No, not Nismo too! 2024 Nissan Z Nismo goes auto-only, but nearly tops Ford Mustang V8 outputs as it targets Toyota Supra and BMW M2 at the track

Nissan’s hardcore Nismo-tuned Z will hit Australian showrooms next year with more power, torque, handling prowess and aggressive styling, but it will be paired exclusively to a nine-speed automatic transmission.

Headlining the changes to the flagship Nismo is a jump in power and torque from 298kW/475Nm to 313kW/521Nm from the same 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6.

While the former is available from the same 6400rpm, the latter comes in between 2000-5200rpm compared with the base car’s range of 1600-5600rpm.

Nissan said the gains came from “improved cooling, revised electronic wastegate control providing increased turbocharger boost and turbine speed, and an independent ignition spark timing strategy inspired by GT-R Nismo”, while an upgraded oil cooler is also fitted to the Z Nismo allowing for sustained periods of intense driving.

However, the only transmission available in the new Nismo is a nine-speed automatic transmission, which has been specifically tuned by Nismo for “faster and more dynamic shifting performance”.

In fact, Nissan claims the Nismo can downshift almost twice as quickly as the standard Z automatic, while the new Sport+ driving mode is “designed to be so responsive for performance driving that a driver does not need to use the shift paddles on track”.

But keep in mind, the automatic-gearbox ratios remain identical in the Nismo and the Z auto, and Nissan is yet to reveal the new car’s 0-100km/h time despite claiming “more aggressive standing-start acceleration”.

The new Nismo is only available in a nine-speed automatic transmission.

Aiding acceleration though, will be stickier Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tyres which are 10mm wider in the rear and wrapped around 19-inch lightweight Rays-branded wheels that fill out the wheelarches more.

For reference, the existing Z auto needs about 4.7 seconds to hit the landmark triple-digit figure, while the manual takes about 5.2s.

But it’s not all about straight-line performance for the Z Nismo, as the suspension has also been reworked, unique stabiliser bars fitted, extra underfloor bracing installed and stiffer bushings found throughout - all in the name of better cornering grip.

And to keep it all in line, the 2024 Z Nismo also scores uprated brakes that use 15-inch rotors up front and 13.8-inch rotors in the rear, which are clamped down with a new, performance-focused brake-pad compound.

Pricing for the local Z Nismo will be revealed at a later date.

Tying it all together from the outside is a new front bumper with a more prominent diffuser, thinner-mesh grille for better airflow, canards to keep turbulent air off the front wheels, a larger rear spoiler and red accenting throughout.

Inside, the cabin features Recaro bucket seats, leather and Alcantara steering wheel and a red-coloured push-button starter.

Of course, the usual mod-cons can be found in the Z Nismo, including a digital instrument cluster, touchscreen multimedia system, multi-function steering wheel, front and rear parking sensors, and more.

Safety is also not skimped despite the Nismo’s track focus, with autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert and high-beam assist included as standard.

The Z Nismo wears sticky Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tyres.

Pricing for the local Z Nismo will be revealed at a later date, but it will sit above the Z (priced from $73,300 before on-road costs for manual or auto) and will likely be more than the limited-run Z Proto ($80,700).

However, with the Toyota Supra starting at $87,000 for the GT and extending to $97,000 for the GTS, the Z Nismo could still be more affordable than its archrival.