Sport MT vs Nismo AT - Real World Perspective

[Modfather]

Bit of background first - I have owned a couple of Silvia/240sx S14s over the years and also got to drive R33 gtst and experience an R33 GTR, i am very familiar with older manual transmission nissan sports cars!. I am also an avid fan of the "save the manuals" club!

I have also owned some performance automatics from the 90s and early 2000s - Mercedes E55 AMG and Volvo 2.5 Turbo. The transmissions sucked and i wanted to manual swap both vehicles, this was my bias when i was looking at the Z. I have no experience with a DCT equipped vehicle.

Why Z in the first place - I don't currently have the facilities or time to buy a 25+ year old Nissan to rebuild it the way i want as a project, also the cost increase on those cars in the last 5 years from my perspective pushed me towards something shiny and new instead of old, tired and abused. I would love to rebuild an old nissan as a project but it does not make sense for where i am in life right now!

That said, i had my eyes fixed on a bayside blue sport with MT. I went to the dealership and looked at it, beautiful car. I also clocked the Red Nismo in the show room - also a beautiful car and it got my gears turning.

I wanted the Sport as the base for building my ultimate turbo nissan, i knew that i would need to do certain modifications to make it the way i want - but the reality of being able to work on the vehicle started to set in, so i started to consider the Nismo as on paper it has a lot of what i want and is a jumpstart towards future tuning projects - but then there is the torque convertor automatic and lack of ability to row through gears.

80% of the reviews on the nismo are by reviewers feeding off the hype around it being automatic and should be ignored

Here is my perspective on the sport vs nismo:
I went back to the dealership and drove both back to back.

The Sport:

• It has all the DNA of the 90s Nissans i know and love - this is an incredible car i would of been more than happy with it
• The shift is not as crisp as my old nd miata mx5, but not bad - a short shifter would fix this.
• The revs do hang after changing gear which is a little annoying, i believe a lighter flywheel fixes this (Nismo Clutch Kit)
• The suspension is a bit floaty in the front, just like nissans of old in stock form, its set up as a GT car - The aftermarket can fix this
• For me there is a modification list that i don't have time/a shop at home to tackle right now - this ultimately pushed me to the Nismo

The Nismo (i went with this):

• This car is definitely on another level (stock vs stock) compared to the sport, it feels very modern and grown up in comparison.
  • The Sport gave me 90s JDM sports car nostalgia whereas the Nismo feels like what i imagine a modern porsche to be like.
• The transmission is awesome in sport+ mode, shifts are snappy and responsive, i personally think delays in shifting are overhyped.
  • This is a million miles from AT transmissions of old (and my wifes 24' Nissan frontier which is the same base transmission!)
• This car is an amazing package, it is purpose built to do trackdays out of the box.
  • This is where i wanted to go with the sport, once i drove it i finally understood why it has the automatic, "I get it".
  • Bringing it all together with the AT - my concerns were completely satisfied.
  • It is way more planted than a regular Z, but it is stiff so be prepared for that
  • The Recaros hold you better than the seats in the sport
• This car would SUCK as a daily driver, it is full on hardcore (comparatively) to the Sport.
  • If you want comforts and daily drivability go for the sport or performance, they are geared towards that use and you can tune to suspension to your liking
  • The ride home over rougher highway was like being on a pogo stick, lol.

"its not a sports car with an automatic transmission, the lack of manual will leave you longing" - Wrong!

Tldr; to close i will say this:

• Both flavors of the Z were awesome, but they are different cars.
• If your on the fence about the nismo over the transmission go drive one, ignore the "hype" in reviews.
• If you want to daily drive then the nismo might not be for you.
  • The Sport is a great platform for modification due to the price point
  • The Performance could be the sweet spot for people who want to keep it stock or do basic bolt ons plus daily drive / do lots of street driving.
• I respect everyone in the "save the manuals club" - it would be nice to have the option for the nismo but as a package it works! After driving it i finally understood why they did it and i am happy with my purchase.

