Nissan Z Nismo to finally get a manual but it’s still not UK bound
Nissan adds a manual option to the Nismo Z at the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon, but the Japanese sports car remains forbidden fruit in the UK
The Nissan Z is getting a refresh, set to be revealed at the 2026 Tokyo Auto Salon and while there’s a fat chance of an announcement that it’s coming to the UK, Nissan has made one crucial change to its forbidden fruit sports coupe.
Specifically the Z Nismo. Introduced two years ago for the Japanese and North American markets, the hopped-up coupe followed in the footsteps of the hardcore GT-R and 370Z Nismo, receiving a power bump, uprated cooling, chassis enhancements and a more aggressive Nismo body.
What it didn’t get, unlike the standard Z coupe, was the option of a manual gearbox. That’s to change for 2026, with Nissan set to introduce the refreshed Nismo Z in Tokyo, pairing the potent twin-turbo V6 with a stick and three pedals. No details are known about other changes, bar the ‘new styling aimed at increasing aerodynamic performance’ as yet. If the engine goes unchanged, that 3-litre twin-turbo engine will be good for 420bhp and 384lb ft.
The manual option joins what was previously the exclusive transmission option, a nine-speed automatic. While it was upgraded with unique clutch packs and more aggressive software for the Nismo application, to reduce shift times by 50 per cent, it was still the primary point of frustration in the car.
‘Simply put it inserts a fuzzy, slightly inconsistent layer between driver and car that seems all the more tragic when you’re not enjoying the full potential of what the chassis can offer,’ Jethro Bovingdon wrote in his evo review. ‘It’s crying out for a manual gearbox or even a super-sharp dual-clutch system.’
Now Nissan seems to have answered those prayers, if not the ones begging for its introduction to the UK market…
Nissan Z Nismo – a refresher
As a reminder, the Nissan Z shares its two-seater two-door configuration (and underlying chassis) with its 370Z predecessor. At 4382mm long the Z is 142mm longer than the 370, and almost bang-on the same length as a Toyota GR Supra. At 1850mm wide and 1310mm tall it is a little narrower and taller than the Toyota, but has an identical footprint on the road with a combination of 255/40 R19 front and 275/35 R19 rear rubber (on the upper two trim levels).
> Nissan GT-R Nismo (2014-2025) review
Under the bonnet is a twin-turbocharged V6, specifically the VR30DDTT unit that powers high-specification variants of the Infiniti Q50 and Japanese-market Nissan Skyline. In range-topping Nismo-form, power stands at 420bhp and 384lb ft of torque, up 20bhp and 34lb ft over the standard car. To achieve this, Nissan increased boost pressure and turbine speed, employed a GT-R-inspired ignition spark timing strategy and uprated the oil cooler for extended track sessions. Also new to the Nismo are stiffer spring rates, new, retuned dampers and larger 381mm and 350mm rear brake discs front and rear.
All ‘Performance grade’ models feature a totally mechanical limited-slip differential, with a carbonfibre driveshaft, rev-matching function and launch control that’ll electronically hold the revs at the optimum level when the clutch is dipped, ensuring the fastest possible getaway when the clutch is released.
Aesthetically, the Nissan Z draws its inspiration from two of its most famous predecessors, the original 240Z and the 1990s 300ZX. The silhouette is pure ’70s Nissan, with a long bonnet, wraparound screen, flat roof and familiar C-pillar motif. The nose is dominated by a single aggressive opening, flanked by two LED headlights that, together with their surrounding bodywork, mimic the circular headlights of the 240Z. The Nismo variant receives forged Rays wheels, trademark Nismo red detailing, a wider track and updated aero elements, just like its GT-R relative.
The clean, simple surfacing is another nod to the Zs of yesteryear, ending in a tail that includes some references from the 300ZX around the new LED tail lights. The design is squat, compact and traditional in most senses, and lacks the almost caricature-like expression of a Toyota Supra or Alpine A110.
The Nissan’s interior uses a simple layout dominated not by digital interfaces – although there are many – but by a simple driver-centric graphic that tilts the whole dash towards the driver. As with almost all Zs, three round auxiliary dials are incorporated into the upper dash, while the manual gearlever and handbrake (yes, it has a manual handbrake) sit within a pleasingly restrained centre tunnel.
