Nissan could bring back a T-top version of the Z, giving the sports car an open-air option for the first time since the 370Z Convertible ended after 2020. The automaker is using its new Z Kaze Concept to gauge whether enough customers want a production T-top model.
Nissan Wants Z Fans to Speak Up
The Z Kaze Concept was unveiled this week at the ZCON gathering in Phoenix, Arizona. While the vehicle is strictly a one-off showpiece created for the annual gathering of Z fans, Nissan is also using the concept to measure interest in bringing a T-top Z into production.
Speaking to The Drive, Nissan’s chief planning officer for North America, Ponz Pandikuthira, said fans who want a T-top Z back in production need to make their demand known.
Pandikuthira said that if enough fans want a Z with a T-top roof, Nissan will absolutely build it.
The Nissan Z Has a Long T-Top History
Nissan has offered T-top Z models before. The design features two removable roof panels separated by a central bar, giving drivers an open-air experience while retaining some of the roof structure for added rigidity.
Nissan first offered the T-top as an option on the 280ZX in the early 1980s. The feature then became practically standard on the two generations of 300ZX that followed.
The automaker switched to a full convertible roof with the arrival of the 350Z in the early 2000s and continued the approach with the 370Z. The latest Z, however, was introduced without a T-top option.
Could a Modern Nissan Z T-Top Happen?
The latest Z already incorporates several retro design elements. Its tail lamps and black surrounds are an unabashed riff on the second-generation 300ZX, making the return of the T-top consistent with the car’s existing styling direction.
However, mainstream sports cars remain a niche segment. Z sales in the U.S., its biggest market, totaled just 5,487 units last year. A T-top model would represent only a fraction of those sales, creating what would effectively be a niche within a niche.
Nissan Is Focused on Cutting Costs
Automakers can sometimes justify low-volume variants when they help build a brand’s image or attract attention to a model. Nissan, however, is currently in the middle of a major turnaround plan focused on cutting costs, streamlining its lineup and concentrating development on more profitable areas.
Over the past two years, Nissan has closed plants and canceled multiple models. Those measures have been painful, but they have already helped the automaker return to profitability after years of running major losses.
For now, the Z Kaze Concept is a one-off, while Nissan is looking to its fans to determine whether there is enough interest to bring a T-top Z into production.
