Photo: AWE Tuning
Codenamed RZ34, the current-gen Z is closely related to the naturally-aspirated Z34 before it. Marketed as the Fairlady Z in Japan, the fastback-styled coupe will soon receive a nicer exhaust from Pennsylvania-based exhaust specialist AWE Tuning.
Backed up by a no check-engine-light guarantee, said exhaust suite comprises dual 3.0-inch piping, an X-pipe for a throatier soundtrack, and drone-canceling technology for the road-oriented Touring specification. There's also a Track option in the offing, advertised by the company as 50-state legal.
Founded in 1991, the exhaust specialist from Horsham further promises a dyno-proven gain of 6 horsepower compared to stock. Pricing information remains a mystery at press time, and we don't know if said exhausts are compatible with the Z NISMO. What we do know is that AWE offers either Chrome Silver or Diamond Black exhaust tips, as well as Track-to-Touring/Touring-to-Track conversion kits.
Manufactured at Nissan Motor Tochigi Plant in Kaminokawa on the assembly line that used to make the 370Z, the Z uses a slightly updated FM platform. The front-midship architecture can trace its roots back to the V35-series Nissan Skyline (2001 to 2007) and Infiniti G35 (2002 to 2007), which came with a 3.5-liter V6 bearing the VQ35DE codename. For the 2023 model year and beyond, the sole engine available is the VR30DDTT which Nissan also uses in the V37 Skyline and the Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400.
Think of it as the smaller brother of the R35-specific VR38DETT, a twin-turbo sixer that puts out up to 592 horsepower at 6,800 revolutions per minute and 481 pound-feet (652 Nm) of torque in the GT-R NISMO. By comparison, the 3.0-liter V6 mills in the Z and Z NISMO develop 400 horsepower and close to 420 ponies. Torque maxes out at 384 pound-feet (521 Nm), which is alright for this displacement and cylinder count. It could be much better, though…
The high-output Hurricane in the Jeep Grand Wagoneer, for example, has 510 horsepower and 500 pound-feet (678 Nm) to its name, thus besting the standard-issue HEMI 392 naturally-aspirated V8. We also have to remember that BMW squeezes out 503 and 479 (650) from the S58 twin-turbo I6 of the M3 Competition, a powerplant that's been proven to 553 horsepower in the manual-only 3.0 CSL coupe.
Be that as it may, there's no denying that Nissan offers the best value in the segment with the Z. At $40,990 for either the manual or torque-converter automatic (produced under license from Merc), the Japanese fastback coupe is more affordable than the four-cylinder Toyota GR Supra ($45,540), Ford Mustang GT ($42,495), Dodge Challenger R/T ($41,305), and slightly pricier than the Chevrolet Camaro LT1 ($40,395 sans the destination fee).
The RZ34 may also be the final combustion-only Z car, with Nissan currently pivoting to electric vehicles. Even the R36 is expected to embrace hybrid assistance in order to stay relevant. After all, both the Corvette E-Ray and 992.2 facelift of the Porsche 911 Turbo S have or will receive hybrid assistance.
Founded in 1991, the exhaust specialist from Horsham further promises a dyno-proven gain of 6 horsepower compared to stock. Pricing information remains a mystery at press time, and we don't know if said exhausts are compatible with the Z NISMO. What we do know is that AWE offers either Chrome Silver or Diamond Black exhaust tips, as well as Track-to-Touring/Touring-to-Track conversion kits.
Manufactured at Nissan Motor Tochigi Plant in Kaminokawa on the assembly line that used to make the 370Z, the Z uses a slightly updated FM platform. The front-midship architecture can trace its roots back to the V35-series Nissan Skyline (2001 to 2007) and Infiniti G35 (2002 to 2007), which came with a 3.5-liter V6 bearing the VQ35DE codename. For the 2023 model year and beyond, the sole engine available is the VR30DDTT which Nissan also uses in the V37 Skyline and the Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400.
Think of it as the smaller brother of the R35-specific VR38DETT, a twin-turbo sixer that puts out up to 592 horsepower at 6,800 revolutions per minute and 481 pound-feet (652 Nm) of torque in the GT-R NISMO. By comparison, the 3.0-liter V6 mills in the Z and Z NISMO develop 400 horsepower and close to 420 ponies. Torque maxes out at 384 pound-feet (521 Nm), which is alright for this displacement and cylinder count. It could be much better, though…
The high-output Hurricane in the Jeep Grand Wagoneer, for example, has 510 horsepower and 500 pound-feet (678 Nm) to its name, thus besting the standard-issue HEMI 392 naturally-aspirated V8. We also have to remember that BMW squeezes out 503 and 479 (650) from the S58 twin-turbo I6 of the M3 Competition, a powerplant that's been proven to 553 horsepower in the manual-only 3.0 CSL coupe.
Be that as it may, there's no denying that Nissan offers the best value in the segment with the Z. At $40,990 for either the manual or torque-converter automatic (produced under license from Merc), the Japanese fastback coupe is more affordable than the four-cylinder Toyota GR Supra ($45,540), Ford Mustang GT ($42,495), Dodge Challenger R/T ($41,305), and slightly pricier than the Chevrolet Camaro LT1 ($40,395 sans the destination fee).
The RZ34 may also be the final combustion-only Z car, with Nissan currently pivoting to electric vehicles. Even the R36 is expected to embrace hybrid assistance in order to stay relevant. After all, both the Corvette E-Ray and 992.2 facelift of the Porsche 911 Turbo S have or will receive hybrid assistance.
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