Nissan

  1. Mishimoto Performance Air Intake for the 2023+ Nissan Z

    Dual Drive – Performance Intake for the 2023+ Nissan Z

    When Nissan planted the powerful VR30DDTT 3L V6 engine with twin turbochargers in the Nissan Z, there wasn’t much room left in the engine bay. The cramped area didn’t allow enough space to accommodate the traditional top-and-bottom-split airbox design, so they created a unique single-piece airbox with vertically inserted panel filters that maximized flow while minimizing size.

    As enthusiasts and engineers, we tipped our hats to appreciate the work Nissan did with this design. But we couldn’t help but ask ourselves—how can we make it even better?

    Design Process

    Our engineer, Ye, set out to design a direct-fit airbox for the 2023+ Nissan Z with these goals:

    • Achieve better airflow than stock
    • Ensure a direct-fit, bolt-on installation
    • Create a design that lets the user alternate between a sealed or open airbox setup
    • Deliver a high-quality intake tone
    • Maintain a safe air-to-fuel ratio and ability to run on a stock tune

    She began by inspecting and removing the stock airboxes to determine

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  2. Armor Up – Engine Skid Plate for the 2023+ Nissan Z

    Armor Up – Engine Skid Plate for the 2023+ Nissan Z

    When it hit the market in late 2022, the new Nissan Z turned heads. Released as a replacement for the Nissan 370Z, the 2023 Z featured a fresh, sleek new design with a 400 horsepower engine that could do 0-60mph in 4.3 seconds. The only problem? Due to international chip shortages and production bottlenecks, they were almost impossible to find.

    Buyers who got their hands on a new Nissan Z count themselves among a lucky few. While the Z is a vehicle meant to be driven fast and hard, it’s understandable that owners might be hesitant to risk damaging a car that they worked so hard to get—especially since the new Nissan Z comes with a plastic oil pan.

    To lessen these concerns, we set out to develop a layer of protection that would give Z owners the confidence to drive aggressively. The result of these efforts is the new direct-fit Engine Skid Plate for the 2023+ Nissan Z.

    Figure 1. A rendering of our skid plate.

    From the factory, the Nissan Z doesn't come with an engine skid plate, also known

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  3. Performance Radiator for the 2023+ Nissan Z

    Performance Radiator for the 2023+ Nissan Z

    We’ve been hard at work to develop our line of products for the Nissan Z, and we’re proud to release our latest addition to the line-up—the Mishimoto Performance Radiator for the 2023+ Nissan Z.

    While performance is always a goal for our engineers, they know that durability is just as important. The stock radiator for the Nissan Z uses plastic end tanks, which are prone to leaking and can crack in extreme temperatures or during aggressive driving. That’s why we’ve designed our radiator with an all-aluminum construction to prevent cracks and leaks. We’ve implemented a strutted tube design, which offers increased rigidity that’s able to absorb more stress and flex without breaking or leaking, the ability to handle higher pressures, and a 20% increase in leading edge thickness – the area where most radiator tubes fail. Our radiator is also designed to retain the stock stone guard, keeping pesky gravel and debris from damaging the fins.

    The direct-fit design of our radiator ensures a straightforward

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  4. Upcycle – 2023+ Nissan Z Performance Intercooler R&D, Part 1 – Plans and Prototypes

    Upcycle – 2023+ Nissan Z Performance Intercooler R&D, Part 1 – Plans and Prototypes

    We all know how the saying goes. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Like any overutilized cliché, there’s some truth to it. It wouldn’t have assimilated into our lexicon if it wasn’t, right? The same sentiment rings true for Nissan’s Z-cars. These sporty coupes don’t change much between generations, but we can help but adore them. The latest generation is no exception to this trend. Nissan upcycled many of the primary aspects of the latest Z. From the retro styling, the 370Z DNA underpinning the chassis, and the VR30DDTT nestled under the characteristically long hood, we’ve seen these designs before. To some, it may seem like a parts bin model, but we all know this concoction results in a new, exciting car packed with potential. Potential that we already have the plan to unlock.

    The twin-turbo V6, otherwise noted as the VR30DDTT, taking up residence in the Z’s engine bay, is a familiar face to us here at Mishimoto. Trickled down from Nissan’s GT-R, this V6 is the beating heart for the Z’s

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  5. Consistent Performer – 2022+ Nissan Z Performance Heat Exchanger R&D, Part 1 – Design Plans

    Consistent Performer – 2022+ Nissan Z Performance Heat Exchanger R&D, Part 1 – Design Plans

    What makes a car so alluring? Sure retro-modern styling combined with a power-hungry powerplant draw you in, but what keeps you in the driver’s seat? Consistency. Sports cars like the Z are intended for those with a lead foot and a need for speed, so keeping things consistently cool is imperative. Let’s face it. There’s no worse torture to an enthusiast than having to feather the throttle on their high-strung sports car because of looming high temperatures. Nissan knows this, and while they did their best to set the Z up for intercooling success, the heat exchanger still needs an overhaul for what we enthusiasts have in store.

