The 2023 Nissan Z will reportedly be offered with an alternative split-grille design after positive feedback from a retro-inspired Z show car. However, whether the option will be available in the United States isn't yet clear.
The current Nissan Z launched with styling that pays tribute to its forebears, from the design of its lights to its gaping rectangular grille. The grille's shape wasn't met with universal acclaim at its debut, and a show car with a split design shown at last year's Tokyo Auto Salon was hailed as an improvement. Among other tweaks, it had a Z 432R-inspired grille divided by a bumper and underscored with a large chin spoiler. Nissan has recognized the public's interest in the design because at this year's show, it debuted an updated version (shown above), which will reportedly be made.
According to Japanese Nostalgic Car, Nissan will put the alternative front end into production and make it available as a dealer-installed option sometime mid-year. Nissan describes the car wearing this updated bumper as "the mass-market version" of its previous show car.
Whether its bodywork will be available outside of Japan is unclear, as is whether the rest of the show car's cosmetics will be sold. Its decals and carbon fiber spoiler could be popular additions to the Z's exterior customization options, which are otherwise minimal, especially for a retro-inspired coupe.
Nissan has not yet responded to a request for comment on the alternate front bumper's availability in the United States. If it won't be sold here, it's easy to imagine a few auspicious Z owners trying to import the part from overseas—if not the entire car it's attached to. That's if they can wait the 25 years for it to become legal, though, by which time more Zs may have come and gone... If the Z lives on into the electric era, that is.
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