The current Nissan Z, which debuted for 2022, is already a pretty retro-flavored piece of machinery. Recessed headlights, a sleek roofline, C-pillar badges, and 300ZX-inspired taillamps help the 400-horsepower sports car feel like a greatest hits album of Nissan styling details. But the automaker still wants to celebrate the Z’s 55th birthday with a special retrospective, called the Heritage Edition.
The most obvious addition to the 2024 Nissan Z Heritage Edition is its oh-so-Datsun paintwork. The period-correct New Sight Orange hue looks great set against the black stripes that contour to the hood’s power dome and extend over the roof and trunk, while black rocker panel accents and a Z logo appear around the bottom and a neat wreath graphic surrounds the C-pillar badge. The Heritage also gets the gloss black ground effects and diffuser found on other Performance trims.
The other big visual difference is a new front bumper that bifurcates the standard Z’s gaping grille. In my opinion, the new A-frame lower air intake looks a bit fussy and detracts from the vintage theme going on elsewhere on the car, but it does a good job of breaking up the black hole of a front end on the regular Z.
The other body modification to the Heritage Edition comprises a set of fender extensions, which look a bit like the slightly flared wheel arches on the original Datsun 240Z. They can’t help but look a little tacked on, but at least they surround a phenomenal set of 19-inch wheels that look like modernized Panasports – perfect for a Japanese two-seater.
Based on the Performance trim level, the Z Heritage Edition gets the same twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 that’s good for 400 hp and 350 pound-feet of torque, as well as Nissan Performance brakes, and a limited-slip rear differential. It also gets the same Amazon Alexa–enabled infotainment and eight-speaker Bose audio as all 2024 Performance models. However, the Z Heritage Edition special starts at $60,275 including destination, an increase of $6,165 compared to the identically equipped Z Performance.
If the 2024 Nissan Z Heritage Edition looks familiar, then kudos on your obscure vehicle knowledge. The 2024 Fairlady Z (as it’s known in the Japanese domestic market) offers a Customized Edition trim that gets the same bumper, colors, and wheels – minus the C-pillar wreath and fender extensions.
