Fitness
The 2023 Nissan Z Sports Car Is Here—and, Damn, It Looks Good
The Nissan Z is one of the most iconic sports cars in history. It’s back—and looks sensational. While we haven’t had a chance to test drive the new 2023 Nissan Z yet, we already know it’s better than the outgoing 370Z by a mile. How come? Here are three key reasons—and one major question mark.
The 2023 Nissan Z is a knockout
Walk around the 2023 Z, and you see cues carried forward from the original 1970’s 240Z—and even from the mid-1990’s version, too. The nose features an open, but not “snarling” grille, that’s intricate and beautiful up close, as well as muscular, blistered fenders to accommodate 18- or 19-inch wheels shod with extra-fat P255/40R19 front tires and P275/35R19 rears.
Those wheels nest closely beneath the body, so the new Z looks wider (even though it’s exactly the same width as the outgoing car), in part because the body is actually stretched five inches longer. So from the side your eye interprets that length as a sleeker shape. It’s a clever trick, as is a very thin-seeming roof—that looks even thinner when you order the car with a black roof, regardless of the color of the rest of the body.
Seen from behind, the back of the car houses a blacked-out oval grid with LED tail lamps. This shape, and the pattern of the LED brake and driving lights within in it, is a nod to the prior 1990-1996 300ZX.
Together, these elements are far more flowing than what was on the original 240Z. Compare that 1974 car to the 2023 Nissan Z, and you see a gorgeous fluidity to the modern car’s shape, where light plays off every angle—and yet, still, every pen stroke tells you it’s the Z reborn.
Exterior view of the 2023 Nissan Z. Courtesy Image
It’s way more powerful
While Nissan’s yet to reveal 0 to 60 times or top speed, the engine shrinks from a 3.5-liter V-6 to a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6. That forced breathing enables increasing horsepower from 332 to 400hp, 6,400 rpm, and torque jumps from 270 to 350 lb-ft of torque.
Since the latter is the accelerative force you feel out of the gate, it’s important that Nissan also engineered this new powerplant to be flexible, with peak torque accessible in a broad band, between 1,600 to 5,600 rpm., so you have power for quick passing, but don’t have to wind out the engine just to get the Z moving.
You can shift yourself—with the added bonus of launch control
We don’t know what the 2023 Nissan Z will cost, which makes it a challenge to ballpark exact performance rivals, but considering the Toyota Supra starts in the mid-$40K range—but kinda cheats with a lower-performance 2.0-liter four cylinder, and only offers a stick shift, forcing drivers to get an automatic if they want a more muscular six cylinder—we’re thrilled Nissan’s not taking the easy way out.
The 2023 car will come with a six-speed manual gearbox that also features a rev-matching downshift function that works like “double clutching” to pre-rev the engine before you shift from, say, 4th to 3rd gear. That’ll extend the life of the transmission, but also make choosing the manual more accessible to more customers. A two-pedal choice, nine-speed automatic will also be sold for commuters who’d rather not row their own, and that transmission, like the manual, will feature a launch control if you really want to wring every drop of performance from the engine. (Launch control in the manual setup requires going for the higher-grade Performance model.)
Past and present Nissan Z models Courtesy Image
Proof will come in the test drive
There’s still one final characteristic we want to know: The car’s weight. Nissan’s promising a faster car that’s also got excellent grip. But something that’s less tangible, but matters just as much, is how much fun the 2023 Z is to drive. You can add horsepower easily these days. Better engineering and fatter rubber can yield more stickiness. But the prior Z wasn’t just bloated looking—it handled heavily, so driving it hard felt a bit too much like a chore.
Interestingly rivals like the aforementioned Toyota Supra with an in-line six cylinder isn’t any lighter than the outgoing 370Z, yet it handles like it is. So the 2023 Z car doesn’t have to lose weight (though it might, since the 3.0-liter V-6 is smaller than the outgoing 3.5-liter V-6). It just has to dance better.
Nissan knows how to do this; if you had the luck of driving any recent GT-Rs, Nissan’s now retired hypercar, you know the company has the chops to completely nail not just stats, but an ear-to-ear grin-inducing Z sports car that provides competition to the Ford Mustang, the aforementioned Toyota, and even pricier cars like Porsche’s Cayman.
Expected on-sale: spring 2023.
