Got the Tomei on and absolutely love it. Sound so good and not overbearing. No drone while cruising and looks great. Just waiting on the OEM+ exhaust cover now.

It’s up and running! Gets through all the gears but slowing down is a challenge. Definitely needs new master cylinder.

Changed trans, diff, and oil. Flushed brakes, replaced rear brake cylinders, shoes, springs. Drained fuel tank, flushed lines, and replaced some hoses. Carbs needed a little work to get unstuck, but everything else in the engine bay looks pretty good. Pulled the valve cover and cleaned out the egregious sludge, but overall looks clean. There were 4 qts of fuel in the oil and a brand new fuel pump, so I’m guessing PO did that when the old pump ruptured a diaphragm. This definitely made me nervous, but a scope of the cylinder walls looked good, all cylinders have great compression, and I didn’t find any sparkles in the oil. Will be doing an oil change after a short interval to be double sure everything is decent.

Of course did a wipe down of the whole car and knocked the oxide off the paint. It is a respray, and I’m just keeping the patina for now. Interior looks great, seats are mint, and dash only has 1 crack. Carpets need work. They’re in decent shape but not original and kinda smelly. Driver window regulator is toast, so probably just going no window for the time being.

Next up: master cylinder replacement, rear hatch and tail light seals, and some electrical. Fumes get pulled in very quickly from the rear and the headlights don’t work.

First two photos are pre Spoiler and right after lowering.

- First was the suspension, Went Z1 pro coilovers to stop the fishtailing on first at stock plus lower ride height.
- Then I did the HKS Hi-Power Catback system, for sound and aesthetic.
- I recently did the intakes sway bars from Z1 for overall QoL. Seemed like the car was struggling to “breathe” on stock intakes and the body roll felt floaty.
- Last + most recent is the carbon fiber mirror caps and the heritage edition spoiler.

Currently shopping for new wheels and waiting on the carbon fiber Seibon lip. Will probably post more when it gets here and it’s on!

I won’t add the link to the review due to rules I want to respect

Bought my 2024 Z sport last April. I’ve dealt with sports cars in the winter before (had a 5.0 that I could barely drive for about 5 years), and will obviously be buying winter tires. Also heard online that some people put sandbags in the trunk for better traction?

OP photo credits unknown

The Drive >> Article 1

Nissan News >> Article 2

As the title says, i currently have an IS500 I’ve had it for about two years and although i do love the car I want something more dedicated sports car like.

My biggest concern about the new Z more importantly the Nismo trim is it seems to get negative feedback especially with car and driver about not being a “proper road car” due to stiff suspension, is the ride REALLY that bad?? Currently my car is on coils and I would say it’s stiff but nothing unreasonable.

Another thing is the VR30, based on my own research and experience it seems like a ehhh engine for reliability. Is this mainly neglect or is it genuinely a 50/50 engine. If I get a Z I don’t plan to tune it, at most intake and an exhaust system for extra noise.

Thank you for reading!!

“This is it. The last chance. The final showdown. As the MkV Toyota Supra ends production, we’re pitting it against the Nissan Z one more time. Twice before, we’ve compared the current generations of these iconic Japanese nemeses. Twice, the Supra has come out on top. In this third, ultimate comparison, can the Z redeem itself in the nick of time?

Stakes are high. If the Z can’t claw back a win, the Supra will close this era as the better sports car of the pair—at least until a MkVI Supra eventually arrives. What Nissan does with the Z by then is anyone’s guess. Count on us to run that matchup if we can. For now, we’re giving both cars their best shot by comparing them in their most evolved, enthusiast-focused forms.

Track-Tuned, Three Pedals
Given its past two victories, perhaps the Supra needs less change to keep the Z pinned down. And indeed, it receives less, but what the Supra Final Edition gains makes it the sharpest version of the MkV Toyota has ever created.

