The competition to be the best modern sports car is a never-ending struggle. But these two cars help narrow the playing field and put into perspective the ideals of car enthusiasts and future sports car trends.
The 2023 Nissan Z is here and with its long-awaited arrival, there are already people who want to know how it stacks up against its obvious contender, the 2022 Toyota Supra. While these cars are alike in some ways and different in others, they share a similar appreciation from sports car enthusiasts, the average layperson, and children with their mouths wide open as they witness one of these majestic cars drive by. So, which one is crowned the modern champion?
In this story, we are going to dive headfirst into the debate of which car is better. Is it the 2023 Nissan Z or the 2022 Toyota Supra? Is it even fair to declare a clear winner from the two? Let’s find out.
Specs and Details
Sports car owners will tell you that there is more to a sports car than its looks, that its specifications and what is under the hood matters all the same, if not more. The key questions that should be asked are: How fast do these cars go? And what is the overall driving experience, does one feel better than the other when it comes to handling and feel?
A Look at the Powertrain
The 2022 Toyota Supra is a surprising and exciting little vehicle. When it made its return in 2021, people were overjoyed to learn they could get their hands on one, even if Toyota had partnered with BMW to create this little wonder.
The 2022 Toyota Supra uses a 3.0-liter single-turbo straight-six engine, which was borrowed from BMW. With 382 horsepower and 368 lb-ft of torque, the Supra is respectfully speedy for its size. All the power is allocated to the two back wheels of the vehicle.
While this is all very impressive, the 2022 Supra lacks something very important, a manual transmission. That’s right, this little sports car is only available in automatic. Luckily, though, Toyota has felt the pressure from consumers to make a Supra with a manual transmission, so in 2023 there will be a manual transmission option too.
The 2023 Nissan Z comes with a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine. This supplies the vehicle with 400 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. Like the Supra, the power goes to the back wheels. With more horsepower and less torque, it is hard to separate these two, but there is one thing the 2023 Nissan Z has that the 2022 Toyota Supra does not. And that, my friends, is a manual transmission. The 2023 Nissan Z is available as a nine-speed automatic or a six-speed manual, ready at any Nissan dealer. This is a huge distinction. Not only because these cars are someone difficult to set apart, but because car enthusiasts take this sort of thing very seriously.
The rest of the specs really boil down to personal taste of design. These are two amazing vehicles, both with impeccable handling. So, which one is the winner? It is hard to say which one is better than the other, but the fact that the Z has a manual transmission says a lot about its character.
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