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The Nissan (7201T and NSANY ADR) 2027 model year Z and Z NISMO, expected summer 2026, will bring performance and design changes. The Z NISMO will be available with a manual transmission tuned to handle its 420 horsepower and 384 lb. ft. of torque. It also receives front brake rotors derived from the Nissan GT-R.*
“We try to do something every year for the sports cars to keep them relevant and top-of-mind. We love working on these cars for our customers, and it’s a joy for us to continuously improve these things. We’ve been listening to our customers and talking to them. I think we’ve made a substantial improvement. The big thing everyone kept talking about is the desire for a manual transmission option for Z NISMO. It’s now here. Initially we didn’t launch with it because it’s a track-focused car,” said Paul Hawson, director of Advanced Product Planning & Strategy at Nissan North America.
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“If you want to go faster in a modern car, shifts are faster with an automatic transmission. We listened to the customer and they said they still wanted a manual NISMO, so we did it. It’s not just a cut-and-paste of the regular manual. You’ll have a different clutch and different pressure plate to handle the extra torque on the vehicle. We’ve also tuned it so the shift stroke is shorter by about 5 or 6 millimeters. It doesn’t sound like a lot until you’re in there driving,” said Hawson. He was talking with Chris Karl, Executive Director of the Z Car Club Association.
At a Glance
- The NISMO is also lighter. That comes from the new brakes we’ve put on this car.
- The front rotors are derived from the R35 GT-R. The vehicle is nearly 10 pounds lighter on each side.
- During testing, the brakes were about 100 degrees Celsius cooler after 10 laps compared to the previous brakes.
- The shocks were tuned for about 5% less rebound [extension in car talk. Jounce is compression of the suspension dampers -AutoCrat], so it is a little more comfortable and stays a little more planted.
- The monotube shocks from the NISMO are tuned uniquely for the non-NISMO Z’s.
*AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Annals of Marketing – Manual Trans Return to Nissan Z
Click for more.
The Nissan (7201T and NSANY ADR) 2027 model year Z and Z NISMO, expected summer 2026, will bring performance and design changes. The Z NISMO will be available with a manual transmission tuned to handle its 420 horsepower and 384 lb. ft. of torque. It also receives front brake rotors derived from the Nissan GT-R.*
“We try to do something every year for the sports cars to keep them relevant and top-of-mind. We love working on these cars for our customers, and it’s a joy for us to continuously improve these things. We’ve been listening to our customers and talking to them. I think we’ve made a substantial improvement. The big thing everyone kept talking about is the desire for a manual transmission option for Z NISMO. It’s now here. Initially we didn’t launch with it because it’s a track-focused car,” said Paul Hawson, director of Advanced Product Planning & Strategy at Nissan North America.
Click for more.
“If you want to go faster in a modern car, shifts are faster with an automatic transmission. We listened to the customer and they said they still wanted a manual NISMO, so we did it. It’s not just a cut-and-paste of the regular manual. You’ll have a different clutch and different pressure plate to handle the extra torque on the vehicle. We’ve also tuned it so the shift stroke is shorter by about 5 or 6 millimeters. It doesn’t sound like a lot until you’re in there driving,” said Hawson. He was talking with Chris Karl, Executive Director of the Z Car Club Association.
At a Glance
*AutoInformed on
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.