2027 Nissan Z NISMO Manual First Test: The Best Z Yet Still Feels Old

Nissan has finally given the Z NISMO the transmission enthusiasts wanted from the start: a six-speed manual. The stick shift adds involvement to a car already transformed by NISMO’s chassis, brake, and powertrain upgrades, but it also raises a question: Does the manual make this track-focused Z more engaging, or does it expose the limitations of an aging platform? The answer is a little of both.

The NISMO is quick, capable, and more balanced than the standard Z, yet it’s still heavy, stiff-riding, noisy, and burdened by dated details. It feels less like a modern sports car than a highly developed old-school tuner.

Is the NISMO Manual the Track-Day Z?

This thing is in its element when pushed to the limit on a road course. We were impressed by how planted, balanced, and predictable the Z feels when driven hard. Its steering is heavy but accurate, and the car is easy to place. The chassis tolerates an aggressive driving style and remains composed through quick transitions. Other editors found it easy to settle into a rhythm on the handling course, with enough grip and stability to inspire confidence.

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That represents a clear evolution from the current-generation Z Performance, which also felt balanced and poised but had less grip, more body motion, and a greater tendency toward rear-end movement under hard braking. The NISMO’s larger brakes, additional chassis bracing, upgraded tires, and more aggressive suspension calibration give it a much more secure track attitude. Nissan also gives the NISMO a smoother damper stroke for 2027, though the car’s mass remains apparent in corners.

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The trade-off is that the Z NISMO doesn’t feel especially light or playful. It tends toward moderate understeer when pushed hard and doesn’t eagerly rotate or oversteer. The manual Mustang Dark Horse we tested was quicker and generated more grip, but it wore optional Pirelli P Zero Trofeo RS tires designed for more serious track work. The Nissan’s Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT 600s are capable high-performance street tires, but they are not intended for the sustained heat of a racing circuit.

The NISMO’s brakes are one of its clearest strengths. Two-piece Akebono front rotors with forged aluminum hats, high-performance pads, and NISMO-specific calipers provide strong initial bite and a firm, easily modulated pedal. Repeated hard stops barely dull their response. Compared with the standard Z’s soft, vague brake pedal, the NISMO is a major step forward, even if it lacks the Dark Horse’s extraordinary stopping power.

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Acceleration: Strong Engine, Difficult Execution

The NISMO adds 20 hp and 34 lb-ft of torque to the lineup’s standard 400 hp and 350 lb-ft. Its 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 sends power to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission, with a carbon-fiber driveshaft, Exedy high-performance clutch, and SynchroRev Match included. This isn’t the quickest Z we’ve tested: The automatic Z NISMO reaches 60 mph a half second sooner and covers the quarter mile seven-tenths quicker, at nearly 6 mph faster. The manual Z NISMO also trails the manual Mustang Dark Horse by a similar margin.

Even so, this is the quickest manual Z we’ve tested, matching the best 370Zs and comfortably beating the 350Zs we tested. The VR30 engine delivers abundant midrange torque and strong passing power, but it doesn’t feel eager to spin. The Z NISMO can seem burdened by its mass, particularly when accelerating in a straight line. Above roughly 4,000 rpm, it becomes more energetic and pulls hard toward its 6,800-rpm redline.

The gritty, trucklike engine note adds character, though it lacks the smoothness and refinement of the Mustang’s V-8 or Toyota Supra’s inline-six. The manual’s gearing is well suited to a winding road or racetrack, keeping the engine in its powerband once the car is moving.

Getting the Z NISMO moving quickly is another matter. Launch control holds the engine at 3,000 rpm, but it requires a carefully modulated clutch release rather than simply dropping the pedal. Finding the right balance is difficult, and the car can bog. Bypassing launch control doesn’t completely solve the problem, as the engine’s revs are still limited. The 1–2 shift also requires a slower, more deliberate clutch release than expected. Other editors found the launch procedure frustrating, and some found the shifter difficult to work quickly and accurately, even though the gearbox feels sturdy and mechanical.

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Analog Engagement

The Z NISMO feels reassuringly mechanical but not especially fluid. Its steering wheel carries substantial weight, and the reduced-friction steering rack makes the response accurate and confidence-inspiring. The wheel itself feels too large, however, and can interfere with the driver’s view of the road or instruments depending on seating position. The result is a sports car that feels serious and substantial rather than light and delicate.

The NISMO-specific shifter is shorter than the standard Z’s, but its throws aren’t especially remarkable. More noticeable is the effort required to move the lever between gates. Its action is stiff and deliberate, and shifting quickly can feel sticky or imprecise. The clutch is similarly demanding, with a bite point that can be difficult to judge. That’s a departure from our experience with the regular manual Z, whose gearbox was generally satisfying despite longer throws and a long-stroke clutch.

Even the parking brake is a manual lever, an old-school touch that seems suited to a car with a long association with drifting. The Z NISMO gives enthusiasts plenty of physical input, but its stiff controls and weighty responses can make the experience more laborious than thrilling.

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Living With the Manual Z NISMO

Ride quality depends heavily on the pavement, but the Z NISMO is never a quiet or relaxed daily driver. Its stiff suspension is expected of a track-focused model, yet rough pavement sends considerable vibration into the cabin. Road noise can overwhelm the engine and exhaust note at speed, making it difficult to hear the V-6 clearly enough to judge when to shift. Some editors found the car surprisingly usable on smoother roads, while others found rough roads punishing enough to cause fatigue or headaches.

The Z is more practical than the Supra, with a useful hatchback cargo area, a more open cabin, and better outward visibility. Its Recaro seats are comfortable and supportive, though the aggressive seat-back bolsters contrast with less substantial support beneath the thighs. The manual adjustments feel out of place in a car costing more than $70,000, and some editors struggled to find a comfortable seating position or see over the steering wheel.

The displays and physical controls are functional, while the programmable shift light and three-bay gauge cluster add welcome theater. Still, the cabin feels like an old platform repeatedly upgraded and overdue for replacement. That dated character can be charming, but it’s harder to overlook when the ride, noise, and seating position make daily driving more demanding than expected.

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Better Than the Standard Z, Not the Class Leader

The 2027 Nissan Z NISMO starts at $68,555 and costs $70,080 as tested. For that money, buyers get the manual transmission, more powerful engine, NISMO-tuned suspension and steering, larger brakes, Recaro seats, unique aero, and forged Rays wheels. The NISMO is arguably the best version of the current Z and the one that most completely fulfills the car’s enthusiast mission.

At roughly $70,000, though, its stiff ride, noisy cabin, somewhat dated interior, difficult shifter, and noticeable heft are tough to overlook. The 2026 Mustang Dark Horse manual starts at roughly $66,000, and adding its Handling package and Recaro seats, as on our test car, brings the total to roughly $73,500 before any other options.

The Mustang is the more polished, precise, and complete performance machine, but the Z NISMO is still a major step forward from the standard Z and the most convincing version of this generation to date. It’s capable, charismatic, and genuinely fun—especially on a track—but its appeal comes from old-school character more than modern sports car excellence. The manual Z NISMO is finally the car Nissan should have built from the start, but after all these years, it still feels like an unusually well-sorted version of an old car.