Nissan Z Nismo Spy Shots: Bigger Brakes and More Aero
Some small but significant changes indicate the Nissan Z Nismo has much more performance in store.
Prototypes of what is believed to be the upcoming 2024 Nissan Z Nismo have been spotted in Arizona with visible performance upgrades. There's probably more beneath their skin, too, as suggested by years of hearsay.
The two or three camouflaged Nissan Zs were posted to Nissan Z Club. Despite the Zs' disguises, the photos reveal a set of cosmetic and performance enhancements that confirm some rumors about the high-performance Z Nismo.
For starters, the prototypes use a different grille, one with a bar across the front similar to—though not exactly like—the split grille available as a dealer option in some regions. They have a different rear end with more aggressive aero, reaching closer to the ground, and a wider spoiler that extends onto the rear fenders. The exhaust tips look unchanged, while the taillights appear to be different (though they could just be throwaway parts for these test mules). One forum poster also identified red on the seat that they speculate could mean Recaro thrones like in past Nismo models.
More importantly for performance, these Zs use different, nine-spoke wheels that aren't available in the Z's configurator at present. Their diameter is uncertain, though the Z is rumored to adopt 20-inch wheels as opposed to the base model's 19-inchers. That same rumor suggested improved brakes, and we can definitely see a bigger front caliper—though it's not clear if the front rotor is any bigger, while the rear brakes look unaltered. It's also supposed to get retuned suspension (duh), different badging, and special trim, all of which are par for the course for a Nismo.
Power remains the big unknown for the Z, and these pictures tell us little about what's going on under the hood. However, Nissan officials have hinted to us that power in excess of the base Z's 400 hp is on the table, while older rumors indicate 475 hp and all-wheel drive.
We shouldn't have to wait long to know for sure, as the same report that claimed the Z Nismo would get bigger brakes (and the 2024 GT-R a gooseneck rear wing, which it gets) alleged that the Z Nismo will arrive in 2023. We're already a month down, so it seems like only a matter of time before the Nismo lands its first blow against the Toyota GR Supra.
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