After years of waiting for something, anything, in the way of updates to Nissan’s performance lineup, we got exactly what we wanted in the 2023 Nissan Z. 400-some horsepower, a manual box, and retro styling that absolutely rocks. But you know how they say good things come to those who wait? Well, let’s assume that means the Z’s going to be even better than we expected, because we’ll be doing even more waiting for it. Yep, it’s been delayed.
Previously scheduled to go on sale in June, the new Z was reported last week in Japanese media to have been delayed to July—a claim Nissan declined to comment on when asked by The Drive. On Monday, though, Nissan confirmed the delay, first in a Japanese-language release, then in an email to us.
“The 2023 Nissan Z will go on sale Summer of 2022,” stated a company spokesperson. “Although we had been saying Spring 2022, due to unforeseen supply chain issues that are affecting the entire industry, there has been a slight delay to the Summer of 2022.”
Summer, of course, spans late June to late September, giving Nissan plenty of wiggle room (and basically ruining Nissan club meet schedules for the season). The initial reporting of a July release date now seems like the most optimistic scenario—and a tentative one, contingent on Nissan having enough parts to provide Z’s by then. It also happens to push the Z’s launch closer to that of its main rival, the manual Toyota GR Supra, which is expected to arrive as a 2023 model and debut this Thursday. It also leaves less time before the next-gen Ford Mustang launches, with an anticipated hybrid drivetrain and possible all-wheel drive.
Of the three, the Nissan is likely to end up mid-pack in price, as the current Mustang GT starts in the upper 30s, whereas the six-cylinder Supra starts in the low 50s. Japanese pricing for the Z, released Monday morning, outlines a price equivalent to the low 40s, or what a four-banger Supra costs. Performance is also likely in the middle, though it remains to be seen where it’ll end up in the Nismo trim a company official strongly hinted was coming in an interview with The Drive. Odds are, it’ll wind up competing with the GRMN Supra and whatever Shelby’s got in store for the new Mustang. The world may be getting stranger, and the future less certain, but at least we know the next few years will be an exciting time to follow sports cars.
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