The Nissan Z Kaze Concept is a Real Blast From the Past
Nissan found a way to make the seventh-generation Z car even more of a throwback.
The Japanese automaker has unveiled a new concept called the Z Kaze that it’s bringing to this year’s installment of ZCON. The customized coupe features a T-top roof, aggressive aero body kit, and a graphics package that could have appeared in the original The Fast and the Furious.
As the name may have given away, ZCON is an annual celebration of the beloved sports car organized by the Z Car Club Association. Because of this, any vehicle that the automaker brings with it to the convention has to be pretty special. All it takes is one glance at the Z Caze to tell that that is just what it is.
Nissan Z Kaze
Nissan
The current Z’s design lands firmly on the subtle end of the sports car spectrum, but the same can’t be said for Nissan’s new concept. The Z Kaze, which takes its name from the Japanese word for wind, has a brash look that calls to mind street racers of the 1980s and ‘90s. It’s finished in sparking Pacific Teal and features a black T-top similar to that found on the old 300ZX. It also been dressed up in a carbon-fiber aero kit that includes vents, fender flares, and a more prominent rear spoiler. Rounding things out is a black-and-white leather interior, a brash graphics package, and a set of white 18-inch Nismo LGMT2 wheels. The rims have been out of production for years and are much sought after by Z car aficionados.
The Z Kaze’s mechanical hardware has also been modified. The car is powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 upgraded with new GReddy parts, an Airinx air filter, and a Supreme SP exhaust. Nissan didn’t announce any performance figures for the vehicle, but the Nismo version of the current Z makes 420 hp and 384 ft lbs of torque. Nissan also said the car’s suspension has also been “thoroughly” optimized.
Inside the Z Kaze
Nissan
As of now, the Z Kaze is just a concept that Nissan has plans to put into production. But Ponz Pandikuthira, the automaker’s North American senior vice president and chief planning officer, told The Drive that if there turns out to be enough interest in the model: “we’re gonna make that car happen.”
Click here to see more photos of the Nissan Z Kaze concept.
