Is this the Nissan Z Nismo? Hotter Zed inbound next year with more aggressive design: Report

The 2022 Nissan Z has only just touched down in Australia but reports from Japan say we can expect to see the hotter Nismo version as early as next year.

According to Japanese outlet Best Car, the Nissan Z Nismo will take its design cues from the Z Customised Proto concept shown at Auto Salon in January this year.

The design, which was seemingly just a display concept at the time, has now been registered with the Japanese Patent Office suggesting it will be released as part of the brand’s lineup.

Whether the exact design is what the Z Nismo will look like can’t be 100 per cent confirmed, but Best Car’s report also outlines some of the features to be expected from the Nismo when it does lob.

As the 370Z Nismo drew more focused performance upgrades from the Japanese Super GT racing car built by Nissan, the Z Nismo will take performance upgrades from the Super Taikyu racing series version of the new Z.

A stiffer, reinforced chassis using bracing and strut bars, as well as Nismo-tuned suspension with Yamaha dampers, unique 20-inch aluminium wheels, and stronger brakes are on the cards. 

Inside, specific Recaros and a leather-Alcantara steering wheel will feature, as well as the expected red stitching.

The Z’s 298kW/475Nm VR30DDTT twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 will get a power bump, the same way the 370Z Nismo did, though exact outputs aren’t known. For reference, the 370Z produced 8kW and 8Nm less than the Nismo’s 253kW/371Nm.

Best Car says we can expect more power to be unlocked from the engine with a less restrictive exhaust system, as well as a Nismo specific ECU.

This render from Best Car shows a potential future for the Z Nismo

It also says the pricing is expected to be 2.5-3 million yen more expensive than the standard Z, for a total of around 8 or 9 million yen. If the increase in price carries over to Australia in the same way, we can expect a roughly 30-40 per cent increase in cost over the Z.

That means the $73,300 list price could reach towards the $100,000 mark, though the Nissan 370Z and the Nismo version wore price tags less than $15,000 apart.

Best Car also points out that separate Nismo parts will be available for purchase, rather than only being available in the while package as a full car.