 

[bpeckham]

Well written review. I often think reviews are focused on one aspect only, maybe what the reviewer wants in a car or perhaps what reviewer thinks their readers want, and ignore that the market for this car is wider than the niche the reviewer focuses on.

That the Z's foundation allows it to be the Sport, the Performance, and the NISMO, covering a wide variety of buyers in stock form is nice, and for those who want to tweak it, the aftermarket is there.

 

[FSUZ33]

Got my first Nissan in June of ‘03, a Super Black 350Z Track 6MT. No mods other than NISMO intake, test pipes and tune. It was exactly what I wanted (black, manual coupe) and I oved every second in it.

In 2016 a 16 year old pulled out in front of me and it was totaled. A 16 year old who was actively involved in defending her 3 month old DUI case…how did she even have a driver’s license at that point?!?! Whatever!…

Bought an ‘05 white Touring Roadster AT from a family member, unsurprisingly a middle-aged woman. it was the polar-opposite of a black manual coupe, it had tiny brakes compared to the Brembos l was used to, BUT it only had 32k miles and was meticulously cared for. I don’t think it had seen rain until I got it.

I had only driven a manual since 1995, and although I got used to the AT in the ‘05 350Z, I still wanted a manual.

So for the past year I’ve been planning for a new Z. I wanted a manual, but I also wanted the NISMO…’First World Problems’! With $8,500 off MSRP and no dealer adds/tricks other than $300 for tint, I traded my Z33 for a black NISMO last weekend.

Only a week in, and I still think if I could have exactly what I have with MT I would do it, but I have no complaints. Granted, the ‘05 was on the verge of being a legitimate Antique, and the Z33 AT wasn’t some world-class transmission, the 9-speed in the NISMO is a COMPLETELY different animal. I have yet to use Sport or Sport+ and haven’t gone more than 50% throttle (waiting until 1k), but from what I can tell im not going to miss the 3rd pedal as much as I thought I was.

 

[RobotAZ]

Of note, your only experience with the 9AT is the Nismo.

I’ve been driving for 36 years now and have owned at least one manual if not 2-3 at all times.

The 9AT in the Sport will bridge that 90’s-to-modern gap you sensed. It’s not a Nismo AT, but it’s pretty close. The AT has a lot to do with the total package bringing this platform right where it should be with old school and new school in my opinion. The manual felt old to me, too. But if there was no AT I’d buy a manual and be thrilled. They’re both great.

 

[Kevin]

Bit of background first - I have owned a couple of Silvia/240sx S14s over the years and also got to drive R33 gtst and experience an R33 GTR, i am very familiar with older manual transmission nissan sports cars!. I am also an avid fan of the "save the manuals" club!

I have also owned some performance automatics from the 90s and early 2000s - Mercedes E55 AMG and Volvo 2.5 Turbo. The transmissions sucked and i wanted to manual swap both vehicles, this was my bias when i was looking at the Z. I have no experience with a DCT equipped vehicle.

Why Z in the first place - I don't currently have the facilities or time to buy a 25+ year old Nissan to rebuild it the way i want as a project, also the cost increase on those cars in the last 5 years from my perspective pushed me towards something shiny and new instead of old, tired and abused. I would love to rebuild an old nissan as a project but it does not make sense for where i am in life right now!

That said, i had my eyes fixed on a bayside blue sport with MT. I went to the dealership and looked at it, beautiful car. I also clocked the Red Nismo in the show room - also a beautiful car and it got my gears turning.

I wanted the Sport as the base for building my ultimate turbo nissan, i knew that i would need to do certain modifications to make it the way i want - but the reality of being able to work on the vehicle started to set in, so i started to consider the Nismo as on paper it has a lot of what i want and is a jumpstart towards future tuning projects - but then there is the torque convertor automatic and lack of ability to row through gears.

