The Z Nismo Finally Gets a Manual — and the Manual Isn't Dead Yet

Nissan just answered years of enthusiast demand: the 2027 Z Nismo gets a six-speed manual transmission — engineered specifically for the Nismo grade with an upgraded clutch and shorter shift throws — at no extra cost over the automatic ($67,260). With the Toyota Supra out of production, the Z now stands alone as the Japanese coupe that pairs a manual gearbox with a turbocharged six-cylinder. Here's why this announcement matters more than one trim's transmission option.

You asked for it — literally

When Nissan launched the Z Nismo, it came with one transmission: a nine-speed automatic. The enthusiast backlash was immediate and loud — the track-ready, 420-horsepower flagship of the Z lineup, and you couldn't row your own gears. Nissan's own press release this month says it plainly: "In response to popular demand," the 2027 Nismo adds the six-speed manual. This isn't a carryover unit, either. Nissan engineered the gearbox specifically for the Nismo grade with a heavy-duty clutch and a redesigned shift lever ratio for a shorter, more mechanical shift stroke. The twin-turbo 3.0L V6 gets manual-specific throttle and ignition tuning for sharper response, and the Active Sound Enhancement system is retuned to amplify intake and exhaust notes in Sport mode.

The hardware got better too

The manual isn't the only upgrade. The 2027 Z Nismo borrows two-piece, iron-aluminum front brake rotors from the legendary GT-R — saving 19 pounds of unsprung weight while dramatically improving cooling on track. The suspension and steering are retuned around the lighter front end. Meanwhile, the regular Z Sport and Performance get a heritage-inspired facelift (a body-color bar bisecting the grille, a Z emblem replacing the Nissan badge), new Shinkai Green Pearl Metallic paint with a Super Black roof, larger-diameter shocks, and a redesigned fuel tank that keeps fuel at the pump during high-G cornering. Pricing starts at $44,480 for the Sport — and crucially, Nissan charges nothing extra for the manual on any trim.

The bigger picture: the Z stands alone

Here's the context that makes this announcement bigger than a gearbox. With the Toyota Supra and BMW Z4 both out of production as of March 2026, the segment for manual, twin-turbo Japanese sports coupes under $70,000 has collapsed to exactly one car: the Nissan Z. The Z isn't inheriting this category because it out-competed the Supra — it's inheriting it because it's the last one standing. And Nissan seems to know what it has: the company plans to double its global Nismo lineup from five to ten models in the coming years. After years of playing defense, Nissan is investing in enthusiasts again.

What this means for Z owners

If you already own a current-generation Z (2023–2026), the 2027 refresh doesn't make your car obsolete — the chassis and powertrain fundamentals carry over, and the aftermarket has you covered where it counts. Our own JDMuscle [23-26 Nissan Z] Valvetronic Catback Exhaust gives the twin-turbo V6 the soundtrack Nissan's engineers clearly believe in — valvetronic, so it's civilized until you decide it shouldn't be. And if you're shopping for a new Z, the message from Nissan is unambiguous: the manual is not a consolation prize. It's the point.

The stick shift has been declared dead roughly once a year for the last decade. This week, Nissan built two words' worth of rebuttal: six-speed Nismo.

Photos: Nissan USA official press photos.