You Can Now Buy A 400 HP Nissan Z for Less Than A Mazda MX-5 RF
Dealers are offering serious deals on the Nissan Z and new tariffs indicate they won't last long
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by Stephen Rivers
Several Nissan Z models are now listed with discounts of $10,000 or more.
With 400 hp and a manual gearbox, base Zs are available for under $37,000.
A new 25 percent tariff on all automobile imports could soon raise the Z’s price.
Sports cars may not move the volume they once did, but for enthusiasts who still care about rear-wheel drive and proper power, the options are surprisingly solid, if you know where to look.
The Nissan Z is a retro-styled sports car with lots of power and a great chassis. Despite that, Nissan sells far fewer Zs (3,164 in 2024) than, say, Ford does with its Mustang (44,003 sales in 2024). Some of that comes down to availability, but much of it has to do with price. The Mustang starts at just under $32,000. The Z starts off some $11,000 higher at $42,970 before delivery. Well, now, dealers are making deals, and you might want to check them out before they’re gone.
In case you missed it, the Z is selling well right now. It just saw a phenomenal first quarter where it outsold the Toyota Supra five to one. In researching that story, we think we’ve come across one reason for that great quarter. Dealers are dealing.
More: Nissan Z Outsells Z Toyota GR Supra Five To One In Q1
For example, take a look at this stunning Nissan Z Nismo for sale in New Rochelle, New York. It’s offering the car for $10,265 off of MSRP. That’s not a typo either. The dealer specifically mentions the discount in its listing. That makes the price of this car before taxes and fees just $58,395. Sure, that’s not what anyone would call a cheap car, but it’s a hell of a lot of performance and fun for the money.
Having been behind the wheel of the Z Nismo last year and again this very week, I can confirm, it’s one of the most enjoyable sports cars to drive every day. On top of that, rival options like the Chevrolet Corvette might be better on paper, but even the least expensive examples are $67,995 or more. No, the Z won’t hang out with the Corvette anymore, but some are available for as little as $36,990.
That’s right, you can get a 400 horsepower (298 kW), a manual gearbox, and classic styling for the price of a top end Mazda MX-5, or even less than the RF hardtop, which starts at $37,550 before destination fees. Here’s the sad part about all of this. Even if dealers continue to wheel and deal and Nissan somehow manages to produce enough of these that it can sell one to every interested buyer, tariffs are now officially in effect.
Get Them While You Can
The Z is made in Japan, and Donald Trump has slapped all car imports with a 25% flat tariff. That cost—contrary to popular belief—is paid by US dealers, not Japan. In effect, it’s a second sales tax on the buyer. And it’s bound to impact prices going forward. Bottom line: if you’ve been eyeing a new Z, this might be your last, best shot to get one before the pricing gets tougher to swallow.
Lead image Autotrader / Fred Martin Nissan