80% of the reviews on the nismo are by reviewers feeding off the hype around it being automatic and should be ignored

Here is my perspective on the sport vs nismo:
I went back to the dealership and drove both back to back.

The Sport:

• It has all the DNA of the 90s Nissans i know and love - this is an incredible car i would of been more than happy with it
• The shift is not as crisp as my old nd miata mx5, but not bad - a short shifter would fix this.
• The revs do hang after changing gear which is a little annoying, i believe a lighter flywheel fixes this (Nismo Clutch Kit)
• The suspension is a bit floaty in the front, just like nissans of old in stock form, its set up as a GT car - The aftermarket can fix this
• For me there is a modification list that i don't have time/a shop at home to tackle right now - this ultimately pushed me to the Nismo

The Nismo (i went with this):

• This car is definitely on another level (stock vs stock) compared to the sport, it feels very modern and grown up in comparison.
  • The Sport gave me 90s JDM sports car nostalgia whereas the Nismo feels like what i imagine a modern porsche to be like.
• The transmission is awesome in sport+ mode, shifts are snappy and responsive, i personally think delays in shifting are overhyped.
  • This is a million miles from AT transmissions of old (and my wifes 24' Nissan frontier which is the same base transmission!)
• This car is an amazing package, it is purpose built to do trackdays out of the box.
  • This is where i wanted to go with the sport, once i drove it i finally understood why it has the automatic, "I get it".
  • Bringing it all together with the AT - my concerns were completely satisfied.
  • It is way more planted than a regular Z, but it is stiff so be prepared for that
  • The Recaros hold you better than the seats in the sport
• This car would SUCK as a daily driver, it is full on hardcore (comparatively) to the Sport.
  • If you want comforts and daily drivability go for the sport or performance, they are geared towards that use and you can tune to suspension to your liking
  • The ride home over rougher highway was like being on a pogo stick, lol.

"its not a sports car with an automatic transmission, the lack of manual will leave you longing" - Wrong!

Tldr; to close i will say this:

• Both flavors of the Z were awesome, but they are different cars.
• If your on the fence about the nismo over the transmission go drive one, ignore the "hype" in reviews.
• If you want to daily drive then the nismo might not be for you.
  • The Sport is a great platform for modification due to the price point
  • The Performance could be the sweet spot for people who want to keep it stock or do basic bolt ons plus daily drive / do lots of street driving.
• I respect everyone in the "save the manuals club" - it would be nice to have the option for the nismo but as a package it works! After driving it i finally understood why they did it and i am happy with my purchase.

nice review, love the red....my red one will be in my garage on Monday....have a great summer

 

[Thefunk]

Nice review! I like the comparison of the Nismo to a Porche. That's where I'm trying to take my Performance. I try really hard not to daily it as I have a Murano for daily so only when it's nice out.

 

[chadhunley]

Got my first Nissan in June of ‘03, a Super Black 350Z Track 6MT. No mods other than NISMO intake, test pipes and tune. It was exactly what I wanted (black, manual coupe) and I oved every second in it.

In 2016 a 16 year old pulled out in front of me and it was totaled. A 16 year old who was actively involved in defending her 3 month old DUI case…how did she even have a driver’s license at that point?!?! Whatever!…

Bought an ‘05 white Touring Roadster AT from a family member, unsurprisingly a middle-aged woman. it was the polar-opposite of a black manual coupe, it had tiny brakes compared to the Brembos l was used to, BUT it only had 32k miles and was meticulously cared for. I don’t think it had seen rain until I got it.

I had only driven a manual since 1995, and although I got used to the AT in the ‘05 350Z, I still wanted a manual.

So for the past year I’ve been planning for a new Z. I wanted a manual, but I also wanted the NISMO…’First World Problems’! With $8,500 off MSRP and no dealer adds/tricks other than $300 for tint, I traded my Z33 for a black NISMO last weekend.

