One of Nissan’s key executives has suggested that the story of the Z is entering a more interesting phase. Speaking on a podcast from The Drive, Ponz Pandikuthira, Nissan’s senior vice president and chief planning officer for North America, openly discussed the potential hidden under the hood of the sports car.
His comments made one thing clear: the current numbers are not the final limit for the Z.
The standard Nissan Z currently produces 400 hp from a twin-turbocharged 183 cubic inch V6. The Z Nismo raises that figure to 420 hp.
According to Pandikuthira, however, the engine has much more room to grow. He suggested it could reach around 500 hp without major difficulty while still meeting modern emissions standards.
The engine has room to grow.
That kind of figure no longer sounds like an experiment. It sounds like a logical next step for a sports car that already has a strong mechanical foundation.
Nissan has also shown similar potential elsewhere. The Armada Nismo uses a larger 214-cubic-inch engine and produces 460 hp, which confirms that the company has room to develop more powerful performance models without completely changing the concept.
For the Z, that could mean a stronger future version that pushes closer to modern high-performance rivals while keeping the car’s familiar character. The appeal would come from adding power without turning the Z into something distant from its roots.
Nissan Wants To Lean On Heritage
The Z has never been a mass-market sales hit, which is true for most sports cars in the U.S. market today. Even so, the model has found an unexpectedly strong audience among older buyers who connect with its history.
That is exactly why Nissan plans to play more strongly on emotion and heritage. Future versions are expected to draw inspiration from the long history of this famous coupe, with special editions that evoke earlier generations while adding modern technology and performance.
This approach means the Z will not be treated as a static product. Instead, Nissan wants to keep it fresh through limited editions and carefully chosen updates, giving the car energy throughout its life cycle.
A Convertible And Silvia could still matter.
A convertible version is also part of the discussion, although its future depends on the model’s market performance over the next two years. The idea of an open-top Z is appealing, especially for buyers who want a more emotional and traditional sports car experience.
At the same time, enthusiasts are still watching closely for a possible return of the Silvia name. If that happens, it could give Nissan a broader sports car lineup and create another emotional link to the brand’s performance past.
If these plans come together, Nissan will do more than simply preserve the Z. It will turn the car into a platform that connects past, present, and future performance in a way that feels authentic to the brand.
This article originally appeared on Autorepublika.com and has been republished with permission by Guessing Headlights. AI-assisted translation was used, followed by human editing and review.