Photo: moollyem / Unsplash. The current Nissan Z.

Nissan revealed the current Z on August 18, 2021, in Brooklyn, and in the U.S. it dropped the numbers that named the six previous generations: the car is simply the Z. Nissan's world debut release Its styling borrows openly from the past. Nissan says the profile pays homage to the first-generation Z, the headlights draw on the 1970s Japan-market 240ZG and the taillights recall the 1990-1996 Z32 300ZX. Nissan's 2023 Z press kit

Beneath that styling, the differences that matter to a buyer sit between grades and model years. Here is how the range breaks down.

One engine, two outputs

The Sport and Performance use the 3.0-liter VR30DDTT twin-turbo V6, rated at 400 hp at 6,400 rpm and 350 lb-ft, with a six-speed manual or a nine-speed automatic. Nissan's 2023 curb weights run from 3,486 lb for a manual Sport to 3,602 lb for an automatic Performance. Nissan's 2023 Z press kit

The NISMO, added for the 2024 model year, makes 420 hp and 384 lb-ft, 20 hp and 34 lb-ft more than the other grades. Nissan credits improved cooling, revised electronic wastegate control for more boost and an ignition timing strategy inspired by the GT-R NISMO, and it fits an enhanced oil cooler for extended track use. Nissan's Z NISMO press kit

What the Performance grade adds

The Performance grade is where the Z's chassis hardware starts. Nissan lists a mechanical clutch-type limited-slip differential, forged 19-inch RAYS wheels with Bridgestone Potenza S007 tires (255/40R19 front, 275/35R19 rear) and larger brakes with 14.0-inch front and 13.8-inch rear rotors. Manual Performance cars add SynchroRev Match rev-matching and launch assist control, and every automatic Z has launch control. Nissan's 2023 Z press kit

The Sport keeps the same engine and gearbox choices on 18-inch wheels. Nissan's 2025 Z release It is the lighter and simpler road car of the two, by about 50 lb in manual form. For anyone planning track days, the Performance's factory limited-slip differential and larger brakes make it the logical starting point.

The NISMO, before and after 2027

Through the 2026 model year, the NISMO came only with a NISMO-tuned nine-speed automatic. Nissan's 2026 Heritage Edition release Nissan says revised clutch packs nearly halve its downshift times compared with the Performance. The NISMO also gets unique stabilizer bars, stiffer springs, larger retuned dampers and extra bracing that raises torsional rigidity by 2.5 percent. It adds 15.0-inch front rotors and Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT600 tires, with rears 10 mm wider than the Performance's, and Nissan says its bodywork produces positive downforce. The 2024 car weighed 3,704 lb. Nissan's Z NISMO press kit

For 2027, Nissan made a six-speed manual standard on the NISMO, with the automatic optional. The manual gets an upgraded clutch compared with the other grades, a shorter shift stroke and manual-specific engine tuning. The NISMO also gains GT-R-derived two-piece iron-aluminum front rotors that Nissan says save 19 lb, with the suspension and steering retuned around the lighter front end. Nissan lists the manual NISMO at 3,624 lb. Nissan's 2027 Z press kit

That change matters for the used market as well as the new one. A buyer who wants the NISMO's chassis with three pedals is shopping 2027 and later cars; a buyer happy with the automatic has every NISMO year to choose from.

Model-year notes and the Z community

Outside the NISMO, Nissan's releases for the 2025 and 2026 model years centered on colors and special editions. Nissan's 2025 Z release The details worth knowing:

  • 2024 Heritage Edition: based on the Performance grade, in New Sight Orange paint that recalls the orange S30 Datsun 240Z, which Nissan says was unveiled in 1969. Nissan's 2024 Heritage Edition release
  • 2026 Heritage Edition: a Performance-only package in Midnight Purple with bronze 19-inch RAYS wheels, a carbon-fiber rear spoiler and "Twin Turbo" graphics that echo the 300ZX. Nissan's 2026 Heritage Edition release
  • 2027: a restyled front with a Z emblem for the Sport and Performance, larger-diameter monotube shocks and redesigned forged wheels for the Performance, and a revised fuel tank on every grade to maintain fuel delivery in high-g cornering. Nissan's 2027 Z press kit

The 2026 Heritage Edition was revealed at the 38th annual ZCON in Nashville, Tennessee, a sign of how established the car's owner community is. Nissan's 2026 Heritage Edition release The car has a racing branch, too: Nissan and NISMO revealed a Z GT4 customer race car in 2022, with deliveries starting in the first half of 2023. Nissan's Z GT4 release

Pick the grade before the year. The Sport is the lighter road car, the Performance is the sensible base for track days, and the NISMO is the most focused version, which from 2027 no longer requires an automatic. Then confirm the exact grade, transmission and model year on paper, because special editions and later updates make similar-looking cars different underneath.

Specifications are Nissan's U.S.-market figures. No TUNERS road or track test is claimed.