Only a week in, and I still think if I could have exactly what I have with MT I would do it, but I have no complaints. Granted, the ‘05 was on the verge of being a legitimate Antique, and the Z33 AT wasn’t some world-class transmission, the 9-speed in the NISMO is a COMPLETELY different animal. I have yet to use Sport or Sport+ and haven’t gone more than 50% throttle (waiting until 1k), but from what I can tell im not going to miss the 3rd pedal as much as I thought I was.

Not testing that sport + until 1k is going to take some discipline! I've used all the modes from the beginning, but didn't go much over 4k rpm until I hit around 700 miles. Although, today I did a medium aggressive pull and hit 6k. So, I feel like I've committed a mortal sin for doing that! I'm at 900 miles, so hopefully I'm ok. Got a couple of hundred to go, and then I'll let her rip a bit.

 

[Modfather]

Got my first Nissan in June of ‘03, a Super Black 350Z Track 6MT. No mods other than NISMO intake, test pipes and tune. It was exactly what I wanted (black, manual coupe) and I oved every second in it.

In 2016 a 16 year old pulled out in front of me and it was totaled. A 16 year old who was actively involved in defending her 3 month old DUI case…how did she even have a driver’s license at that point?!?! Whatever!…

Bought an ‘05 white Touring Roadster AT from a family member, unsurprisingly a middle-aged woman. it was the polar-opposite of a black manual coupe, it had tiny brakes compared to the Brembos l was used to, BUT it only had 32k miles and was meticulously cared for. I don’t think it had seen rain until I got it.

I had only driven a manual since 1995, and although I got used to the AT in the ‘05 350Z, I still wanted a manual.

So for the past year I’ve been planning for a new Z. I wanted a manual, but I also wanted the NISMO…’First World Problems’! With $8,500 off MSRP and no dealer adds/tricks other than $300 for tint, I traded my Z33 for a black NISMO last weekend.

Only a week in, and I still think if I could have exactly what I have with MT I would do it, but I have no complaints. Granted, the ‘05 was on the verge of being a legitimate Antique, and the Z33 AT wasn’t some world-class transmission, the 9-speed in the NISMO is a COMPLETELY different animal. I have yet to use Sport or Sport+ and haven’t gone more than 50% throttle (waiting until 1k), but from what I can tell im not going to miss the 3rd pedal as much as I thought I was.

I have been going half throttle, under 4k revs but in the sport+ mode, it speeds up shifting even more!.

 

[chadhunley]

Bit of background first - I have owned a couple of Silvia/240sx S14s over the years and also got to drive R33 gtst and experience an R33 GTR, i am very familiar with older manual transmission nissan sports cars!. I am also an avid fan of the "save the manuals" club!

I have also owned some performance automatics from the 90s and early 2000s - Mercedes E55 AMG and Volvo 2.5 Turbo. The transmissions sucked and i wanted to manual swap both vehicles, this was my bias when i was looking at the Z. I have no experience with a DCT equipped vehicle.

Why Z in the first place - I don't currently have the facilities or time to buy a 25+ year old Nissan to rebuild it the way i want as a project, also the cost increase on those cars in the last 5 years from my perspective pushed me towards something shiny and new instead of old, tired and abused. I would love to rebuild an old nissan as a project but it does not make sense for where i am in life right now!

That said, i had my eyes fixed on a bayside blue sport with MT. I went to the dealership and looked at it, beautiful car. I also clocked the Red Nismo in the show room - also a beautiful car and it got my gears turning.

I wanted the Sport as the base for building my ultimate turbo nissan, i knew that i would need to do certain modifications to make it the way i want - but the reality of being able to work on the vehicle started to set in, so i started to consider the Nismo as on paper it has a lot of what i want and is a jumpstart towards future tuning projects - but then there is the torque convertor automatic and lack of ability to row through gears.

80% of the reviews on the nismo are by reviewers feeding off the hype around it being automatic and should be ignored

Here is my perspective on the sport vs nismo:
I went back to the dealership and drove both back to back.

