03:00 12-06-2026

2027 Nissan Z: five hidden nods to the classic 240Z and its successors

The 2027 Nissan Z arrives in summer 2026 with suspension tweaks, a manual Z NISMO and five new design nods to the classic S30, Z31 and Z32 generations.

Nissan has prepared the Z for the 2027 model year not just as a technical refresh, but as a careful bow to its own history. The sports car is expected in summer 2026 with several suspension changes, and the Z NISMO finally gets a version with a manual transmission. For fans, though, something else matters more: the design hides five new references to the classic generations.

The biggest change is up front. The grille is now split by a horizontal bar so the silhouette echoes the original Datsun 240Z of the S30 generation.

“We managed to keep the cooling, but leaned harder into nostalgia by adding a horizontal bar in the mouth so it looks more like the S30 generation,” — explained Paul Hawson of Nissan North America.

The Nissan badge on the nose has been replaced by a Z emblem, just like on the old S30, S130, Z31 and Z32. The Performance trim gets new 19-inch RAYS wheels with ten thin spokes. Their pattern nods to the 300ZX Z31 of the mid-1980s, while also opening up the view of the large brake discs and red calipers.

Another detail is the Shinkai Green Pearl Metallic paint. “Shinkai” translates from Japanese as “deep sea,” and the shade itself echoes the Grand Prix Green of the first Z. Nissan points out that engineers mixed ultra-fine yellow and blue pigments so the green resists fading in the sun.

Inside, the Z Performance now offers a brown-beige tan interior — another nod to the S30. The digital instrument cluster of the Sport and Performance trims gets a new startup animation featuring the previous Z generations. The update isn’t loud, it’s for fans: Nissan tweaks the details so the new Z stays modern without losing the memory of the car from 1969.