√2023 Nissan Z Nismo imagined, with help from spy photos

Spy photos reveal Nissan is developing a hotter Nismo variant of its new Z coupe. Here’s how it could look once the camouflage is removed.

New computer illustrations have previewed the production look of the 2023 Nissan Z Nismo sports coupe ahead of overseas showroom arrivals by the middle of next year.

Keen-eyed social media users – and professional spy photographers – caught the first glimpse of the Z Nismo last week, previewing more aggressive styling, and a high-performance tyre and brake package.

Now Drive has tasked digital artist Theottle with stripping away the camouflage, about six months before Japanese media reports claim it is due in overseas showrooms – with more power and an estimated $100,000 price tag.

The Z Nismo follows a similar path to Nissan’s Nismo versions of the 350Z and 370Z, with unique front and rear bumpers, red accents, new wheels and tyres, larger brakes, an enlarged rear spoiler, and subtle wheel-arch flares.

As with the 350Z Nismo, the future Z Nismo’s front bumper is expected to make the standard car’s rectangular grille wider and lower – dropping the ‘leading edge’ of the bumper – for a sleeker look.

Spy photos point to a distinctive, ‘moustache’ like piece of black trim stretching across the grille, while there’s expected to be a new front splitter with sporty ‘end plates’ and red striping.

The wheels on the prototype spied appear to be 20-inch forged alloys from the GT-R Nismo supercar – up from 19-inch alloys on the standard Z in Australia – hiding larger brake discs and upgraded red calipers, and subtle wheel-arch flares.

The Z Nismo is expected to wear Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tyres – another item shared with the (now discontinued in Australia) Nissan GT-R performance flagship.

The rear bumper appears to be more aggressive than the Nissan Z in showrooms today. The rear spoiler is wider – extending beyond the span of the tailgate – and there appears to be more red accenting and Nismo branding.

As previously reported by Drive, respected Japanese magazine Best Car reports Nismo plans to extract more power from the current Z’s 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6, which today is rated at 298kW (or 400 horsepower) and 475Nm.

The magazine says the Nismo is expected to be available with a choice of six-speed manual and nine-speed automatic transmissions, sending power to the rear wheels (as per the regular model).

The Nismo variant is reported to offer lower, retuned suspension, a sports exhaust system, Yamaha performance dampers (for the chassis, not suspension), and increased chassis bracing.

Best Car claims Nismo-exclusive features will include Recaro sports seats similar to the 370Z Nismo, unique upholstery with red stitching, a leather and Alcantara steering wheel, and revised instrument graphics.

The 2023 Nissan Z Nismo is due in Japanese showrooms mid next year, according to Best Car.

The publication claims the flagship model could be priced from eight or nine million Japanese yen – 25 to 40 per cent dearer than a top-of-the-range standard Z, pointing to a price of $95,000 or $100,000 plus on-road costs in Australia.

The post 2023 Nissan Z Nismo imagined, with help from spy photos appeared first on Drive.