The Sport:

• It has all the DNA of the 90s Nissans i know and love - this is an incredible car i would of been more than happy with it
• The shift is not as crisp as my old nd miata mx5, but not bad - a short shifter would fix this.
• The revs do hang after changing gear which is a little annoying, i believe a lighter flywheel fixes this (Nismo Clutch Kit)
• The suspension is a bit floaty in the front, just like nissans of old in stock form, its set up as a GT car - The aftermarket can fix this
• For me there is a modification list that i don't have time/a shop at home to tackle right now - this ultimately pushed me to the Nismo

The Nismo (i went with this):

• This car is definitely on another level (stock vs stock) compared to the sport, it feels very modern and grown up in comparison.
  • The Sport gave me 90s JDM sports car nostalgia whereas the Nismo feels like what i imagine a modern porsche to be like.
• The transmission is awesome in sport+ mode, shifts are snappy and responsive, i personally think delays in shifting are overhyped.
  • This is a million miles from AT transmissions of old (and my wifes 24' Nissan frontier which is the same base transmission!)
• This car is an amazing package, it is purpose built to do trackdays out of the box.
  • This is where i wanted to go with the sport, once i drove it i finally understood why it has the automatic, "I get it".
  • Bringing it all together with the AT - my concerns were completely satisfied.
  • It is way more planted than a regular Z, but it is stiff so be prepared for that
  • The Recaros hold you better than the seats in the sport
• This car would SUCK as a daily driver, it is full on hardcore (comparatively) to the Sport.
  • If you want comforts and daily drivability go for the sport or performance, they are geared towards that use and you can tune to suspension to your liking
  • The ride home over rougher highway was like being on a pogo stick, lol.

"its not a sports car with an automatic transmission, the lack of manual will leave you longing" - Wrong!

Tldr; to close i will say this:

• Both flavors of the Z were awesome, but they are different cars.
• If your on the fence about the nismo over the transmission go drive one, ignore the "hype" in reviews.
• If you want to daily drive then the nismo might not be for you.
  • The Sport is a great platform for modification due to the price point
  • The Performance could be the sweet spot for people who want to keep it stock or do basic bolt ons plus daily drive / do lots of street driving.
• I respect everyone in the "save the manuals club" - it would be nice to have the option for the nismo but as a package it works! After driving it i finally understood why they did it and i am happy with my purchase.

Most dealers won't let people test drive the Nismos, accept for a few, such as in your case. If they did, I think most people would really see how fantastic the Nismo Z really is.

 

[Howdog70]

I suffered through the same decision. I drove the Performance and then the Nismo. I got the Nismo in February, no regrets. For me, my Manual itch gets scratched by my 240Z in the garage. I also manual shift the Nismo 90% of the time... Good luck!

 

[CPerdomo]

Bit of background first - I have owned a couple of Silvia/240sx S14s over the years and also got to drive R33 gtst and experience an R33 GTR, i am very familiar with older manual transmission nissan sports cars!. I am also an avid fan of the "save the manuals" club!

I have also owned some performance automatics from the 90s and early 2000s - Mercedes E55 AMG and Volvo 2.5 Turbo. The transmissions sucked and i wanted to manual swap both vehicles, this was my bias when i was looking at the Z. I have no experience with a DCT equipped vehicle.

Why Z in the first place - I don't currently have the facilities or time to buy a 25+ year old Nissan to rebuild it the way i want as a project, also the cost increase on those cars in the last 5 years from my perspective pushed me towards something shiny and new instead of old, tired and abused. I would love to rebuild an old nissan as a project but it does not make sense for where i am in life right now!

That said, i had my eyes fixed on a bayside blue sport with MT. I went to the dealership and looked at it, beautiful car. I also clocked the Red Nismo in the show room - also a beautiful car and it got my gears turning.

I wanted the Sport as the base for building my ultimate turbo nissan, i knew that i would need to do certain modifications to make it the way i want - but the reality of being able to work on the vehicle started to set in, so i started to consider the Nismo as on paper it has a lot of what i want and is a jumpstart towards future tuning projects - but then there is the torque convertor automatic and lack of ability to row through gears.

