Behold: the Nissan Z Nismo

Last month we reported that Nissan released a teaser of the Z Nismo. Now, the Japanese brand has unveiled its beefed up sports car and things are looking quite good.

The clever engineers at Nissan have been able to get an extra 20 horsepower and 34 pound-feet of torque from the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 by tinkering with the cooling system and adding some boost. The Z Nismo has 420 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque at its disposal. All the power is sent to the rear wheels NOT via a manual gearbox. Boo.

Instead, the Z Nismo is offered with a nine-speed automatic gearbox with the manual nowhere to be seen even on the options list. While Nissan says that the nine-speed transmission "has been enhanced for faster and more dynamic shifting performance”, we’ll sorely miss the manual gearbox.

On the outside, the Z has got the full Nismo treatment with red accents, a lip spoiler sits at the base of the front fascia, and a wider,  taller and larger three-piece rear spoiler. 

There’s lots of grip on offer, too. The stiffer suspension combined with a braced underfloor, sway bars, retuned dampers and Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tires not only give the Z Nismo loads of grip but also make it 2.5 percent stiffer than the standard Z. Improved braking is also on offer with 15-inch rotor and 13.8-inch disc brakes at the front and back, respectively. 

The Z Nismo has a new Sport+ driving mode to spruce the sportscar up and make the driver make full use of the upgrades on track. The mode is probably something owners will first fiddle with the moment they will enter the sports car. Recaro seats finished in a mix of leather and Alcantara fabric give the whole cabin a sporty look along with loads of red trim all around the interior.

It’s not all hardcore inside as a 9-inch central touchscreen with Apple CarPlay (wireless) and Android Auto (wired) is also present and the Z Nismo also gets driver aids such as lane-departure warning, forward collision warning, and more.

The Nissan Z Nismo is available in five colors: Passion Red TriCoat, Brilliant Silver, Black Diamond Pearl, Everest White Pearl TriCoat, and Stealth Gray (Nismo Exclusive).

Prices will be announced later in autumn, closer to the Z Nismo’s sales date in the USA.