Nissan Sports Cars

The current Nissan GT-R is one of the oldest cars on sale in the US, but Nissan doesn’t seem to care. In fact, the Japanese carmaker has taken the wraps off a Special Edition version dedicated exclusively to Japan. We also know that a new-generation GT-R is under development, so is this the swan song we’ve all been waiting for?

Given the chance, I’m willing to bet that 90-percent of the car-loving population would be more than happy to drive a Nissan GT-R or, even better yet, the Nissan GT-R Nismo. Of course, 89-percent of that original 90-percent will never get the chance to get behind the wheel, not because the GT-R is hard to find but because it’s hard to afford. If you were to cruise into a Nissan dealership right now, you’d have to pony up at least $113,540 just for a base model GT-R. If you want to go all out and get the Godzilla of Godzilla’s – the GT-R Nismo – you’ll have to spend nearly double that or $210,740. And, that’s where the Nissan Z comes in.

Nissan’s upcoming Z-car is one of, if not, the most talked-about vehicles in 2021. After the 13-year production run of the 370Z, it was about time for a replacement to come around. Nissan has been very secretive about the exact specs of the new Z-car and the only thing we know for sure is that US prices will start at around $35,000. However, sometimes information leaks way before it was intended to. Such is the case with what we are about to share.

For many years we thought Nissan may never revive the Z as the aging 370Z was left lingering in production for what seemed like an eternity with the Japanese automaker showing no interest in developing its replacement.

Happily, though, Nissan did finally call time on the 370Z’s long production run and previewed the next Z with the retro-looking Z Proto. While many things are new on the model, that will probably be named 400Z when it reaches production, its underpinnings are linked to Nissan’s long-standing FM platform that hides underneath both the 370Z and the 350Z, as well as many other Nissan and Infiniti products.

New details popped up online about the upcoming Nissan Z, including the fact that it won’t be called the 400Z as everyone thought, but simply the Z everywhere in the world except for Japan, which will get it as the Fairlady Z. Mind you, the following bits of information did not come through Nissan’s official communications channels, so do apply the pinch of salt rule when digesting them.

It seems the Nissan GT-R lives up to the Godzilla name, not only in terms of performance but also in terms of its lifespan. Although it’s ancient (for a supercar), the Japanese supercar slayer is still holding its ground with the dignity and decisiveness of a true samurai. If for some reason you had doubts, that the GT-R is a great performance car, think about this: When a performance car of this caliber comes out, it’s usually at the top of the performance car food chain for maybe three years, before someone else dethrones it. But that isn’t the case with the GT-R.

The next Z-car from Nissan is one of the most talked-about cars at the moment. It promises a visceral driving experience, great chassis, and retro-futuristic styling. I’m sure many of you are familiar with the letter “Z” and the cars that feature it. This is the latest one. Referred to as the 400Z, the Japanese sports car looks back to its predecessors and takes some of the best features from each of them. So far it all looks good. But as we are all wondering, will Nissan price the car right?

The Nissan GT-R is far from subtle, and that’s honestly its mission. It’s meant to be fast and look good doing it. It excels well at this, but what if someone took things a bit further? Well, do you recognize the car we have here? This is the same fully engraved, gold-plated Nissan GT-R that was shown off at the 2016 Tokyo Auto Salon and, while it might seem weird to talk about a car that has had its 15 minutes of fame, this puppy just hit the market, and it could be yours if you really want it. Oh, by the way, you’ll also need around $1.6 million AED or around $435,600, so you might want to consult your better half first, just saying.

It’s been some five months since Nissan unveiled the Z Proto, a near-production prototype that previews the next-generation Z car, likely called the 400Z. The successor to the 370Z will look a lot like the Z Proto and word has it power will also come from a V-6 engine. But while the 370Z sports a naturally aspirated V-6, the 400Z will feature a twin-turbo unit. And we now have proof that the mill will be shared with the Infiniti Q60.

You’ve all heard the phrase “power is nothing without control”. Although it’s one of the oldest clichés, there is truth to that. If you’ve watched “Mighty Car Mods”, you might remember that Blair fell in love with a Datsun 240-Z, went to Japan, and took it back home to Australia. The car was in its original state when bought, but since the channel name is “Mighty Car Mods”, it was clear it wouldn’t have stayed original for long.

With the 370Z’s successor pretty much revealed, there’s a sense of anticipation to when will Nissan finally put its long-serving sports car to sleep for good. As it turns out, the 370Z’s demise will be a gradual one as the sports car won’t be axed right away. Instead, Nissan decided not to offer a 2021 370Z, which means the latest you can buy is the 2020 model year.

For various and completely justified reasons, most cars from the 1980s and 1990s don’t enjoy the collectible status of their counterparts from the 1960s and 1970s. But some cars from the period have become increasingly more popular since 2000, especially Japanese models like the Toyota Supra, Nissan Skyline GT-R, and Honda NSX.

Some carmakers took notice of this trend and Honda started a restoration program for the NSX in Japan. Now, Nissan is doing the same for the iconic R32 Skyline, with the Nismo division handling a restoration program that will turn a beat-up car into a brand-new one.

If you’ve been to London, you already know it’s a great place to spot cool cars. If you’re a fan of Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Aston Martins, or McLarens, London is your best chance at seeing one on the go. But the British capital is also the place where, from time to time, your ears will be pierced by the sound of high-revving engines. And as this video shows, it can also be the place to see a Nissan GT-R catch fire.

The Nissan 350Z is still one of the most popular choices for people out there looking to go all out on a project car. Thanks to a rather solid base, at least for its time, and one that’s easy to modify in, effectively, all areas, the 350Z has been the star of countless tuning shows for over 15 years already and people are still customizing, racing, drifting, and showing the Z33 off to this day.

In this context, it’s worth asking one of the toughest questions out there: is spending a lot of money on your ride really worth it or can you genuinely shine on a budget?

If you’re a fan of the Nissan GT-R, you can still purchase the current-generation model. It’s 13 years old as of 2020, but it can still hold its own against more modern sports cars and it’s a blast to drive at the track. But if you’re a Skyline GT-R enthusiast, you need to look back on cars built until 2002, when Nissan dropped this badge for the GT-R. Luckily, you can still find a few mint-condition examples out there. Like this R34-generation Skyline GT-R with only 225 miles on the odometer.

Nissan is busy reviving one of its oldest legends, the Z car, and in doing so the Japanese automaker will bring a new sports car to the market at a time when the days of the light, small, affordable sports car seem to numbered.

That’s why the success of the upcoming 400Z, coming in to replace the 370Z that’s been around for over a decade, may actually depend on the car’s success on the track as per the old ’Race on Sunday, Sell on Monday’ adage. Here’s how a potential track-only Z may end up looking like.