80% of the reviews on the nismo are by reviewers feeding off the hype around it being automatic and should be ignored

Here is my perspective on the sport vs nismo:
I went back to the dealership and drove both back to back.

The Sport:

• It has all the DNA of the 90s Nissans i know and love - this is an incredible car i would of been more than happy with it
• The shift is not as crisp as my old nd miata mx5, but not bad - a short shifter would fix this.
• The revs do hang after changing gear which is a little annoying, i believe a lighter flywheel fixes this (Nismo Clutch Kit)
• The suspension is a bit floaty in the front, just like nissans of old in stock form, its set up as a GT car - The aftermarket can fix this
• For me there is a modification list that i don't have time/a shop at home to tackle right now - this ultimately pushed me to the Nismo

The Nismo (i went with this):

• This car is definitely on another level (stock vs stock) compared to the sport, it feels very modern and grown up in comparison.
  • The Sport gave me 90s JDM sports car nostalgia whereas the Nismo feels like what i imagine a modern porsche to be like.
• The transmission is awesome in sport+ mode, shifts are snappy and responsive, i personally think delays in shifting are overhyped.
  • This is a million miles from AT transmissions of old (and my wifes 24' Nissan frontier which is the same base transmission!)
• This car is an amazing package, it is purpose built to do trackdays out of the box.
  • This is where i wanted to go with the sport, once i drove it i finally understood why it has the automatic, "I get it".
  • Bringing it all together with the AT - my concerns were completely satisfied.
  • It is way more planted than a regular Z, but it is stiff so be prepared for that
  • The Recaros hold you better than the seats in the sport
• This car would SUCK as a daily driver, it is full on hardcore (comparatively) to the Sport.
  • If you want comforts and daily drivability go for the sport or performance, they are geared towards that use and you can tune to suspension to your liking
  • The ride home over rougher highway was like being on a pogo stick, lol.

"its not a sports car with an automatic transmission, the lack of manual will leave you longing" - Wrong!

Tldr; to close i will say this:

• Both flavors of the Z were awesome, but they are different cars.
• If your on the fence about the nismo over the transmission go drive one, ignore the "hype" in reviews.
• If you want to daily drive then the nismo might not be for you.
  • The Sport is a great platform for modification due to the price point
  • The Performance could be the sweet spot for people who want to keep it stock or do basic bolt ons plus daily drive / do lots of street driving.
• I respect everyone in the "save the manuals club" - it would be nice to have the option for the nismo but as a package it works! After driving it i finally understood why they did it and i am happy with my purchase.

Perfect Review.
It covers and answers the three basic issues intelligently and to the point.
I own a performance Z. Even though I would definitely enjoy a nismo, mine is a daily driver.
Thanks.

 

[Twisp]

Bit of background first - I have owned a couple of Silvia/240sx S14s over the years and also got to drive R33 gtst and experience an R33 GTR, i am very familiar with older manual transmission nissan sports cars!. I am also an avid fan of the "save the manuals" club!

I have also owned some performance automatics from the 90s and early 2000s - Mercedes E55 AMG and Volvo 2.5 Turbo. The transmissions sucked and i wanted to manual swap both vehicles, this was my bias when i was looking at the Z. I have no experience with a DCT equipped vehicle.

Why Z in the first place - I don't currently have the facilities or time to buy a 25+ year old Nissan to rebuild it the way i want as a project, also the cost increase on those cars in the last 5 years from my perspective pushed me towards something shiny and new instead of old, tired and abused. I would love to rebuild an old nissan as a project but it does not make sense for where i am in life right now!

That said, i had my eyes fixed on a bayside blue sport with MT. I went to the dealership and looked at it, beautiful car. I also clocked the Red Nismo in the show room - also a beautiful car and it got my gears turning.