    Air-to-water intercooling is how every teacher envisioned group projects. Instead of one person doing the work the whole group takes credit for, every member performs their role while playing to each other’s strengths and weaknesses to reach a common objective. In this group project, the intercoolers may get most of the credit, but the heat exchanger is really the

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  6. Greatest Hits – 2023+ Nissan Z Baffled Oil Catch Can R&D, Part 2, Prototyping

    Greatest Hits – 2023+ Nissan Z Baffled Oil Catch Can R&D, Part 2, Prototyping

    Instant classics don’t typically happen instantly. Think about all of those songs that immediately get stuck in your head. Instead, these earworms wriggle their way into your unconscious because they’re so expertly crafted. They’re demoed, recorded, have their composition changed, re-recorded, and rigorously dissected before they make their way to your Spotify playlists. Nissan’s Z cars follow a similar path. While the Z hasn’t been singing the same song for the last 53 years, it’s become a staple in the genre. Now, half a century later, these sports coupes have built quite the legacy and are preserving their heritage in their latest release that captures the Z’s essence. We’re super fans here at Mishimoto, and we’re hard at work preserving that legacy.

    This Z is a rockstar, thanks to the VR30DDTT nestled under the hood, and we want to give it the VIP treatment. Protecting this engine’s intake tract from the dangers of blow-by is a song that we already know, but this time around, we’re

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  7. Greatest Hits – 2023+ Nissan Z Baffled Oil Catch Can R&D, Part 1 – Design Plans

    Greatest Hits – 2023+ Nissan Z Baffled Oil Catch Can R&D, Part 1 – Design Plans

    It’s almost 2023, and Nissan’s latest sports coupe carrying on the legendary Z lineage is finally here. Like every other enthusiast, we let out an exasperated “Finally…” hearing the news of dealer allocations. It’s been 13 years since we had a new Z car, and while the 370 certainly held the namesake in a strong standing, it was about time for a new era of Z before charging into the electrifying future. This Z might be the shining beacon of fresh sports car design, but Nissan’s latest offering is a compilation of their greatest hits. There are, of course, the classics, like the 300ZX taillights, signature silhouette, and hood cowl dating back to their Datsun days, but one of the main draws is the recent B-side that’s under the hood, a little ditty called the VR30DDTT. In this case, it’s a cover, but the Z made this tune its own with 400hp and, much to the superfan’s joy, a manual transmission option. Unfortunately, this heavy-hitting power ballad of an engine still falls under the same trope

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  8. Motor Cameo - Baffled Oil Catch Can R&D, Part 2 - Production Sample and Content Collection

    Motor Cameo - Baffled Oil Catch Can R&D, Part 2 - Production Sample and Content Collection

    Our 2007-2009 Nissan 350Z VQ35HR Baffled Oil Catch Can Kit is now available for purchase! Click the link to get yours today, and make sure to keep reading for more information about our final kit and product testing.

    Baffled Oil Catch Can Kit, fits Nissan 350Z VQ35HR, 2007-2009


    A few months and a thousand miles, that's what it takes to elevate our 2007-2009 Nissan 350Z catch can kit from a one-time bit to a full-fledged superstar. For most celebrities, it takes years to land the role that finally makes their career; but the time has come for the 350Z kit. Before our catch can kit walks the red carpet, let's look back at its earlier work.

    When we last left off, our donor vehicle headed out of the shop with our prototype installed for a 1,000-mile road test. As it goes in product development, we discovered additional requirements to ensure a perfect kit and complete protection for the VQ. For starters, like any Nissan engine bay, it's a tight squeeze, especially when it comes to the left-side

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  9. Motor Cameo - Baffled Oil Catch Can R&D, Part 1 - Stock Review and Design Plans

    Motor Cameo - Baffled Oil Catch Can R&D, Part 1 - Stock Review and Design Plans

    It's happened to all of us at least once. You're rewatching one of your favorite cinematic adventures from years ago when you spot an actor that is now a mega-star, but in a much younger state, performing in one of their break out roles, or even just making a cameo. While this performance might not match this actor's current performance level, or could even be cringy at times, it's what gave them their shot at making it big. The same could be said about the Nissan 350Zs sporting the VQ35HR. While its performance never falls under the "cringy" category, the DE's replacement only made a brief cameo in the Z cars before moving on to bigger and better things. Even though the HR is uncommon in the 350, it still requires the same, if not more protection from blow-by as the DE, which is why we here at Mishimoto are already hard at work on a full catch can kit.

    The VQ35HR might have been late to the 350Z, arriving under the hood in 2007, but it ended up laying the foundation for the 370Z from 2009

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  10. Catching Zs - Direct Fit Catch Can Kit R&D

    Catching Zs - Direct Fit Catch Can Kit R&D

    "Tokyo Drift" is a term that has almost become a colloquialism assigned to just generally kicking out the back end of the car. All of this stems from the third installment in the Fast and the Furious' franchise that shares the same name. Anyone who's watched Tokyo Drift, or has just happened to see any of the marketing material has seen that the 350Z is plastered on just about every inch of that movie. For good reason too.

    Nissan revived their Z car platform to basically be a drifter's dream. With the heavy hitting VQ35DE in the front, a manual gearbox in the middle, and the power at the back, this car was born to go sideways.

    060118_NLT_G35_BCC_WEB_4

    2006 was a long time ago, and we've seen the 350Z and the G35 on the roads for even longer.  These cars are racking up the miles, and not all of them are gentle. While the VQ35 engines are robust, they're still taking a beating from the inside thanks to the internal combustion cycle, which is diminishing their performance. Given that the compression ratio is on

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