The Nissan Z Is Already Getting A Facelift

The updated Fairlady Z in Japan previews the new look for Nissan’s sports car.

The Nissan Z may only be about three years old, but the sleek sports car is already getting a subtle makeover. The refreshed Nissan Z—known as the Fairlady Z in Japan—made its debut at the Tokyo Auto Salon, showing off a revised front end and a lovely new paint color.

Good news for anyone who wasn’t a fan of the oversized grille: it’s gone. Nissan has replaced it with a sleeker, two-piece grille design featuring slim horizontal accents up top and a more open lower grille, separated by a body-colored panel for a cleaner look.

The exterior is finished in a gorgeous shade called Unryu Green, a modern take on Nissan’s classic Grand Prix Green. The color pairs nicely with new 10-spoke, 19-inch wheels, which give the Z a sharper look.

Inside, the updates are more understated. The cabin now gets a light tan leather option, but otherwise, that’s about it. Other than the new manual transmission for the Nismo model, of course. (Don’t look too closely at some photos, though, which show a manual transmission with paddle shifters. Whoops.)

The updates aren’t just cosmetic, either. The revised Z benefits from retuned shocks with bigger pistons, which are said to improve handling and responsiveness. Larger brakes also improve stopping power, particularly on the Nismo model.

The updated Nissan Z will arrive in Japan first, likely by the summer of 2026, before making its way to other markets. While Nissan hasn’t confirmed whether the refreshed Z will come to the US, we wouldn’t be surprised to see it stateside later this year as a 2027 model.

Motor1’s Take: The Nissan Z was already an attractive sports car, but this facelift sharpens it up just a bit. The Unryu Green paint paired with black wheels also looks great. Now let’s hope Nissan brings the updated Z to the US sooner rather than later.

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