Nissan has launched the facelifted Fairlady Z and its Nismo variant in Japan, a few months after the refreshed sports car first made its debut in the United States (it’s simply known as the ‘Z’ there) back in March this year – the revised model was at the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) in August.
Starting with exterior updates, Nissan says it looked to past generations to give the Fairlady Z its new face, which was divisive when it was revealed over four years ago. The obvious change is the new bumper that no longer features a large rectangular grille with oblong inserts.
Instead, the bottom corner tips of the nose have been extended outwards for a more trapezoidal shape, and there’s a black running over the rectangular mesh. This is said to further emphasise the car’s long-hood, short-deck proportions while creating a lower and wider stance.
Joining the new bumper are tributes to pass generations, including the return of the Z emblem in place of the previous Nissan one. The iconic emblem has featured on the front of successive models from the S30 introduced in 1969 through the Z32 introduced in 1989, and makes a return here, including on the Nismo variant that otherwise looks the same as it was before.
The standard variants’ lightweight aero-disc design wheels made from forged aluminium are also a tribute to the Z31 with their geometric-machined pattern around the rim. Nissan also expanded the colour palette to include a new Unryu Green/Super Black two-tone exterior inspired by Grand Prix Green, which is the signature colour of the S30 that it says remains popular among Z enthusiasts today.
If this colour combination isn’t doing it for you, there are four other two-tone and five monotone options available for a total of 10 colour schemes to choose from. As for the interior, the S30’s classic tan scheme has been added to the catalogue for those seeking a “refined and sophisticated cabin atmosphere.” Meanwhile, the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster inside the cabin gains a new startup animation that displays silhouettes of every Z generation from the S30 through the present-day RZ34.
Moving away from design changes, the Fairlady Z’s suspension receives larger-diameter monotube shock absorbers designed to respond quickly to changes in the road surface. Nissan claims the pressure-receiving area of the dampers have increased by 26.6%, which more effectively controls changes in vehicle posture in response to road inputs for supple and stable ride, even at high speeds.
For the Nismo variant with a six-speed manual transmission, it now features a short-throw shifter, while throttle response and ignition timing have been optimised. Standard and Sport drive modes continue to be made available to the driver, with the car’s Vehicle Dynamics Control system gaining a Nismo-exclusive Traction mode.
The top variant of the Fairlady Z also gets two-piece drilled brake rotors at the front that were previously used on the GT-R, with improvements being enhanced heat dissipation and reduced unsprung mass. These continue to be paired with red-painted brake callipers, and the Nismo model get retuned suspension and a low-friction steering race.
Customers can choose from five body colours for the Nismo variant, including an exclusive Nismo Stealth Grey/Super Black two-tone finish, all with an interior that has upholstery in leather and Alcantara.
As for equipment, a Qi2-standard wireless charger has been added with built-in magnets and an integrated cooling fan to keep the charging phone in place in cool. Nissan also points out a revised fuel tank with a new chamber inside to ensure more stable fuel delivery during high lateral-G cornering, and the autonomous emergency braking system now detects bicyclists.
We didn’t talk much about the engine because it is pretty much the same VR30DDTT as before. In the standard variants, the 3.0 litre twin-turbo V6 petrol unit serves up the same 405 PS (400 hp or 298 kW) at 6,400 rpm and 475 Nm of torque from 1,600 to 5,600 rpm.
Meanwhile, the Nismo version of the engine is uprated to deliver 420 PS (414 hp or 309 kW) at 6,400 rpm and 520 Nm from 2,000 to 5,200 rpm. Both can be had with either a six-speed manual or nine-speed automatic transmission (dubbed 9M-ATx), with drive going exclusively to the rear wheels.
On the matter of pricing, both the 6MT and 9AT versions of the Fairlady Z share three grades. The base option goes for 5,737,600 yen (about RM145k), with the other remaining two grades being the Version ST at 6,999,300 yen (RM177k) and Nismo at 9,752,600 yen (RM246k).
Each transmission type also gets its own individual grade, with the Version S being the one for the 6MT, priced at 6,586,800 yen (RM166k). For the 9AT, it’s the Version T that is listed at 6,199,600 yen (RM157k).
