The current Nissan Z already borrows heavily from its predecessors, but apparently Nissan decided it wasn’t nostalgic enough. The result is the Z Kaze concept, and it looks ready to cruise straight back into the 1990s.
Revealed at ZCON in Phoenix, Arizona, the one-off Z takes inspiration from Nissan’s open-roof sports cars and the import-tuner culture that flourished during the decade. Its centerpiece is something many enthusiasts haven’t seen on a new Z in a very long time: a T-top roof.
The name “Kaze” means “wind” in Japanese, which is appropriate considering the two removable roof panels. Nissan says the project was imagined around the idea of driving California’s Pacific Coast Highway on a perfect summer day.
This isn’t a preview of a confirmed production model. Nissan describes the Kaze as a passion project created by its own product planners and designers to celebrate the Z’s heritage, although we’d happily support putting that T-top on the options list.
T-Tops Are Back, Baby! …At Least For This Z
The custom-engineered roof features two removable panels separated by a central structure, recalling T-top-equipped Z cars of decades past. Nissan paired the modification with Pacific Teal paint inspired by the colorful sports-car scene of the 1990s.
There’s plenty of period tuner influence elsewhere. The Kaze gets a vented carbon-fiber hood, flared fenders, and a custom carbon-fiber aerodynamic body kit that gives the modern Z a noticeably more aggressive stance.
Perhaps the coolest detail is found in the wheel arches, as Nissan tracked down a genuine set of discontinued 18-inch NISMO LMGT2 forged multi-piece wheels, then had them restored and rebuilt specifically for the concept.
GReddy Parts Complete The Throwback
Nissan didn’t stop with the visuals. The Z’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 has been fitted with several components from longtime Japanese tuner GReddy, including a SUPREME SP exhaust, a front-mounted air-to-air intercooler, and an Airinx intake filter.
Nissan hasn’t announced a horsepower figure for the Kaze, so we don’t know whether those changes increase power output, but our guess is that they’re probably good for a few additional horses. The suspension has also been extensively upgraded with NISMO components.
Inside, white leather seats contrast against carbon-fiber trim, while Bose Personal Plus speakers integrated into the headrests should make listening to your carefully curated ’90s playlist easier with the roof panels removed.
Unfortunately, It’s Only A Concept
The Kaze is scheduled to stay at ZCON through September 26 before appearing at the Japanese Classic Car Show. Nissan hasn’t announced any plans to put the T-top conversion or the complete Kaze package into production, and that’s the one disappointing thing about this build.
T-tops, genuine old-school NISMO wheels, GReddy hardware, and a twin-turbo V6 sound suspiciously like somebody inside Nissan has been reading an enthusiast’s wish list. If Nissan ever decides to make another one, at least it already knows where to find the parts bin.