The Nissan Z for collectors

0 0 April 08, 2026 Edit this post

Once upon a time purple was the colour of choice for hotted up Aussie Valiants.

But that's the colour Nissan Australia has selected for its Nissan Z Heritage Edition, finished in shade-shifting Midnight Purple -- a colour synonymous with the iconic GT-R.

Just 10 examples will be offered to Australian customers, priced from $77,410.

“The Nissan Z Heritage Edition is a celebration of what the Z nameplate means to the people who’ve loved these cars for generations,” Nissan's Steve Milette said.

“By bringing Midnight Purple to the Z, we’re honouring the shared performance DNA between two of Nissan’s most celebrated nameplates.”

The Z story began in 1969 when Nissan launched the Datsun 240Z, known as the Fairlady Z in Japan.

Designed as a stylish, affordable six-cylinder sports car that could challenge European rivals at a fraction of the price, 240Z was an instant hit.

A family of legends followed: the 260Z and 280ZX; the V6-powered 300ZX in both Z31 and Z32 forms; the 350Z that revived the nameplate in 2002; and the long-serving 370Z, which carried the Z flag from 2009 to 2020.

The most recent iteration, simply badged Nissan Z, combines retro-inspired styling with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 that produces 298kW and 475Nm, delivering engaging performance in both manual or automatic form.

The colour Midnight Purple first appeared on the Skyline GT-R in the 1990s, quickly becoming one of Nissan’s most sought-after colours.

It evolved over several iterations, including the famous Midnight Purple III on the R34 GT-R V-Spec.

The colour-shifting paint was initially considered taboo for production vehicles, but Nissan designers felt it suited the GT-R’s character – and enthusiasts agreed.

Complementing the exclusive paint are 19-inch bronze RAYS forged-alloy wheels, providing a sophisticated contrast to the Heritage Edition’s exterior.

You get this for a surcharge of $1250 over the standard Z coupe.

Heritage Edition is available with a choice of either a six-speed close-ratio manual transmission with Exedy high-performance clutch, or a responsive nine-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters.

Standard kit includes a mechanical limited-slip differential, launch control, 12.3-inch TFT driver display with multiple modes, 8.0-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, heated front seats with leather-accented seat trim, active noise cancellation and sound enhancement.

There's also a comprehensive suite of safety features including Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Blind Spot Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Intelligent Cruise Control.

Better be quick.