Manual Z Nismo Arrives as Supra Departs; GT-R Sedan Reportedly in the Works

With Toyota ending GR Supra production in March 2026, a gap opened in the market for a manual, twin-turbo sports car under $50,000. Nissan didn’t wait long to fill it. After backlash over the automatic-only Z Nismo, Nissan has announced a manual-equipped version. S. as a rumored Infiniti sports sedan, though those details are not confirmed.

Nissan plans to double its Nismo lineup from five to ten models globally and is partnering with Mitsubishi while exploring other ties. The manual shift is significant because manual sports cars in this class are rare. The GR Supra and BMW Z4 both ended production in March 2026, leaving the base Nissan Z as one of the few manual, RWD options.

The Supra sold more manuals than automatics in 2024, and 2025 figures aren’t in yet. By the end of 2025, the Z nearly doubled the Supra’s market share. With roughly 3,000 manual buyers left without options, the Z Nismo could capture another 40-60% of the market in 2026.

Nissan has said it wasn’t sure about manual demand, but the existing gearbox may not have handled the Nismo’s extra 34 lb-ft of torque. That gearbox dates back to the 370Z era and is known for notchy first-to-second shifts. 9 seconds and topping out at 165 mph. Fuel economy is 17/24/19 mpg.

A base Z starts around $42,970; the Nismo tops the range near $65,750.

Senior road tester Ian Wright found the Nismo’s power readily available, shifts lightning quick, and the exhaust satisfyingly throaty, though the stiffer suspension gets genuinely uncomfortable after a few hours. The base Z, he noted, is a good daily driver but too soft for serious canyon or track work.

Whether Nissan upgraded the transmission for the Nismo remains to be seen. Development costs could be spread across the Z, the GT-R reboot, and the Infiniti counterpart, all reportedly using the same twin-turbo V6.