Important Z Tweaks Coming to America
The facelifted Nissan Z was quietly announced at the height of the Tokyo Auto Salon fanfare last month. No spotlight, no big reveal – just a subtle update that you might miss if you weren’t paying attention. But honestly, it’s a tweak that matters, especially if you’re never sold on the old rectangular grille.
The front end now looks cleaner and softer, with a shape that calls back to the original Fairlady Z. The bumper and nose are simpler, and the whole car feels less cluttered, but Nissan didn’t mess with the formula too much.
The bigger news is that this facelift is coming to the US as a 2027 model. That part is encouraging. The catch, according to information shared on the Nissan Z Club forum site, is that actually ordering one may be far more difficult than expected.
Nissan/Nissan Z Club
Nissan/Nissan Z Club
New Look, But Will Be Rarer Than Ever
The forum post, reportedly based on dealer-facing material, states that Nissan is shifting the Z to a build-to-order-style system for the US market. For 2027, dealers are said to be allocated fewer than three cars on average for the entire model year. Not per month. Per year.
The standard Z gets the new front bumper and grille, some suspension tweaks, 19-inch wheels, and the return of green paint. In Japan, it’s Unryu Green; in the US, it’s Shinkai Green. That color won’t hit production until June 2026, and there’s still no official color code.
There’s also a new tan interior, and early info suggests it won’t be limited to green cars. That gives buyers a bit more choice – if you can actually get an allocation, which is the real challenge here.
Nissan
Nismo Gets What Fans Wanted
For the Nissan Z Nismo, the big news, of course, is the manual transmission. It gets a shorter shift, a stiffer feel, unique engine and chassis tuning, and its own clutch. Wireless phone charging is a small but useful touch.
Nissan moved 5,487 Zs in the US last year, a solid jump from before. But if you do the math as one of the forum members did – 1,082 dealers and about three cars each – that’s just 3,246 cars for 2027, assuming every slot gets filled.
Obviously, there will be fewer cars to be sold than last year. And, with the improvements revealed, the 2027 Nissan Z looks like the one to have – but actually landing one will come down to timing, dealer connections, and a bit of luck.
About the author
Jacob Oliva
Senior Editor, Autoblog