Nissan removes the Z’s roof and builds the 1990s-inspired Kaze concept

Nissan unveiled the Z Kaze concept yesterday at ZCON in the United States, the annual gathering of the Z Car Club Association. The name “Kaze” means wind in Japanese, and Nissan itself describes the car as a passion project by its product planners and designers, combining the Z’s seven-generation history with Japanese tuning culture of the 1990s.

The T-top is more than merely a styling element

The most important change is, naturally, above the occupants’ heads. Instead of the usual fixed roof, the Z Kaze uses a specially engineered T-top arrangement. The roof panels can be removed, while a structural member remains across the centre to tie the body together. The Kaze is therefore not a conventional roadster.

The choice is not accidental. Nissan offered a T-top roof on the S130-generation 280ZX, and the arrangement continued on later Z models. According to Nissan’s own historical account, the 1980 280Z T-top was born out of a desire to offer the feel of an open-top car without completely sacrificing body rigidity.

With the current Z, the question becomes even more interesting. Removing the roof, or cutting out a large portion of it, is not a cosmetic job on a unitary-body sports car, as the roof contributes to the body’s torsional rigidity. Nissan has not released figures for the Kaze’s structural rigidity, additional reinforcements or weight. It is therefore not yet possible to conclude from the concept how straightforward it would be to turn it into a production version.

The NISMO LMGT2 wheels are a detail enthusiasts will notice

The Pacific Teal paint provides the first nod to the 1990s, but Nissan did not stop at a nostalgic coat of paint. The Z received a vented carbon-fibre bonnet, widened wheel arches and a bespoke carbon-fibre aero package.

The best detail is the wheel set. Nissan sourced original NISMO LMGT2 multi-piece forged wheels for the project and had them restored. The 18-inch wheels measure 10 inches wide at the front and 11 inches at the rear. The LMGT2 has been out of production for a long time, and this kind of period-correct component makes the Kaze far more convincing than simply a retro-styled show car.

Nissan also upgraded the suspension with NISMO components. However, the manufacturer has not disclosed spring rates, damper settings or wheel-alignment specifications.

The same idea continues in the cabin. White leather upholstery contrasts with carbon-fibre details, while Bose Personal Plus speakers are housed in the headrests, a fairly logical solution when driving with the roof panels removed.

GReddy worked on the V6, but Nissan is silent on output

Under the bonnet is the familiar VR30DDTT, a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6. GReddy added a SUPREME SP exhaust system, a front-mounted air-to-air intercooler and an Airinx air-filter system to the Kaze engine. Nissan has not disclosed the concept’s power or torque figures.

This is an important clarification, as the presence of GReddy parts does not provide grounds for simply declaring the Kaze more powerful than a standard Z.

In US specification, the standard 2027 model-year Z Sport and Performance produce 400 hp, or approximately 298 kW, and 475 Nm of torque. The Z NISMO reaches 420 hp, or around 313 kW, and 521 Nm. The base models offer a six-speed manual or a nine-speed automatic; a manual is also available with the NISMO, with the automatic remaining the alternative.

The current Z’s architecture remains an old-school sports-car recipe: a longitudinally mounted front engine, rear-wheel drive and a twin-turbo six-cylinder petrol engine. That is precisely why a removable-roof version feels much more natural than yet another electric “lifestyle concept”.

The Z Kaze targets a rather interesting gap in the market

The range of open-top sports cars is no longer particularly broad. The Mazda MX-5 operates in a smaller, significantly lower-powered class, while the Porsche 911 Targa occupies an entirely different price bracket. If it reached production, the Z Kaze could offer a rare combination: a V6 with more than 300 kW of potential, rear-wheel drive, a removable roof and the option of a manual transmission.

However, Nissan has not announced series production. The manufacturer’s official material states unequivocally that the Z Kaze is a concept car and cannot be bought.

The idea of an open-top Z has not emerged overnight, however. As early as spring 2026, Ponz Pandikuthira, Nissan Americas’ head of product and planning, told The Drive that he would very much like to see the Z as a convertible, although no business decision had been made at the time.

For Europe, the Kaze remains a particularly distant dream for now

From a European perspective, the Z Kaze is both exciting and frustrating. The current Nissan Z was initially left out of the official European model line-up. Nissan cited Europe’s shrinking sports-car market and emissions requirements as reasons for the decision.

The door is not completely closed, however. In 2026, Jordi Vila, Nissan Europe’s head of sales and marketing, told Auto Express that the company was still considering ways to bring the Z to Europe and the United Kingdom.

That gives the Kaze concept a broader meaning. Nissan is testing how much life remains in the classic Japanese sports-car formula at a time when manufacturers are filling their model ranges with SUVs and electric cars. The Kaze does not reinvent the Z. On the contrary, it takes the Z’s most old-fashioned characteristics—rear-wheel drive, a twin-turbo V6, a removable roof and tuning culture—and deliberately turns them all the way up.