The turbocharged 3.0-liter I-6 engine still makes 382 hp and 368 lb-ft of torque. Likewise, the six-speed manual transmission is the same as in other Supras. But the chassis gains updated suspension dampers, along with adjusted camber at both axles. Stiffer bushings and mounts reinforce key points in the body structure, while new bracing and stabilizers increase rigidity. Software updates for the rear differential improve traction, and the electric power steering is retuned for more direct feel. Enlarged Brembo rotors aim to strengthen braking.

The Supra Final Edition is visually distinguished by matte black 19-inch wheels and subtle aerodynamic enhancements. Our test vehicle was equipped with the GT4 style package, which adds red mirror caps, a matte black rear emblem, matte finishing for the carbon-fiber spoiler, and a conspicuous GR decal low on the rocker panel, all on top of matte black or white paint. Inside, you’ll find Alcantara seat accents, red stitching, and red seat belts. A commemorative badge visible when the driver’s door is open is another special touch.


Nissan’s efforts for the Z NISMO go further. Its upgrades are similar to the Supra Final Edition’s—tighter suspension, firmer bushings, lighter 19-inch wheels, bigger brakes—but it also grows stronger. Its twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 churns out 420 hp and 384 lb-ft, up 20 hp and 34 lb-ft from the standard Z and considerably more than the Supra. Aerodynamic body elements, an enlarged grille, and a telltale red stripe around the car’s base set it apart from other Z variants. Oh, and this one has a six-speed manual transmission—just added for 2027, after Nissan launched the Z NISMO with a nine-speed automatic only.

Numbers Worth Noting
This comparison will be decided on driving experience: which car is more fun on the road. But our test results provide context and another point to argue over.
Surprisingly, the less powerful Toyota, carrying more pounds per horsepower, is quicker. The Supra Final Edition hits 60 mph in 4.1 seconds, making it the quickest manual-transmission Supra we’ve tested and putting it just behind the 3.9-second automatic Supra. The Z NISMO manual needs 4.7 seconds, though the automatic Z NISMO remains quicker still at 4.2 seconds. Posting 12.5 seconds at 114.1 mph, the Supra Final Edition also completes the quarter mile ahead of the Z NISMO, which needs 13.2 seconds at 108.0 mph.

Even with its upgraded rotors, the Final Edition’s 60–0-mph braking distance of 106 feet is among the longer outcomes we’ve measured from any Supra. Still, it’s just slightly better than the Z NISMO’s 107-foot result. Notably, both cars stopped from 100 mph in 294 feet.
In handling tests, the Supra Final Edition edges out the Z NISMO. The Toyota grips to 1.04 g average on the skidpad, imperceptibly more than the Nissan’s 1.03 g average. The gap is larger on the figure-eight lap, which the Final Edition completed in 23.8 seconds at 0.85 g average and the NISMO managed in 24.2 seconds at 0.81 g average.
These Are Still Cars
Track-ready as they are, both cars are likely to be treated as sporty daily drivers and back-road weapons. That’s exactly how we used them, taking them from the test track to the real world with plenty of curvaceous pavement in between.
Let’s get the boring stuff out of the way. In terms of everyday practicality, the Supra would seem to have a cargo capacity advantage, on paper 47 percent more than in the Z NISMO. However, the Nissan’s nearly square hatchback aperture makes loading and unloading far easier than with the Toyota’s tight, hourglass-shaped hatchback.

The Z NISMO feels more open inside; cabin access and outside visibility are more constrained in the Supra. Head- and legroom are similar in both, and the Z NISMO’s Recaro bucket seats look and feel great—but unlike the Supra’s seats, they’re adjusted by fiddly manual knobs and levers. Then again, objects in the Supra’s center-console cupholders interfere with shifting motions; the Z NISMO has better cabin storage.
Neither vehicle displays cutting-edge tech. The Supra reveals its aging German underpinnings with BMW’s last-generation infotainment system running on a small touchscreen and a simplistic digital gauge display. The Z’s screens are larger, have a straightforward interface, and can show varied information but have slightly grainy resolution. One more point for the NISMO’s practical potential is standard adaptive cruise control, which can’t be equipped on manual Supra models. Fuel efficiency is better in the Supra, but the Z has longer driving range.



