Nissan Z GT4 previews flagship NISMO coupe

Nissan has effectively given the world another preview of the upcoming Nissan Z NISMO via the reveal of its new Nissan Z GT4 racer.

Shown off in prototype form back in May, the GT4 is widely anticipated to serve as the catalyst for a NISMO-enhanced flagship production coupe within the next 12 to 18 months.

Given the fact GT4-spec cars must be racing derivatives of existing production vehicles, most of the development work in making the new NISMO Z car faster, more capable and more focused will likely already have been completed; the rest is about tailoring the new package for use on public roads.

In creating the Z GT4, Nissan says its NISMO Racing Division has extracted more power from the familiar twin-turbo 3.0-litre petrol V6, “optimised its chassis and suspension, enhanced its aerodynamics” and reimagined its cockpit – all key attributes of a performance flagship.

The racer looks almost exactly as you might expect a track-only Nissan Z to look: aggressive front and rear aero features, a lower ride height, vented bonnet, roll cage, stripped-out cabin, heavy-duty rear tow point, single high-flow exhaust outlet and a heap of race-inspired decals.

Bin the livery, roll cage and downpipe-size exhaust, scale down the aero features and put some creature comforts back into the cabin and you’ll probably be left with something very close to the finished Z NISMO…

Just such a thing was spied rocketing around a Japanese racetrack earlier this year on a YouTube video, which ignited countless rumours and yet more comparisons between the new Z and its arch-rival, the Toyota Supra.

We don’t know yet exactly how much more powerful – or how much lighter – the race-ready GT4 is compared to the road-going Z; all those details and the rest of its spec sheet will be released at the 2022 SEMA show in the first week of November.

“Motorsports for Nissan is an expression of our passion and unrivalled expertise,” said Nissan COO Ashwani Gupta.

“The Nissan Z continues to maintain its position as an exciting sports car that fascinates drivers with its driving dynamics and flexible powertrain.

“We are confident that this track-ready GT4-category Nissan Z will be ready to write another chapter in the Nissan Z’s 50-plus-year legacy of speed.”

Like a lot of GT4 cars, the Nissan Z racer will be available for individual customers and race teams to purchase, but finer details including specifications, market availability and race series eligibility won’t be revealed until later in the year.

Next year, however, you can expect to see the new Z do battle with GT4 racers like the BMW M4 and Lotus Emira upon racetracks around the world.

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