For its newest interpretation of the Z, Nissan has decided to cast an eye to the past. The Nissan Z Kaze concept made its appearance at ZCON with a custom T-top, NISMO wheels of the right vintage and a few GReddy performance pieces that hark back to the Japanese tuner scene of the 1990s.
In a way, the Kaze is the culmination of a passion project by some of Nissan’s product planners and designers. They set out with a straightforward aim: to put some of the open-air spirit of the sports car’s history into the present-day Z. One can imagine they were thinking of a fine summer day on the Pacific Coast Highway with the roof panels off when they came up with the name – “kaze” being the Japanese for wind.
The most obvious feature is the roof. What Nissan has put in place is a custom-engineered T-top that lets you remove the center panels but leaves a structural element running down the middle of the car. It is a clear nod to the T-tops that defined earlier Zs, yet this is not a rehash of an old design so much as a reinterpretation for the current model.
Then there is the matter of the color. Finished in Pacific Teal, the Z Kaze is meant to call to mind the tuner culture and sports cars of the 1990s. The body has been given some fairly understated modifications to be more aggressive in look without obscuring what the Z is. A vented carbon-fiber hood, wider fender flares and an aerodynamic kit all contribute to a lower, wider profile that would have been at home at a tuner show thirty years ago. It is fitting given how enmeshed Nissan was with import tuning in those days.
Some might have expected a new wheel designed to look old, but Nissan wanted the real thing. The Kaze is shod with 18-inch NISMO LMGT2s, forged multi-piece wheels from a long-defunct production run that are very much in demand among enthusiasts. The planners found an original set and had them fully restored for the occasion.
At 10 inches wide in front and 11 in the rear, they are suitably imposing and, with the fenders, give the car the stance of a well-done period build rather than something straight from the factory. In our view, it is one of the cooler aspects of the Kaze.
The retro sensibility is not just skin deep. While no new horsepower numbers have been revealed for the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6, but tweaked by GReddy, a brand any follower of the 90s and 00s tuning world will know. There is a GReddy SUPREME SP exhaust, an Airinx air-filter and a front-mounted intercooler. Add in some NISMO suspension work and the Kaze is more than just a nostalgic concept.
Inside, the planners have eschewed the dark cabin of the typical performance concept in favor of custom white leather seats. With the T-top off, they make the interior stand out, while carbon-fiber trim offers a bit of contrast. For those who want to listen to music with the roof open, Bose has been called in; the Personal Plus headrest speakers put the sound where it should be instead of having to fight the wind.
It is hard not to wonder if Nissan will build a Z T-Top, but Nissan has not made any announcements. The Nissan Z Kaze concept will be on display at ZCON in Phoenix until the 26th of September before it is shipped to the Japanese Classic Car Show on October 31.
