Nissan’s latest Z car – First new model in 10 years

Driving the first new Nissan Z sports car in more than a decade – simply now
known as the Z, Nissan dispensing with the numbers, the most powerful yet with
3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 power and six-speed manual or nine-speed automatic for
the same money, around $81,000 drive-away. As I said earlier, I drove the manual
to Bathurst return and frankly found it hard work – on course chip bitumen
offering up enormous road noise through poorly insulated wheel arches. A rather
large two door coupe with the same underpinnings as the previous 370 Z model it
feels somewhat dated, a figidity car in manual yet in nine speed automatic a
totally different drive experience, far more relaxing, the manual paddle gear shifts
so much easier and one wonders why you would buy the manual especially given
the auto is the same price. No complaints about engine performance, Nissan
build great engines and this twin-turbo V6 really jumps off the mark I suspect
helped by an advanced electronic throttle. At 1600kgs it feels heavy on road and
you have to work hard on a winding road compared to lighter competition. In
many ways for me this latest Nissan Z has reached the end of the models design
life. I’m David Berthon
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