While we here at DCB HQ have never been fans of Nissan, when the company is allowed to, it does good in this world. The 2023 Nissan Z is one such example. The former Nissan boss, Carlos Ghosn, is currently a fugitive on the run over massive fraud, he used his position as the CEO of Renault/Nissan to bankroll his personal slush fund. And the unwitting media venerated him. Carlos Ghosn was subsequently arrested and imprisoned in Japan whilst on a business trip. He subsequently made a daring escape during a pre-trial hearing period.

Ghosn is a survivor, and to a larger extent so to is his corporate legacy. He famously reveled in his status as a “cost killer”. To that end, the Nissan Z is also a survivor, one of two cars to inject a bit of a soul into the dead body that is Nissan. It’s the only Nissan I would consider buying, but it is not the car of choice for me. The two-door coupe is a dying art form, at least for a Japanese brand trying to break into America.

The 2023 Nissan Z will have an entry-level base price of $40,000 USD in America. It will be powered by a 400bhp 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo delivering power to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual. The manual version will get a carbon fiber driveshaft, and a performance clutch. You can give into automation and just let the 9-speed auto do the work for you.

The new generation Nissan Z will benefit from a digital interior, all manner of driving aids, safety features and kit to make dull driving days that bit more digitally remote. However, this will new generation model will be the last of its kind. The previous-generation Nissan Z is/was a low-volume seller.

Nissan sold just 36 Nissan Zs in the USA for the entirety of 2021. You could argue that the pandemic had an impact, in addition to the global chip shortages. Perhaps people were waiting for the new model to go on sale. However when we compare the sales record between the Nissan Z and Ford Mustang a stark story is revealed.

Ford sold 52,000 Mustangs in the USA throughout 2021. An entry-level Ford Mustang starts at $26K, a similar powered model, the Ford Mustang GT which offers a 5.0L V8 and 450bhp has an asking price of $37K before options. So, in conclusion, the new 2023 Nissan Z is dead on arrival.