Nissan Z’s Twin-Turbo V6 Holds Untapped Potential, Says Nissan Executive

Nissan is accelerating its turnaround plan under CEO Ivan Espinosa, who, in a February interview with The Drive, declared, “Nissan is back.” While skepticism lingers, the automaker’s leadership—comprising enthusiasts themselves—may signal an unexpected resurgence.

In Yokohama, Japan, Senior Vice President and Chief Planning Officer for Nissan North America, Ponz Pandikuthira, shared exclusive insights with The Drive on the latest episode of The Drivecast. He revealed:

“I do see performance upgrades in the future of the Z. That twin turbo is capable of a lot more power and output that are compatible, obviously, with the latest emissions. So I do see performance versions coming out, special limited series.”

Pandikuthira also acknowledged that the Z’s VR30DTT twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6—rated at 400 hp in most models and 420 hp in Nismo trim—is tuned conservatively. He did not dispute claims that tuners and enthusiasts routinely extract 500 hp reliably from the same powertrain.

The Z is experiencing a surge in popularity, driven by an unexpected demographic: older buyers. Speaking at the 2026 New York Auto Show, Pandikuthira noted:

“The one very interesting thing about who’s buying the Z today is that there’s a lot of people who lusted after this car when they were teenagers and maybe in their 20s, and they couldn’t afford it. And then the car kind of just, you know, lost its way a little bit. They were never really enthused. But they love this version. So we’re getting a lot of older buyers coming and buying this car, as a trophy car, a retirement car, whatever else. And so the Z performance version is selling extremely well. There is a narrow niche that loves us for track use and stuff. They’re buying the Nismo.”

These buyers, Pandikuthira explained, are customizing their Z with specific colors, trims, and manual transmissions—even waiting 3 to 6 months for delivery. “These are the people who lusted after the car, and they’re like, ‘I love it in that maroon color. I want that British racing green. I want this tan, you know, camel interior seats. I wanted to be in a manual, not this.’ So, go ahead, let them spec it out. They are willing to wait because this is not somebody who’s using this car to get to work every day.”

This buyer segment is why Nissan plans to expand its lineup of limited-edition models, according to Pandikuthira.