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Selwyn_Times: December 13, 2023

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34 <strong>Selwyn</strong> <strong>Times</strong> Wednesday <strong>December</strong> <strong>13</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />

New Nissan Z pays homage to its history<br />

A NEW and long overdue<br />

version of one of Japan’s most<br />

iconic sport coupes, the Nissan<br />

Z, is keeping the torch burning<br />

for these models, at a time when<br />

many car makers are hitting the<br />

delete button on them.<br />

This is a Nissan with a colourful<br />

history, dated back 54 years<br />

to 1969 when the great grand<br />

dad of today’s Z – the Datsun<br />

240Z made its world debut.<br />

The new, seventh-generation Z,<br />

dropped its numerical prefix and<br />

in the process a little bit of the<br />

cars heritage.<br />

The new Z adopts a traditional<br />

rear-wheel-drive sports car<br />

design, with a long bonnet, lower<br />

rear end stance and a silhouette<br />

that pays homage to the firstgeneration<br />

Z. The designers<br />

utilised the latest technologies to<br />

streamline the design, and incorporated<br />

LED lighting. The LED<br />

headlights have two half-circles<br />

that take their inspiration from<br />

the Japan market-only 240ZG of<br />

the 1970s. The link the original<br />

Z has to this car is most obvious<br />

when viewed from the side. The<br />

roofline flows from the nose to<br />

the squared-off rear to create<br />

a distinctive first-generation Z<br />

Motoring with Bob Nettleton<br />

profile. The latest incarnation<br />

remains steadfastly wed to rearwheel<br />

drive with the close-ratio<br />

manual transmission linked to<br />

the rear wheels via a carbonfibre<br />

composite driveshaft. All<br />

automatic transmission models<br />

feature the launch control system<br />

to slingshot this legendary sports<br />

car out of the starting blocks at<br />

high velocity.<br />

All models run a high-energy<br />

3.0-litre V6 twin turbo engine<br />

with the choice of a close-ratio<br />

6-speed manual gearbox complete<br />

or a 9-speed automatic with<br />

paddle shifters. Both wear the<br />

same $84,990 price tag. The test<br />

vehicle was an auto, which most<br />

buyers are expected to opt for.<br />

The motor features variable<br />

valve timing, force-fed by smalldiameter<br />

turbochargers, regulated<br />

for maximum spooling speed<br />

to balance power output and<br />

throttle-response time. These<br />

enhancements improve the<br />

vehicle’s power to weight ratio<br />

by over 12 per cent and deliver<br />

sharper acceleration compared<br />

to its impressive predecessor<br />

the 370Z – and it was no slouch.<br />

Peak power and torque rise in<br />

the new engine to 298kW and<br />

Ratings out of 10: Performance 8; Handling 8; Styling 7;<br />

Comfort 6; Fit and Finish 8; Value for money 7; Safety – Five<br />

Star ANCAP crash rating. Possible clean car fee of $3248<br />

and $6900<br />

Overall points out of 10: 7.5<br />

475Nm – the latter being 31 per<br />

cent higher than its predecessor.<br />

With its strong, almost turbinelike<br />

power delivery there are few<br />

other six-cylinder coupes that<br />

provide the exhilarating acceleration<br />

of this one for its asking<br />

price. It even knocks the performance<br />

spots off a number of<br />

more expensive rivals. A clever<br />

variable valve timing system<br />

stretches this torque band to the<br />

max enabling the motor to rev<br />

effortlessly across a broader rev<br />

range.<br />

It was a blast from the past<br />

to drive a conventional engine<br />

without any form of electrification.<br />

This is a driving pleasure<br />

that is going to become increasingly<br />

harder to indulge, unless<br />

you have a car like this one<br />

stowed away in your garage. You<br />

have to wonder with conventional<br />

engines about to be swept<br />

away by a wave of EVs, whether<br />

this model could become very<br />

collectable, with the heart and<br />

soul that EVs are devoid of.<br />

The new 9-speed automatic<br />

offers direct and rapid gear<br />

changes that are executed with<br />

pinpoint precision. It gave the<br />

test car an extra lively feel thanks<br />

to its wide gear ratios and standard<br />

launch control system. For<br />

those wanting to get closer to the<br />

gear changing action, aluminum<br />

paddle shifters are standard. The<br />

unique paddle shifters are the<br />

same design used on the menacing<br />

Nissan GT-R, performance<br />

models.<br />

Designed to fit the driver and<br />

passenger like a glove, the snug<br />

cabin seamlessly blends modern<br />

technology with vintage Z touches.<br />

The centre stack uses a threezone<br />

approach, placing three<br />

analogue pod gauges on the<br />

instrument panel (boost, turbo<br />

speed, volt) and all within the<br />

driver’s gaze. Both the manual<br />

and automatic shift levers are<br />

new, each custom-engineered<br />

for the best possible grip and<br />

comfort.<br />

Comfy black woven cloth seats<br />

with an 8-way manual driver’s<br />

seat are a great place to enjoy<br />

all this iconic sport car has to<br />

offer. A full range of convenience<br />

technology includes Nissan<br />

Intelligent Key with Push Button<br />

Start, Intelligent Cruise Control,<br />

auto-dimming rearview mirror,<br />

Rearview Monitor, two 12-volt<br />

power points, and two USB<br />

points (Type-A and Type-C).<br />

There’s a modest 8.0-inch touch<br />

screen, a lot smaller than you<br />

would expect in a car costing this<br />

much. It does make up for this to<br />

some degree with useful no cost<br />

add-ons such as Apple CarPlay,<br />

Android Auto, and Bluetooth<br />

Hands-free Phone System.<br />

There’s been a worthwhile rejig<br />

of the suspension. The front and<br />

rear dampers have switched to a<br />

new mono tube shock absorber<br />

design with a larger diameter<br />

than the outgoing 370Z. The upshot<br />

is an estimated 20 per cent<br />

reduction in dampening force to<br />

help minimise impact shock over<br />

uneven surfaces, and unleash<br />

better handling stability. The<br />

front double-wishbone aluminum<br />

suspension features uprated<br />

geometry with this mathematical<br />

wizardry improving the vehicle’s<br />

straight-line stability. A twopoint<br />

front strut tower brace is<br />

standard. The rear independent<br />

multi-link aluminum suspension<br />

has also been reconfigured with<br />

new settings.<br />

The low speed ride in finest<br />

Z traditions is almost as still as<br />

a British upper lip in low speed<br />

town driving, particularly over<br />

the worst badly worn road<br />

surfaces. The road holding<br />

is simply superb. Whether it<br />

a long sweeping corner or a<br />

tight and unforgiving one, the<br />

test car navigated them with<br />

consummate ease. Its low-slung<br />

stance and the huge footprint of<br />

the meaty tyres give the excellent<br />

grip required to take charge on<br />

bumpy undulating surfaces,<br />

with plenty of adhesion in<br />

reserve if needed.<br />

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