I wanted the Sport as the base for building my ultimate turbo nissan, i knew that i would need to do certain modifications to make it the way i want - but the reality of being able to work on the vehicle started to set in, so i started to consider the Nismo as on paper it has a lot of what i want and is a jumpstart towards future tuning projects - but then there is the torque convertor automatic and lack of ability to row through gears.

80% of the reviews on the nismo are by reviewers feeding off the hype around it being automatic and should be ignored

Here is my perspective on the sport vs nismo:
I went back to the dealership and drove both back to back.

The Sport:

• It has all the DNA of the 90s Nissans i know and love - this is an incredible car i would of been more than happy with it
• The shift is not as crisp as my old nd miata mx5, but not bad - a short shifter would fix this.
• The revs do hang after changing gear which is a little annoying, i believe a lighter flywheel fixes this (Nismo Clutch Kit)
• The suspension is a bit floaty in the front, just like nissans of old in stock form, its set up as a GT car - The aftermarket can fix this
• For me there is a modification list that i don't have time/a shop at home to tackle right now - this ultimately pushed me to the Nismo

The Nismo (i went with this):

• This car is definitely on another level (stock vs stock) compared to the sport, it feels very modern and grown up in comparison.
  • The Sport gave me 90s JDM sports car nostalgia whereas the Nismo feels like what i imagine a modern porsche to be like.
• The transmission is awesome in sport+ mode, shifts are snappy and responsive, i personally think delays in shifting are overhyped.
  • This is a million miles from AT transmissions of old (and my wifes 24' Nissan frontier which is the same base transmission!)
• This car is an amazing package, it is purpose built to do trackdays out of the box.
  • This is where i wanted to go with the sport, once i drove it i finally understood why it has the automatic, "I get it".
  • Bringing it all together with the AT - my concerns were completely satisfied.
  • It is way more planted than a regular Z, but it is stiff so be prepared for that
  • The Recaros hold you better than the seats in the sport
• This car would SUCK as a daily driver, it is full on hardcore (comparatively) to the Sport.
  • If you want comforts and daily drivability go for the sport or performance, they are geared towards that use and you can tune to suspension to your liking
  • The ride home over rougher highway was like being on a pogo stick, lol.

"its not a sports car with an automatic transmission, the lack of manual will leave you longing" - Wrong!

Tldr; to close i will say this:

• Both flavors of the Z were awesome, but they are different cars.
• If your on the fence about the nismo over the transmission go drive one, ignore the "hype" in reviews.
• If you want to daily drive then the nismo might not be for you.
  • The Sport is a great platform for modification due to the price point
  • The Performance could be the sweet spot for people who want to keep it stock or do basic bolt ons plus daily drive / do lots of street driving.
• I respect everyone in the "save the manuals club" - it would be nice to have the option for the nismo but as a package it works! After driving it i finally understood why they did it and i am happy with my purchase.

Incredible review, very good points.
I personally daily a red nismo and love it, but that's my personal choice.

 

[Modfather]

Incredible review, very good points.
I personally daily a red nismo and love it, but that's my personal choice.

it does drive like a normal car when in standard mode for sure, took one of my friends out it in today and he thought the stiffness of the suspension is no worse than his 2019 E63s AMG so even that point is down to personal preference and tollerance.

 

[Twisp]

it does drive like a normal car when in standard mode for sure, took one of my friends out it in today and he thought the stiffness of the suspension is no worse than his 2019 E63s AMG so even that point is down to personal preference and tollerance.

I daily in standard, you're right. I use sport for city driving and occasionally sport+ if I'm out in the country on a nice empty stretch

 

[CPerdomo]

So, let me throw this out there...
If the difference between a NISMO and a Performance Z is about $10,000. Using that money to upgrade the Performance suspension, tires and brakes... maybe a small upgrade to get a few extra horses and Torque. Would it be reasonable to say that you would now have a Nismo-performance Z but with a manual transmission?

What say You?