Driven: Nissan Finally Sticks the Z NISMO’s Landing, With a Manual Transmission

Sometimes logic flies in the face of emotion. It dictates that the specialized, track-focused version of a sports car should eliminate all features that might slow it down, right? Yes, unless the slowing-down thing is a clutch and a stick shift. Fans of the brand got downright emotional when the 2024 Nissan Z NISMO launched with but two pedals. Now, having spent two-plus years toughening up the FS6R31A gearbox that’s been available in Sport and Performance models all along, that error of omission is corrected. We visited California’s Sonoma Raceway, where we first experienced the nine-speed automatic Z NISMO in 2023. How does the stick measure up?

Basically, that six-speed gets a new physical stick with a different pivot point that shortens the throw and enhances the mechanical feel somewhat. The clutch pressure plate is stronger, as are the mounting points on the case, all in the name of withstanding the torquier engine.

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At the track, we started off in Z Performance 6M models to get a sense of the baseline performance the NISMO aims to improve upon. Swapping directly into the NISMO, the most noticeable differences are the vastly improved Recaro seats and the shifter. Simply flicking it through the gears while standing still, it feels noticeably more positive in its engagements.

Out on the track, within the first lap the Z NISMO demonstrated greater ease closing the gap with the racing pro in the lead car after each corner. This illustrates the benefit of the fatter torque curve, as 20 horsepower alone—a 5 percent boost—wouldn’t be as noticeable.

The car’s braking is another conspicuous upgrade. The pedal feels slightly firmer, but the bigger difference is that it doesn’t degrade toward the end of the session (even on the last session of a two-day press launch). After several hard laps, the Performance model’s brakes felt spongier and were beginning to complain audibly. Big ups to the new GT-R-esque two-piece composite rotors (forged aluminum hub, steel friction ring) being chomped by carryover Akebono four-piston calipers and high-performance pads.

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At the pace we ran, Sonoma Raceway only affords a few 3–4 and 4–3 shifts per lap, but even these were more satisfying with the upgraded shifter, and we welcomed the rev-matching feature as a slight workload-reduction measure that helps smooth each lap.

We ran our first few hot laps with the chassis in Standard mode. Indeed, the retuned dampers absorbed the curbing chatter and compression events more comfortably while heaving enough on the pavement swells to prompt a mode switch. No surprise, all that goes away in Sport. Suddenly, correcting minor missteps on corner entries or exits involves considerably less body motion and drama than in Standard mode.

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Is the stick fun to blast around a track with? You betcha. Is it faster than the automatic? No freaking way. What percentage of all the miles racked up on all the Z’s produced will be on a track contending for lap times and series points? Dunno, but there’s probably going to be a lot of zeroes after the dot. We dig the 2027 models’ subtle styling tweaks and applaud Nissan for sticking with its utterly impractical two-seaters. We had such fun that we tried convincing the product planners on site that what we enthusiasts really want is a twin-clutch transmission, hoping that might earn us an invite back in two or three years from now.

The 2027 Z NISMO goes on sale in July. Will the six-speed cost more, less, or the same? We don’t yet know, but for the fans who’ve been pining to row their own gears, it probably doesn’t matter much.

*Automatic transmission results; manual not yet tested.