The Nissan Z ‘Kaze’ makes Japan’s V6 coupe T-top
Nissan has gone back to the ’90s with the one-off Z Kaze, making the V6 coupe open-air with a T-top
Looking back to the past has become a popular thing to do in the performance car world, and Nissan is the latest to reference its heritage with the Z ‘Kaze’. A one-off creation built by the firm’s designers and product planners, it takes inspiration from the ’90s tuning scene with a new custom T-top roof, performance modifications and some very special wheels.
Named after the Japanese word for wind, Kaze, as a reference to its removable T-top roof panels, the one-off Nissan Z is inspired by the likes of the Nissan 280ZX and 300ZX, models that came as standard with the retro roof style. Ponz Pandikuthira, Nissan spokesperson, said: 'The Z Kaze concept celebrates some of Nissan's most iconic open top sports cars, while recognizing the '90s tuning culture that helped put Nissan and NISMO on the map.’ It leans even further into the ’90s theme with vibrant Pacific Teal paint too, and numerous carbonfibre additions – the bonnet, bold wide arches, splitter, side sills and wing are all unique to the model.
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The most authentic ’90s addition are its Nismo LMGT2 wheels, and unlike most cars with this wheel style, these are originals. Nissan sourced these authentic, two-piece 18-inch Rays wheels from the late ‘90s, a design very similar in style to the even rarer three-piece forged LMGT1 wheels sold on the highly sought after R33 GT-R Nismo 400R.
The cabin ditches black leather for white, in-keeping with the open air theme, and there’s carbonfibre trim to match the exterior too. It even has Bose headrest speakers to make sure you can always hear your music, even when the roof panels are off.
The Z Kaze comes with the same 3-litre twin-turbocharged V6 as the standard car, but a new stainless steel cat-back exhaust system, uprated air-to-air intercooler and a less restrictive air filter will all contribute to an uplift in output. Nissan hasn’t disclosed any numbers, but a bump over the standard 414bhp output to bring it closer to the Nismo’s 420bhp is likely – that car will cover the 0-6mph sprint in 4.5sec.
The Nissan Z Kaze is strictly a one-off, but if you’d like to see it for yourself, it will be on display at the Japanese Classic Car Show in Long Beach California next month.
