How Much HP Does The Nissan 400Z Have? (And What Is Its Top Speed?)

Introduced in 1969 ahead of the 1970 model year, Nissan's iconic Z car has now been around for well over five decades. In that time, there have been seven generations of the sports car, namely the Fairlady Z (sold stateside as the Datsun 240Z), Datsun 280ZX, Nissan 300ZX Z31, 300ZX Z32, 350Z, 370Z, and current Nissan Z RZ34, which was rumored to be named Nissan 400Z prior to its official launch in 2021.

Because previous generations of the Nissan Z sports car had been named for their engine displacements, some speculated that Nissan would increase the engine displacement to 4.0 liters for the seventh-gen model — up from 3.7 liters in the 370Z. However, that has since proved to be untrue.

Despite being an entirely new generation, the new Z car shares under-the-skin parts with other Nissan cars. It uses the same FM platform and manual transmission as found on the now-discontinued 370Z, for example. Similarly, its nine-speed automatic transmission and 3.0-liter twin turbocharged VR30DDTT V6 engine were sourced from the Nissan Frontier/Titan and Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400, respectively.

The Sport and Performance trims of the Nissan Z pack 400 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque, whereas the Nissan Z Nismo kicks out 20 more horsepower and 34 extra pounds of torque, taking its power up to 420 horsepower and 384 lb-ft. Nissan says the increase in output over the regular Nissan Z models is down to a number of performance tweaks, including updates to the electronically actuated wastegate that enhance turbocharger boost and turbine speed, as well as better cooling thanks to a sub-radiator added to the intercooler.

The Nissan Z has always been a fast car with more than enough performance to satisfy most people's need for speed, and the seventh-generation model is no different. In Nismo spec, it is one of the fastest Nissan cars ever made. That's because it is capable of hitting a Car and Driver-estimated 165 mph, thanks in part to the power gains. The Sport and Performance models are limited to a lower 155-mph top speed.

However, if it's a combination of speed and affordability you're after, choosing the regular models rather than the Nissan Z NISMO can make a lot of financial sense. The Sport grade begins at $42,970 (MSRP), making it by far the cheapest Nissan Z car you can buy new. The midrange Performance variant costs $10,000 more than the entry Sport trim at $52,970, while you'll pay $65,750 for the higher-performance Z NISMO model.

The Sport and Performance trims mate their engines to either a six- or nine-speed automatic transmission, while the Z NISMO only comes with the nine-speed automatic. Rear-wheel drive is standard across the board.