What was changed
The Z-family sports car had been around for more than half a century, but by 2021 its audience had drifted toward rivals, and the 370Z had quietly gone out of production at $33,225. Nissan needed a reason for sports-car buyers to look back.
In August 2021 Nissan revealed the 2023 Z, and the clearest decision was in the name: it dropped the numbers entirely. Where the 370Z and 350Z had used digits, the new car was simply the Z, one letter meant to carry the whole heritage of the nameplate.
Underneath it aimed to deliver. A 3.0-litre twin-turbo V-6 made 400 horsepower, about 68 more than the 370Z and good for a 15% faster zero-to-60 time. A six-speed manual was standard and a nine-speed automatic available, and designers pointed the styling at the first-generation Z.
Nissan framed the revival not as a new model but as a return to the name's roots, counting on recognition of the Z lineage to pull enthusiasts back to the showroom.
What it achieved
The 2023 Z, with 400 hp and a standard 6-speed manual, re-launched the storied Z nameplate and aimed to win back drifting American buyers.
Why it worked
The Z name still carried decades of recognition with enthusiasts.
A 15% faster 0-60 and 400 hp gave it the credibility to compete with the Supra and Mustang.
Keeping the manual transmission distinguished it in a market of automatic-only rivals.
Maintaining the nameplate let Nissan keep a sports-car story without a grand redesign.
What can be applied
A nameplate reintroduction can be the fastest way to recover a niche when a full redesign would cost more.
Aftermath
The 2023 Z reached dealerships in 2022 with waiting lists at launch, though its high price and a later $50,000-plus sticker limited volumes. Nissan kept the Z as its enthusiast halo, with a Nismo version added later.
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE