The Nissan Z is a sports car produced by Nissan Motors. It was first introduced in 1969 and has undergone many changes since then. The current model is the seventh generation of the vehicle, which was launched in 2009.
The Nissan Z is available as both a coupe and a roadster. The coupe comes with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission, while the roadster has only a manual option.
Both versions are front-wheel drive and come equipped with an engine that puts out 270 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque.
1. Audi A5
The Nissan Z is the closest thing we have to an affordable, rear-wheel-drive sports car. However, it’s not without its flaws.
The Z is a great car, but it has a few drawbacks that make it less appealing than some of its competitors. If you’re looking for a car similar to the Nissan Z, here are some of our favorites:
The Audi A5 is pretty much the same thing as the Nissan Z — it’s a two-door coupe with a powerful engine and slick styling. The A5 is a little bit more expensive than the Z, but it also offers more luxury features like leather upholstery and heated seats.
Both cars have similar performance specs (although the A5 has slightly more horsepower), so they should be on equal footing on the track or on the drag strip.
2. BMW 4 Series
The Nissan 370Z and BMW 4 Series are two of the most affordable performance cars on the market. Both are rear-wheel drive coupes, but they have different body styles and engine configurations.
The 370Z is powered by a 332-horsepower V6, while the 4 Series has either a turbocharged six or a turbocharged inline-six in addition to a turbocharged four.
The 370Z uses an independent suspension setup in front and rear with stabilizer bars at both ends. The 4 Series has similar front suspension with a multi-link rear setup with stabilizer bars at both ends. Both vehicles have limited slip differentials at the rear wheels, but only the 370Z has an LSD at the front axle.
The standard transmission for both cars is an eight-speed automatic transmission, though we recommend opting for manual gearboxes on both vehicles if you’re going to go through the trouble of buying one over another sporty car like the Ford Mustang or Camaro SS.
The 370Z’s 0-60 mph time is 5.2 seconds while its top speed is 160 mph (electronically limited). The 4 Series’ 0-60 mph time is 4.8 seconds while its top speed is 155 mph (electronically limited).
3. Infiniti Q60
Infiniti Q60 is similar to the Nissan Z. The Infiniti Q60 has a 325-hp V6 engine and a seven-speed automatic transmission. It comes in rear-wheel or all-wheel drive with a choice of two engines: a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 making 300 hp and 302 lb.-ft. of torque, or a twin-turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 400 hp and 350 lb.-ft. of torque.
The Infiniti Q60 starts at $47,990 (including destination) for the base model, which comes with rear-wheel drive and 18-inch wheels as standard equipment. You can upgrade to all-wheel drive for an additional $1,500 or add 19-inch wheels for $500 more.
If you want more power from your Infiniti Q60, there are two options: The Red Sport 400 features a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 with 400 hp and 350 lb.-ft., or the Black Sport 400 gets that same engine but with 20 extra horsepower and 10 extra pound feet of torque for $2,200 more than the Red Sport model’s price tag of $49,900 (including destination).
4. Audi S3
The Nissan Z is one of the most sought after sports cars in the world, but it’s also a bit pricey. If you’re looking for something similar but cheaper, check out these great alternatives.
The Audi S3 is a compact hatchback that offers performance similar to the Nissan Z. It has a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 292 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque.
This makes it more powerful than both the naturally aspirated version of the Nissan Z (260 horsepower) and even quicker than the NISMO version (300 horsepower).
Like Nissan’s flagship sports car, this Audi comes with all-wheel drive as standard equipment and an option for either a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual clutch transmission.
Another similarity between these two cars is their price tags: both are well above $30,000 when fully loaded. The base price of an Audi S3 starts at $38,100 while a fully loaded NISMO model costs $58,600 before options are added in.
5. BMW M2
The BMW M2 is similar to the Nissan Z. Both are rear-wheel drive, sporty coupes with similar performance and handling. However, the BMW M2 has a wider range of engine options, including turbocharged 3-cylinder and 4-cylinder engines, while the Z is only available with a 6-cylinder engine.
The M2 also has more standard features than the Z (such as satellite navigation). If you want something that’s more luxurious than both cars, consider the Audi TT or Mercedes-Benz SLK AMG instead.
