It's been a long wait.
After being previewed by the Nissan Z Proto, the production 2023 Nissan Z made its long-awaited debut back in August to replace the ancient 370Z. In the US, the next-generation Nissan Z is slated to go on sale in spring 2022, but we didn't know when the order books will open - until now.
Citing a source who works at a Nissan dealership, a user on the New Nissan Z forum has revealed that orders for the new Nissan Z will start after January 3, 2022. According to the source, emails have been sent to Nissan dealerships confirming that reservations for the Ariya have now started, paving the way for the Nissan Z.
"This morning, Nissan sent out emails to us saying reservations for the Ariya are currently in motion," the source wrote in a Facebook post. "This is a big deal due to the new Z being the next car to be rolled out by Nissan. As it currently stands, this isn't confirmed but we should expect Z reservations to begin sometime after January 3rd."
With the order books opening at the start of 2022, we should find out pricing details for the Nissan Z very soon. Rumors suggest the Nissan Z will start at around $35,000, which could put a dent in the more expensive Toyota GR Supra's sales.
As standard, the Nissan Z is powered by the same 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 found in the Infiniti Q60 Red Sport producing 400 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque paired with a six-speed manual transmission or an optionally available nine-speed automatic transmission.
Performance specifications haven't been released yet but Nissan says the new Z will be 15 percent quicker than the outgoing 370Z, which will hit 0-60 mph in five seconds. As a result, the Nissan Z should be able to do the same sprint in around 4.3 seconds.
An issue with a 9-speed automatic that recently caused Nissan to recall thousands of its Frontier and Titan pickup trucks dating back to the 2020 model year has also affected the automaker's redesigned 2023 Z sports car.
The Z's 9-speed automatic comes from the same supplier and is built from the same components.
As it investigates the matter in relation to the Z, Nissan has issued a stop-sale order for the sports car which has just gone on sale. The order affects only models equipped with the automatic. The Z is also offered with a 6-speed manual.
The stop-sale order was issued on Aug. 29 and Nissan is working directly with customers that have already bought the car, Nissan spokesman Jonathan Buhler told Motor Authority.
The original recall notice for the Frontier and Titan filed with the NHTSA earlier in September states the transmission in the affected vehicles may not engage the parking pawl when shifted into park, which could lead to the vehicle rolling away.
A remedy is being developed and owners of the affected vehicles are advised to apply the parking brake every time they park.
Anyone looking for further information can contact Nissan at 1-800-867-7669 or the NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236 [reference recall campaign number 22V671000].