The 2027 Nissan Z NISMO will be available with a six-speed manual transmission, ending the automatic-only configuration that defined the model since its 2023 launch. Expected in showrooms this summer, the manual NISMO answers what Nissan describes as the single loudest request from Z owners and enthusiast groups consulted during the development process.
The NISMO retains its 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 producing 420 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque, but the manual is not a straight transplant from the standard Z. Nissan fitted a stronger clutch and pressure plate to handle the NISMO’s additional torque, shortened the shift stroke by five to six millimeters, and retuned the engine’s throttle and ignition timing to match the gearbox. Paul Hawson, Nissan’s director of Advanced Product Planning and Strategy, framed the decision as a reversal of the brand’s initial track-focused logic. Modern automatics shift faster. Customers wanted the manual anyway.
The NISMO also receives front brake rotors derived from the R35 GT-R, a change that sheds nearly 10 pounds per corner and ran approximately 100 degrees Celsius cooler after 10 laps in Nissan’s testing compared to the previous setup. The dampers were retuned for five percent less rebound, which Nissan says improves comfort without sacrificing track composure.
Across the Z lineup, all 2027 models get a fuel tank baffle to prevent starvation during sustained high-g cornering, a detail Nissan added after hearing that owners were tracking the cars harder than the original tank design anticipated. The Z Performance grade adds larger-diameter monotube shocks tuned separately from the NISMO’s suspension, along with redesigned 19-inch wheels inspired by the Z31 generation from the 1980s.
The front fascia changes are the most visible update to Sport and Performance grades. Nissan added a horizontal bar through the lower grille opening, a nod to the original 240Z, and swapped the Nissan emblem on the nose for a Z logo. The new grille required repositioning the front sonar hardware, which Nissan worked into the design to maintain the cooling capacity the car needs while leaning harder into the heritage styling cues that have defined the seventh-generation Z’s visual identity.
Shinkai Green Pearl Metallic joins the color palette, available on Performance and NISMO grades alongside a new tan interior upholstery option. Hawson described the green as a passion project that required extra blue and yellow pigments to prevent the oxidation and fading that green clearcoats are prone to over time. The tan interior pairs with the green to recreate a color combination from the S30 generation, which Nissan believes has latent demand among buyers old enough to remember the original and young enough to want it on a new car.
The Z Performance and NISMO also gain a Qi2 wireless charging pad with a magnetized, elevated surface designed to hold the phone in place while maintaining airflow to prevent overheating. Sport and Performance models receive a new startup animation that cycles through previous Z generations on the gauge cluster, another small gesture toward the car’s 50-plus-year lineage.
The competitive context is sparse. The sports coupe segment has contracted sharply in recent years, with the Supra retired and the Camaro discontinued. The BMW M2 and Ford Mustang Dark Horse remain the primary alternatives for buyers cross-shopping performance coupes under $80,000, and both offer manual transmissions. The Z NISMO’s addition of a manual closes what had been a notable gap in a segment where gearbox choice still matters to the buyers who remain.
Nissan has not announced pricing for the 2027 model year. The 2026 Z Performance starts around $54,000 with destination, and the current NISMO starts at $67,045. Expect the manual NISMO to carry a modest premium over the automatic, if history is any guide, though Nissan’s silence on numbers suggests it may be waiting to see how the market responds before committing to a figure.
The manual Z NISMO arrives this summer. If you have been waiting for Nissan to build the car it should have built in the first place, the wait is over.
Source: Nissan. Images courtesy of Nissan.
