Same same, but different: The Z didn’t change much, but it’s new where it matters

Many people call my job at Top Gear Philippines a ‘dream job.’ We get to drive the newest cars, ride some of the best bikes, and travel the world for what others might not see as ‘work.’ But it isn’t all rainbows and butterflies here, you know.

See, right at the end of 2023, we found out that our old publisher would have to let go of our franchise. To put it simply, if we didn’t find a new investor soon, Top Gear Philippines, as we know it, would be no more.

It’s already 2024 and you’re still reading this article, so you guessed right—we’re still alive. A few people—I’m sure you’ve read some of their names on this website before—took a leap of faith and tried to acquire our franchise. They succeeded, which is why we’re still here, but now with some slight changes to our roster and, of course, under new ownership. Same same, but different.

What does all that have to do with the Z you’re looking at, you might ask? Well, it’s time to take another trip further down memory lane.

Back in 2020—when I was still a not-so-young, less-obese editorial assistant who had only driven a few demo units at the time—I was assigned the Nissan 370Z. My response when our then-assistant managing editor Jason Tulio sent the message to our group chat was: “I volunteer only as a last resort.”

I’d be dumb to decline it, right? I didn’t give an outright ‘yes’ because didn’t think I deserved to test-drive it then. I ended up taking it anyway—following Jason’s advice to “not blow it up” or something to that effect—and it eventually went down as the first-ever sports car I ever drove for TG.

PHOTO BY Charles Banaag

Fast forward to December 2023—less than a week after we transitioned to new ownership—I had the chance to take a Z again. But this time, it was the all-new model (RZ34), and unlike in the past, I didn’t hesitate when I was asked if I wanted it. So I took it, and we even had it delivered together with the 370Z. What I didn’t realize when I agreed to the assignment was that this would turn out to be the first-ever sports car I drove with the new team. Old Z, old Top Gear. New Z, new Top Gear. Feels quite poetic, if I’m being honest.

A few days passed and the two Z’s—the old and the new—finally arrived. I took a good few minutes to take them in, and a familiar phrase came to mind: Same same, but different.

True enough, these two cars share more than just their familiar silhouettes. Nissan actually reused the old 370Z’s chassis in the new 400Z, and that’s why the two are almost identical in terms of dimensions. While the chief product engineer said 80% of the body has been changed, the shared frame and underpinnings are apparent.

But as similar as they appear, the new Z still is an evolution from its predecessor. I’ve always thought the original Fairlady Z was one of the most beautiful cars ever designed, and I can honestly say the same about its latest iteration. Nissan did an excellent job getting that retro vibe out with the grille pattern up front and the taillight design out back, all while giving the sports coupe a more modern look.

The headlights probably do the trick, because those leaf-like eyes are absolutely gorgeous. Unlike the 370Z’s headlights, these are classier and more subtle, supposedly hinting at a tamer version of the car. Even though we all know it isn’t.

I like how the blacked-out wheels and the blacktop roof contrast with the bright Ikazuchi Yellow finish, too. At times, though, I do think the body color’s a bit too loud. But if you’re the type of person who wants to be seen driving a sports car down the road, then trust me, people will definitely notice.

As you hop inside the cabin, you’ll also be greeted by a lot of bits that were carried over from the 370Z. The entire door panels—from the A/C vents to the window controls and the grab handles—have been retained. The seats and the controls are similar, albeit the new one has a slightly wider headrest. The cubbies behind the seats and the column behind the parking brake are all very similar as well. It’s as if Nissan merely took the 370Z’s cabin and made it look a bit more apt for the times.

PHOTO BY Charles Banaag

And perhaps that’s exactly what Nissan did because despite this being very familiar, it doesn’t look dated at all. The archaic instrument cluster in the 370Z has been replaced with fully digital gauges, complete with all the information that a modern car can give you. There’s a new gearshift lever and a new gloss-black push-to-start ignition comprising the center console. The compartment on the dash has also been deleted to make way for a new (and better) infotainment system. But while the touchscreen display is entirely new, it still gets a Bose sound system like in the old setup. Same same, but different. Ha.

Before I repeat that phrase for the nth time and you curse at me for sounding like a broken record, take a look at what’s under the hood. At the heart of the RZ34 is still a V6 powerplant, but now it’s smaller, turbocharged, and more powerful. The old 3.7-liter nat-asp V6 put out 332hp and 363Nm of torque (+31hp and 9Nm in the Nismo variant), whereas the new twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 generates 378hp and 475Nm of torque. The new engine can still be had with a six-speed manual, but it now gets a new nine-speed automatic transmission, and this A/T variant comes with paddle shifters as standard. Okay, so say it with me again: Same same, but different.

PHOTO BY Quennie Rizal

This new turbocharged engine is miles ahead of the old one, though. Throttle response feels better in the naturally aspirated 370Z and that engine just sounds so much better, but there’s just so much more power and torque with the new Z’s two turbos at work. Off the line, the 370Z feels as zippy, if not more. But once you get going at highway speeds, you’ll feel the horsepower difference in the RZ34. In fact, if you check drag-race videos featuring these two, you’ll see how the new Z only pulls clearly ahead when it gets up to speed. While I do like how the old one rumbles, having that much power on tap, for me, matters more.

Handling-wise, it hasn’t changed much, and that’s a good thing. The 370Z has always handled exceptionally well and is a joy to take around mountainous roads, and the all-new Z is not much different. I do remember Anton Andres—our features editor and resident karerista—saying that the new Z handled better on the track. But that was the track, and I only drove the car on public roads. This is a good thing, of course, but the rear wheel sliding less isn’t something most people would easily notice.

There are a lot more similarities here than most people would think. But that’s not to say the all-new Z doesn’t feel new, because it surely does, and it’s definitely better. If you asked me a few months ago which of the cars I’ve driven was my favorite, I would’ve told you it’s the all-new Honda Civic Type R. If you asked me the same question now, I’d tell you it’s the new Z quicker than you can say ‘FL5.’

So…same same, but different, right? Much like Top Gear Philippines, the new Z is still familiar. But in a lot of ways and in the places that matter, it changed—and for the better. The old one was good, sure. But even if this new one’s still in its early stages, I already think it’s miles better. Dare I say you even stick around, because I have a feeling that it’ll only get better with time.

PHOTO BY Quennie Rizal

PHOTO BY Charles Banaag

PHOTO BY Charles Banaag

PHOTO BY Charles Banaag

PHOTO BY Charles Banaag

PHOTO BY Charles Banaag

PHOTO BY Charles Banaag

PHOTO BY Charles Banaag

PHOTO BY Charles Banaag

PHOTO BY Charles Banaag

PHOTO BY Charles Banaag

PHOTO BY Charles Banaag

PHOTO BY Charles Banaag

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