2014 Nissan Fairlady Z NISMO

Yes, the March NISMO was made to be a beginner's car suitable for track day weekends but for the upperclassmen of the track day scene, there's also another NISMO out there and it seems that the newly reborn NISMO brand is becoming what AMG does to Mercedes-Benz, M Power does to BMW, and SRT does to Chrysler brands.

2014 Nissan Fairlady Z NISMO

Part of the ever-expanding NISMO brand is the 2014 Nissan Fairlady Z NISMO, which is now more of an ultimate version of the speedo boy favorite Nissan FR sportscar with some added genes of Nissan's involvement in the world of motorsports. For the 2014 model, the Z NISMO now sticks with the new Nismo design theme with distinctive new exterior and interior accents which was applied in the Juke and March models.

First of all, it looks like the Version NISMO model that was launched in 2009 and based on the Z34 model but because of the rename from "Version NISMO" to just "NISMO", the main difference for the new Z NISMO is the upgraded aerodynamics, sharper handling, sports tires, rigid body, increased stopping power, and the upgraded version of the VQ37VHR engine.

Wait a minute, the Version NISMO didn't notice it but for the Fairlady Z NISMO (remove the "Version" stuff), NISMO provided a special dual exhaust system with equal-length exhaust manifolds and a new ECM (tuning computer) so the VQ37VHR's power output is now up from 336PS to 355PS of power while being mated with either a 7-speed auto or a 6-speed manual gearbox with SynchroRev match system in which the revs match the gearbox.

2014 Nissan Fairlady Z NISMO interior

There's more to this because while most NISMO models are driver-focused cars complete with driver-focused interiors, the Z NISMO is no exception on the inside, the Z NISMO receives a similar NISMO treatment to make it more driver-focused while keeping it luxurious for the fancy businessmen who wanted to be more flashy. There are the special combinations of seats made with genuine leather and suede-like fabric, the steering wheels wrapped in Alcantara, a special genuine leather shift knob, some red stitching, a special number plate, and a special NISMO instrument cluster in which we can find a speedo that reads up to 280kph! Smart move but this was all in the name of being a high-performance version of a high-performance sports car.

2014 Nissan Fairlady Z NISMO

With all of this special equipment, the pricing is now up to 5,218,500 Japanese Yen, which is kinda expensive for a hot version of the Z but judging from its combat gear that makes it a proper track weapon, it's like munching every menu from the 5-star restaurant while adding the most daring flavoring that no normal person can survive against. It takes a Merc with the Mouth to describe this in an insane kind of way that you'll never ever understand but still it's worth the fun. I know, it's worth the fun during track days but as an everyday car, it's kinda harsh and if you were taking a date with someone to a 5-star restaurant, pretty soon, your date might just steal it. Oh well...

Available colors: Brilliant White Pearl, Brilliant Silver, Diamond Black, and Vibrant Red

Photo: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.