BMW M2 Engine Options
The BMW M2 is available in three trims: Base, Competition and CS (Competition Sport). The base model is powered by a turbocharged 2.0L I4 engine that produces 365 hp at 5500 rpm and 369 lb-ft of torque at 1200-5000 rpm.
It comes with an 8-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive (RWD) as standard equipment. The Competition model gets a more powerful version of this engine — 370 hp at 5500 rpm and 369 lb-ft at 1200-5000 rpm — along with a 7-speed dual clutch transmission (DCT) as standard equipment.
6. Jeep Wrangler
The Jeep Wrangler is similar to the Nissan Z in that it has a two-door design, off-road capabilities and can be used as a daily driver. The Wrangler has been around for decades, making it a classic car.
However, it still has modern features like a touchscreen and heated seats. The Z comes with a manual transmission and rear-wheel drive.
The Z is also available as an electric model, which can be charged at home and driven for about 240 miles on a single charge. The Wrangler can be purchased with either an eight-speed automatic or manual transmission.
Both vehicles have comparable horsepower ratings at around 300 hp, but the Z weighs less than 3,000 pounds while the Wrangler weighs nearly 4,000 pounds due to its steel body construction.
Related: 15 Cars Similar to Jeep Wrangler
7. Audi TT
The Audi TT is a 2-passenger, sports convertible car in the luxury performance car class. The Nissan Z is also a 2-passenger, sports convertible car in the luxury performance car class. But which one is better? Read on to find out.
Performance and Fuel Economy
Both cars are available with three different engines: a turbocharged inline-4 that produces 248 horsepower, a turbocharged inline-6 that produces 330 horsepower and an electric motor that can produce 110 horsepower.
In terms of fuel economy, both cars get around 30 mpg when driven gently at low speeds and around 20 mpg when driven quickly at high speeds.
Exterior Features
The Audi TT has wider tires than the Nissan Z, which reduces road noise when driving over rough roads or potholes. It also has larger brakes than the Nissan Z, which makes it easier to slow down quickly if something suddenly appears in front of you or if there’s an obstacle on the road ahead that needs to be avoided quickly.
8. BMW Z4
The BMW Z4 is similar to the Nissan Z in many ways. Both cars have a front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout and are powered by an inline-6 engine.
The BMW has a slightly more powerful engine than the Nissan, producing 240 horsepower compared to 240 torque. The BMW also has a longer wheelbase of about 6 inches than the Nissan Z, giving it more interior room for passengers.
The BMW Z4 comes with either 16 inch or 18 inch wheels with optional 19 inch wheels available for some models. The Nissan Z has 17 inch standard wheels but can be upgraded to 19 inch wheels as well.
Both cars come standard with cloth seats, but leather seats are available as an upgrade on both vehicles. Both cars also offer an optional Sport Package that includes sport suspension, sport steering wheel, sport seats with lumbar support and other features designed to make driving more fun.
9. Lexus RC
If you’re looking for a vehicle to replace your Nissan Z, there are a number of options that might work well for you. One of them is the Lexus RC, which is similar to the Nissan Z.
The RC was introduced in 2006 and was updated in 2013. It’s available as either a coupe or convertible, with two engines: a 3.5-liter V6 with 306 horsepower and 268 pound-feet of torque (RC 350) or a 5.0-liter V8 with 416 horsepower and 389 pound-feet of torque (RC F). The RC is available with rear-wheel drive only; all-wheel drive is optional on both models.
The RC has been around for more than 10 years now and has been outfitted with plenty of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) over the years, including lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking.
The most recent version also offers forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking as part of its Safety Plus package; this package also includes blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, intelligent High Beam Assist (IHA) and surround view monitor (SVM).
10. BMW 2 Series
BMW 2 Series is similar to the Nissan Z
The BMW 2 Series is a sporty, coupelike vehicle. It has a sleek design and can be used as a family car or as a sports car. The Nissan Z is also a sporty coupe with its own special features. The Nissan Z is a sports car that can be used for both personal enjoyment and family life.
Both the BMW 2 Series and the Nissan Z have many similarities in their design and features, but they also have some differences that set them apart. One of these differences is the price of each car.
The BMW 2 Series has an average price of $21,000 while the Nissan Z has an average price of $36,000. Another difference between these two cars is their engine sizes; the BMW 2 Series has an engine size of 4 cylinders while the Nissan Z has an engine size of 6 cylinders.
