An affordable sports car that everyone loves

We took a long-distance test drive of the Nissan Fairlady Z Nismo, a hot 2024 model that has appeared amid a lack of progress in new car deliveries. We report on the Z’s “genuine tuning car” capabilities, which has attracted a great deal of attention as a “well-loved affordable sports car”.

A high-performance version of a familiar sports car

Not only the R35 GT-R Nismo, but also the BCNR33 and BNR34 Skyline GT-R Nismo complete cars are being sold at unusually high prices. This is a sign that Nismo is finally beginning to be recognized around the world as a high-performance brand on par with AMG and BMW M.

Since Nismo has been aiming for such a position many times in the past, it should be said that it has finally achieved its long-held dream. Nevertheless, it is not only the motorsport activities, but also the presence of the famous Nippon car, the GT-R, as a base that drives up the value of the brand. The GT-R should be a dream come true.

However, the following “Fairlady Z” has the role of an affordable sports car to begin with. Its Nismo is no different. Only when the FAIRLADY Z becomes a model that can be quickly bought, like the BMW M3, will its brand power take root.

The current situation is somewhat unsatisfactory: the RZ34 FAIRLADY Z itself is already two years away from its 2022 debut, yet it is still a rarity on the streets. The used car market is still at a high and stable price, although it seems to have improved a little in recent years. In other words, they are not fulfilling their intended role. This is not good for Nissan or the brand. And with the Ariya, Leaf, and Aura replacing the Z, it must be said that the brand is far from established (no matter how good the car itself was).

The Nismo was announced while deliveries of the base model were not going as fast as expected. While this is great news for sports car enthusiasts, it must have been a bit frustrating for those who had ordered an RZ34 Fairlady Z and were waiting for delivery, or those who had been waiting for the Nismo from the start without buying. Questions also remain about the sales methods and so on.

Because of that, the Fairlady Z Nismo stood out anyway when I drove it. I was approached more than when I was testing the Supersport. I guess they are easy to talk to, which is proof that the Z is an affordable sports car that everyone loves.