When the Nissan Z Nismo launched two years ago, it came with lots of promising-sounding features. The figures from its 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 were up to 420bhp and 384lb ft, increases of 20bhp and 34lb ft over the standard car. It had more aero and sat on lower, firmer suspension, reworked dampers and wider, stickier Dunlop tyres.
What it didn’t have the standard car did was the option of a manual gearbox, and that’s remained the case since. It seemed an odd choice for what was seemingly the more driver-focused, enthusiast-friendly version of the Z, but Nissan explained this away by saying that the Nismo’s buyers were more concerned with lap times, meaning only giving it the quicker-shifting nine-speed automatic was the obvious choice.
Nissan Z Nismo – interior
In an interview with Road & Track at the time, one of the company’s execs did say a manual Z Nismo could happen if there was enough demand, and what do you know? Looks like prospective customers have made their wishes clear, because two years later, it seems that’s about to happen.
Appearing on the Automotive News podcast, Nissan Americas chairperson Christian Meunier mentions his love for the Z around 12:40 in, and lets slip that a manual Nismo version is coming. That’s about all we know so far, but hearing it come from someone so high up in the company is as good as confirmation.
Nissan Z Nismo – rear
Meunier also mentions that there are various special editions of the Z in the works, suggesting the range could grow further from just the base car and Nismo currently offered.
If you’re reading this in America or Japan, then you’re probably delighted at this very welcome development. And if, like us, you’re in Europe, you’ve got even more reason to be jealous that our hugely sports car-unfriendly market means the Z remains forbidden fruit to us. Still, at least one Z’s found its way into Britain as an import – if you really, really want one, there is a way.
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