Z

Make
Nissan
Segment
Coupe
  • New Nissan Z starts at $39,990, while the Proto Spec has an MSRP of $52,990
  • We found at least one model on sale for $78,990
  • Rumor of a $100,000 + Proto Spec is false

The all-new Nissan Z is one of the most surprising cars of the years. Not only is it good to drive, but it's so much more affordable than its direct rivals. A base model with a 400-horsepower 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 and a six-speed manual has an MSRP of just $40,000. Even the limited edition Proto Spec, of which only 240 will be built, has a suggested retail price of $52,990, just $490 more than Toyota charges for the entry-level 3.0 GR Supra.

The most crucial part of the sentence above is "suggested." We know dealers use the current vehicle shortage to their advantage, slapping massive markups on available cars. Now imagine how insane the markup will be on the limited edition of a vehicle already in short supply.

In late July, the first Zs landed on American shores and are slowly making their way to dealerships.

Naturally, the New Nissan Z forum keeps a close eye and even started a reservation tracking list. These Z fans are not messing around, calling out every dealer that currently has a Z with a massive markup on its hood. One of the first to get nailed was Jeff Wyler Nissan in Louisville, Kentucky.

A customer enquired about a Z Proto Spec that was on its way to the dealer, and they received a response stating that the car is priced at $54,015 plus a $50,000 markup. If it turned out to be accurate, this particular Z would have been on sale for $104,015, or, to put it another way, roughly what you'd pay for a 2017-ish Porsche 911 Carrera S manual with 30k on the clock.

Jeff Wyler Nissan quickly responded on the forum via its general manager, Stephen Tevis. Tevis claimed the figure was wrong, and there was a communication breakdown. "It was a discussion that I personally had with a few other Nissan dealers and the $50K number came up in that conversation," Tevis wrote on the forum.

While many on the forum accepted the explanation, others decided to dig more. One user claims to have found two Proto Spec cars on the market for $99,000 but did not provide links to back up the claim.

We did a little digging and quickly found one Z Proto Spec with an MSRP of $78,990. It's listed for sale at Mike Rezi Nissan in Atlanta. That's a $26,000 markup. In a previous report, we found at least one Z with an $8,300 markup.

Nissan chose a unique allocation system to decide which dealerships would get the Z and the Z Proto Spec. Nissan is essentially sending cars to dealerships with a strong history of 370Z sales. At least every dealer will get one Z, but if a dealer managed to sell more than ten units from January 2018 to December 2020, it would receive a Proto Spec. More than 30 sales gets you an additional Proto Spec.

Nissan has somehow managed to keep itself out of the news regarding dealer markups, but that will likely change as Zs continue to hit showroom floors.