How much is a 2022 Nissan Z? And is it cheaper than a Toyota Supra or Ford Mustang?

Sports car fans rejoice because Nissan Australia has revealed official pricing and initial specification details for the highly anticipated 2022 Z coupe.

The new-generation Z will launch in Australia mid-year, according to Nissan Australia, and pricing could make the sleek coupe a hot seller in 2022.

From launch, two variants will be offered, kicking off with the regular Z coupe from $73,300 before on-road costs, regardless of whether you opt for the manual or automatic transmission.

A strictly limited-edition version dubbed the Proto Spec will be offered initially from $80,700. Nissan Australia said there is already a significant order bank for the Proto Spec and it will be offered until sold out, although the company did not confirm the allocation for Australia.

The pricing for the regular Z is a whopping $23,000 more than the outgoing entry-level manual 370Z coupe, but it gains a new, more powerful engine and a lengthy list of new standard tech and safety features.

When it comes to its closest rivals, it is about $9000 more expensive than a V8-powered Ford Mustang GT manual, but it is $14,000 cheaper than the six-cylinder Toyota Supra GT.

Powering the new Z is a new 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6 pumping out an impressive 298kW and 475Nm, which marks a 53kW and 112Nm increase over the outgoing 370Z.

The figures also put the Z closer in output to the Supra which delivers 285kW/500Nm.

The rear-wheel drive Z coupe - there is no cabriolet this time around - is paired with a six-speed manual gearbox or a new nine-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters.

Nissan hasn’t revealed an official 0-100km/h dash time yet, but says there’s been a 15 per cent improvement, suggesting a sub-5.0-second dash.

This is the same engine found in the spicy Infiniti Q60 Red Sport coupe.

The platform is a heavily revised version of the old 370Z setup, but it gets an all-new suspension tune, and a mechanical limited slip differential, while the power-to-weight ratio has improved by 13 per cent.

In terms of standard gear, the Z comes with 19-inch alloy wheels, heated leather-accented front seats, launch control, a customisable 12.3-inch TFT instrument display, an 8.0-inch infotainment screen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, eight-speaker Bose audio system, and three driving modes including Standard, Enhanced and Sport.

Safety wise it gets a big boost over the outgoing car, with adaptive cruise control, auto emergency braking with junction, pedestrian and cyclist detection, forward collision warning, rear cross traffic alert and lane departure warning all standard.

The Proto Spec models gain Ikazuchi Yellow paintwork with a black roof, 19-inch bronze forged alloy wheels, yellow brake callipers and bespoke black and yellow interior details.

2022 Nissan Z pricing before on-road costs