Expected price: Roughly $36,000-$50,000
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The key to 360-degree muscle: 90-degree eccentric isometrics. It might seem like we’re throwing a lot of geometry at you, but the concept behind time under tension (TUT) is simple, says Joel Seedman, PhD, owner of Advanced Human Performance: “Perform the lowering phase of a movement in a slow, controlled fashion, usually 3 to 5 seconds; pause in the stretched position, typically around 90 degrees; then perform the lifting phase in a powerful yet controlled fashion.” Believe us, a time-under-tension workout can humble even seasoned lifters…Eccentric isometrics are like the pressure cooker of training.
“Rather than mindlessly performing slow-tempo reps, you’re using the increased time under tension as a means to fine-tune your body mechanics and alignment, which requires more mental engagement and focus,” Seedman adds.
If you want to forge functional muscle mass and strength while simultaneously bulletproofing the joints and connective tissue, give this 10-move, full-body eccentric isometrics workout a go.
Directions
Perform the following moves as 90-degree eccentric isometrics following the above protocol. Use heavy weight, but not at the detriment of proper form. Rest 60 to 90 seconds between sets and 2 minutes between circuits. Perform once every 2 to 4 days for optimal results.
Best Time-Under-Tension Workout for Total-Body Strength
Circuit 1
A. Barbell Back Squat
Set a squat rack up with heavy weight, then grasp bar and step under it. Squeeze shoulder blades together, then stand to unrack bar and step back with feet shoulder-width apart. Inhale, hinge at hips and slowly bend knees to 90 degrees. Pause, keeping natural arch in low back, then extend through hips to powerfully stand. 3 x 4-6 reps
B. Renegade Row
Start in the top position of a pushup with hands shoulder-width apart on moderate-to-heavy dumbbells (shown). Explosively drive right elbow back to row dumbbell toward ribs while balancing on opposite hand and feet. Pause, then slowly lower weight, stopping a few inches above floor. Switch sides after all reps are done. 3 x 5 reps each side
Circuit 2
A. Dumbbell Bentover Row
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding two moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in front of thighs, palms facing you. Push hips back and hinge torso forward so it’s nearly parallel to floor, soft bend in knees. Dumbbells should be near shins. Drive elbows back to row weights toward ribs. Pause, then slowly lower down for 3 to 5 seconds. 3 x 4-5 reps
B. Incline Dumbbell Chest Press with Legs Raised
Set an adjustable bench to a 30- to 45-degree angle and lie back with dumbbells in either hand. Engage core and lift legs off floor, flexing feet. Press weights overhead, palms in. Slowly lower to 90 degrees, staying tight and compact. Pause, then drive weights up directly over chest. 3 x 4-5 reps
Circuit 3
A. Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat
Stand lunge-length in front of a flat bench, holding heavy dumbbells in each hand by your sides, palms facing in. Rest the ball on top (shoe’s laces) of your right foot behind you on the bench. Slowly lower your body until your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Pause, then drive through your heel to stand. Switch sides after all reps are complete. 2 x 3-4 reps each side
B. Single-leg Romanian Deadlift
Stand with feet hip-width apart holding dumbbells or kettlebells. Drive right leg up, foot flexed, knee aligned with hip, making a 90-degree angle. Hinge at hips as you slowly lever your torso toward floor, lowering weights and driving right leg back for counterbalance. Hold, then squeeze glutes to reverse. 2 x 3-4 reps each side
Circuit 4
A. Pullup
Hang from a pullup bar using an overhand grip with legs extended and feet flexed. Engage lats and draw shoulders down your back, then pull yourself up until chin is higher than hands. Pause at the top, then slowly lower. Pause at bottom, then reset before your next rep. 2-3 x 4-5 reps
B. Kneeling Overhead Barbell Press
Hold a bar with moderate-to-heavy load at shoulder level with forearms perpendicular to floor. Kneel at end of bench with feet flexed to grip edge for support. Inhale, engage your core and glutes, then press the bar overhead, pushing your head forward so it passes your face, exhaling at the top.
Slowly lower until elbows are at 90 degrees, then hold to maintain tension. Begin your next rep from here. 2-3 x 4-5 reps
Circuit 5
A. Dumbbell Pushup
Place hands on dumbbells (this provides greater range of motion) at shoulder width and feet wider than shoulder width with just toes touching the ground. Keep head neutral and hips high to increase tension on core, chest and tris and reduce stress on spine. Slowly lower to the floor. Stop
once elbows hit 90 degrees, pause, then push up to start. 1-2 x 6-8 reps
B. Biceps Curl
Stand with feet hip-width apart with moderate-to-heavy dumbbells in each hand hanging by sides. Engage biceps to curl the weights up, keeping upper arms still. Pause at the top, then lower slowly. Don’t let arms drop all the way down to keep greater time under tension on biceps. 1-2 x 6-8 reps
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