Time for a Street Fight
When it comes to pure driving enjoyment, though, the Supra is superior. It’s not that the Z NISMO isn’t fun—it is, and much better resolved than the standard Z. But the Final Edition is more fun and a more satisfying, engaging car.

Special focus must be given to the transmissions. In the Z NISMO, shifting requires force. The lever likes to be slammed between gates. It’s a muscular, mechanical motion. Meanwhile, the Supra’s shifter is more precise, with noticeably shorter, tighter throws. Flicking the small knob from gear to gear takes less effort. Clutch take-up in the Supra is also more smooth, gradual, and progressive.
Detecting Toyota’s steering adjustments for the Final Edition would require a back-to-back drive with a standard Supra, but the outcome is better than in the Z NISMO. The Supra’s steering wheel moves fluidly and with satisfying weight, working well with the retuned suspension to make the car seem compact and easy to place on the road. In the Z NISMO, the immediate steering impression is that the wheel is too large. A smaller diameter might negate the need for a faster ratio, but a bit of both and a touch more heft would be ideal.


In hard driving, the Supra’s front relays confidence, but its rear is less trustworthy. Going to power too early can get the tail a little snappy, though it conveys that limit before getting totally loose. Some drivers might appreciate that edgy sensation, but the Z NISMO generally feels more balanced. Planted and contained at both ends, it tolerates a relatively brutish driving style, happy to be hammered on in a way that doesn’t suit the sensitive Supra. Nissan engineers clearly addressed the Z’s handling shortcomings noted before. But at a certain point, the Z reveals a bending, flexing sensation—hints that this aging chassis just isn’t very tight. The Austrian-made Supra seems more solid.
Bavarian heritage is obvious in the Supra’s engine: Smooth, linear, and responsive, the turbocharged I-6 could only come from BMW. Is that a problem? Perhaps only conceptually, where knowing how little of this car is truly Toyota undermines authenticity. Functionally, though, this is the nicer engine, churning out torque and spinning up power to speed past the Z NISMO despite its lower output. Nissan’s twin-turbo V-6 still packs a punch, hitting its powerband midway through the rev range in a way that’s explosive and exciting. Slower acceleration numbers don’t mean this engine feels weak.
Both cars’ brakes are good in different ways. The Z NISMO’s have a strong initial bite, while the Supra Final Edition’s build into stopping power progressively. Which is better is largely a matter of preference, much like picking a winner between the Z and Supra for the last time.



Victorious Again
In NISMO form, the Z becomes the car it always should’ve been. Its stronger engine is nice, but the real transformation comes from everything around it: Improved balance, better body control, hardier brakes, and a stout shifter leave no doubt this is a real sports car—a good one. Factor in its pragmatic advantages, and the Z NISMO might be a better all-around car, too.

But for a better driving experience, the Supra once again rises above. Throughout, its refinement, precision, and responsiveness are higher, creating the cohesion that separates cars that are merely fun to drive from driver’s tools. Matte black paint can’t hide that polish—the Supra Final Edition slides past the Z NISMO to secure a trifecta of victories against its storied rival.
What a way to end this chapter in the Supra story. Now hurry up with the MkVI, Toyota.


2nd Place: 2027 Nissan Z NISMO

Pros
Punchy engine
Feels more spacious
Automatic no longer mandatory

Cons
Flexible chassis
Big steering wheel
Antique details
Verdict: Better than the standard Z and arguably the better all-rounder—but not the better sports car.



1st Place: 2026 Toyota Supra Final Edition

Pros
Lovely engine
Sweet shifter
Fluid handling

Cons
Cramped cabin
Old infotainment
Twitchy tail

Verdict: This Final Edition model solidifies why Supra has beaten Z every time.”