More than eight months have passed since Nissan took the wraps off its 2023 Z, but we still don’t know exactly how much it will cost in the U.S.. We’ve heard rumors that sales will start in June with the base Z coming in at $40,000, but Nissan is being frustratingly silent on the matter.
If you’re a particularly impatient Nissan fan desperate for your fix of twin-turbo Z goodness, or maybe you’re not won over by the way the production version of the Proto Z concept looks, this frozen-in-time retro Z-car has your name all over it.
The tail end of the 1980s gave us some game-changing Japanese cars, including the Mazda Miata, Honda NSX, Lexus LS400 and Nissan Skyline GT-R, and with icons like those dominating the conversation it’s often hard for the GT-R’s rear-wheel drive cousin to get a look in. But the Z32-code 300ZX was critically acclaimed when new, and these days they’re a fantastic alternative to an R32 GT-R or A80 Toyota Supra for a ton less money.
Not that this example here is likely to go for a song. A desirable two-seat, twin-turbo model with the added bonus of a five-speed manual transmission instead of the available automatic, this Texas car that is up for auction through PCar Market has covered just 6,229 miles (10,025 km) from new.
Related: Could This Mysterious Nissan Z Be A NISMO Model In Development?
Finished in Glacier White Pearlglow with a charcoal leather interior, it’s fitted with power everything, a Bose sound system and removable T-tops to let everyone hear that Jan Hammer cassette you found in your dad’s garage. Or maybe you just give the tunes a miss and listen to the 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 as it churns out its 300 hp (304 PS) and 283 lb-ft (384 Nm) of torque.
That may be 100 hp (101 PS) shy of the the 400 hp (406 PS) the 2023 Z produces, but even 32 years on the Z’s 5.0-second zero to 60 mph (0-96 km/h) capability is enough to give several modern performance cars a hard time in a straight line, while four-wheel steering and two-mode dampers mean it’s pretty nimble in corners.
Since there’s still no word from Nissan on price and availability of the 2023 Z, buying this one seems like the only sensible course of action. Tempted? The auction ends on Thursday, April 28.
