supra, which used to be offered exclusively with an eight-speed automatic until the 2023 model rolled out, recorded 1:22.09 in similar conditions. How is that possible? Jason Cammisa is much obliged to explain how the cookie crumbles, but aren’t we missing the point here a little bit?

Tracking a sports car is fine, a lot of people do it. On the other hand, most sports car owners use their vehicles on public roads. The VR twin-turbo V6 is a big step up in terms of refinement from the naturally-aspirated VQ of the 370Z, according to Cammisa, who further notes the Z feels a bit stiff in day-to-day scenarios. On the racetrack, “it’s got a lot of body motions.”

Cammisa further highlights the confidence-inspiring brake feel. What’s not particularly inspiring comes in the guise of electrically-assisted steering that lacks feedback. “It doesn’t tell you anything until you have spun it. I think a lot of people are going to do exactly that,” which is expected of a sports car. A sedan-based sports car, according to Cammisa, not a purpose-built sports car like the Mazda MX-5 Miata that still is in a league of its own.

Not as enjoyable as the Supra or as pure as the Miata, the Z is a reminder for us “to stop and smell the roses,” a conclusion that can be interpreted in a dystopian way. More specifically, a day will come when driving enthusiasts will yearn for something like the Z instead of a soulless appliance.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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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.
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