A test mule was spotted in the Los Angeles area.
The biggest hint is that “Nismo” is stamped on the seats.
The new Nissan Z is one hot tamale. It has received praise from nearly everyone (including us) as being a rare mostly analog sports car that is worthy of the historical “Z” badge. Nissan is aware of the Z’s importance, which could explain why they are seemingly fast-forwarding its future with a potential Nismo version.
Nissan LEAF NISMO RC | Photo: Olivier Delorme
A Nissan Z was spotted driving on the Angeles Crest Highway near Los Angeles and in Arizona in the recent past. These specific Zs differed in a few ways, one being that the front grille is revised reminiscent of the one found on the Fairlady Z432R-inspired prototype unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Salon last January.
Why Japanese Nostalgic Car guesses that this might be a Nismo version comes from the front grille and the fact that the word “Nismo” is visible on the seats. The fact that there are no flared fenders or a larger rear spoiler could indicate this is a package and not an actual Nismo Z.
If anything, Nissan is clearly developing a new sporty iteration of their Z. No matter the final product, this is good news for enthusiasts. If we’re lucky, we might get to see it at the next LA Auto Show in November.