11. Ford Mustang
The Ford Mustang is the closest match to the Nissan Z. It has a powerful V8 engine, and it comes with lots of standard features.
The Ford Mustang is a good choice if you’re looking for maximum performance. It has a powerful V8 engine that can go from zero to 60 mph in less than five seconds, making it one of the fastest cars in its class.
The Mustang also comes with lots of standard features, including leather upholstery and heated seats. The base model includes a touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth connectivity and voice controls.
The Mustang comes with two engine options: A 310-horsepower V6 or a 435-horsepower V8. Both engines come with an eight-speed automatic transmission that helps improve fuel economy by up to 10 percent over previous models.
Related: 29 Cars Similar to Ford Mustang
12. Mazda MX-5
Both cars are rear-wheel drive with rear transaxles and feature independent front suspensions with coil springs over struts and multi-link rear suspensions with transverse leaf springs. Both cars come standard with manual transmissions but can be equipped with automatic transmissions as well.
The Nissan Z comes in two body styles: coupe or hatchback coupe (Z34). It comes standard with a V6 engine that produces 300 horsepower and 281 pound-feet of torque at 3,600 rpm; however, there are many more powerful engines available, like an eight-cylinder engine producing 420 hp or even a six-cylinder turbocharged engine producing 350 hp.
13. Chevrolet Camaro
If you’re looking for a car that has the same spirit as the Nissan Z, you might consider the Chevrolet Camaro. Both are rear-wheel-drive sports cars with powerful engines and aggressive styling.
The Nissan Z is available in two models: the 370Z and the Nismo 370Z. The former comes with a 3.7-liter V6 engine that delivers 332 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque.
The latter has an upgraded performance version of the same engine that produces 350 hp and 276 lb-ft of torque. Both versions come with an optional 6-speed manual transmission or a 7-speed automatic transmission.
The Chevy Camaro comes in three models: LS, LT, and SS.
The base LS model comes equipped with either a 3.6-liter V6 or a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine capable of generating 335 hp and 284 lb-ft of torque for either version of the car — both of which can be had with either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission (depending on trim level).
The LT model features a turbocharged 2.0-liter four cylinder making 355 hp and 347 lb.-ft., while the SS model features a twin turbocharged V8 engine that produces.
Related: 14 Cars Similar to the Chevy Camaro
14. Dodge Challenger
The Dodge Challenger is similar to the Nissan Z. Both cars are rear-wheel drive, have V8 engines and have a similar design. The Challenger comes in three trims: SXT, R/T and SRT Hellcat. The Z comes in two trims: 2.5 and 3.5 SL.
Performance
The Z is powered by a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine that produces 197 hp and 151 lb-ft of torque. The Challenger comes with a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 that produces 485 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque, but buyers can opt for a 6.2-liter Hemi V8 that makes 470 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque instead.
Both vehicles accelerate from 0-60 mph in 5 seconds flat, which is pretty quick for their respective price tags (the Z starts at $31,385 while the Challenger starts at $33,495). They both come standard with rear wheel drive; however, some. However are available with all wheel drive as an option on certain models (this will cost you extra).
Related: 12 Cars Similar to the Dodge Challenger
15. Honda Civic Type-R
The Honda Civic Type-R is similar to the Nissan Z. Both vehicles have powerful engines and rear-wheel drive. The Honda Civic Type-R comes with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, while the Nissan Z has a naturally aspirated 3.7-liter V6 engine.
The Honda Civic Type-R has 315 horsepower, while the Nissan Z is available with 340 horsepower. Both cars have six-speed manual transmissions as standard, but there are also automatic options available in both models.
The Nissan 350Z was released in 2004 as a successor to the 240SX, which was discontinued after 2001 due to poor sales and competition from other sports cars like the Subaru WRX STi and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. The 350Z introduced a new generation of Nissan’s sports car that continued until 2009 when it was replaced by the 370Z.
The 350Z featured a front engine layout with rear-wheel drive and either a manual or automatic transmission. It also had independent double wishbone suspension up front and multi-link suspension at the rear. Other features included Brembo brakes, variable valve timing (VVT) on all three cylinder heads, and a traction control system.
