I Have Configured the Perfect Nissan Z Spec

Maroon paint with racing stripes and a manual? Perfection.

byChris Tsui|
Nissan USA
Nissan USA.
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The configurator for the new 2023 Nissan Z is now online. Typically, the release of a build-your-own tool for a highly anticipated enthusiast car means entire afternoons wasted meticulously concocting the perfect spec. But I think everybody can go back to work now because I have already created the perfect spec. And, yes, it is maroon.

Seeing them on this configurator happened to be the first time I ever saw the Z's base 18-inch wheels and, frankly, they look pretty bad. So, of course, I had to opt for the more expensive Performance model which adds way nicer 19-inch Rays wheels and a limited-slip differential. It also offers creature comforts like a bigger nine-inch touchscreen, Bose audio, and aluminum pedals. Opting for the Performance Z also means a damped glove box, crucial for when I'm inevitably pulled over on the side of the road in this car and need to reach over to retrieve my license and registration with as much grace as possible.

Nissan USA | Chris Tsui

Nissan's sports car can be had with either a six-speed manual or a nine-speed automatic and, for reasons that shouldn't require explanation, I went with the former.

Discounting the boring black, white, gray, and silver options, the Z can be painted red, blue, and—this was news to me as well—this deep maroon hue that Nissan officially calls Rosewood Metallic. Very likely a nod to the 1972 280ZG, it is by far the most distinguished of the available Z colors and the only choice for the distinguished Z driver.

Available exterior add-ons include $335 body-colored "splash guards" which are really more of a garnish, white racing stripes for $595 that go from the hood to the trunk lid—and, of course, add five horsepower each. I also added a dome light-synced exterior ground lighting for $395 that illuminates the space beneath your feet on ingress and egress. Racing stripes were a must, the ground lighting indeed appeals to my inner bourgeois so I ticked that off as well, but it was a pass on the so-called splash guards.

Inside, Nissan offers the Z in all black, red on black, and a very interesting full-blue color scheme but, unfortunately, opting for the Rosewood exterior means you're stuck with the all-black setup.

After cherrypicking some miscellaneous accessories (i.e. all-season floor mats, a dashcam, ambient interior lighting, a frameless rearview mirror), the Z you see here costs $53,986. As long as you can find a dealer who won't mark it up, of course.

In any case, the configurator can be found here if you'd like to try to create a superior Z. Good luck.

Got a tip or question for the author about the new Nissan Z? You can reach him here: chris.tsui@thedrive.com

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