With all the excitement surrounding the release of the 2023 Nissan Z sports car, it’s hard to wait for more official details to come out. Unfortunately, all the world has at the moment is basic info that Nissan has so far confirmed. However, with recent leaks hinting at a manual 2023 Toyota Supra, it’s hard not to compare them. Let’s take it back to 1998 and put the Toyota Supra head to head with the newest Nissan Z car!

A six-cylinder powertrain battle

Motor Trend points out that both vehicles have a six-cylinder powerplant (with the Supra offering a four-cylinder for lower-spec models). This just goes to show that history repeats itself, as the same battle going on in the 90s with Toyota’s inline-six cylinder Supra duking it out with the V6-powered Nissan 300ZX. Also keeping up with the sake of tradition is the fact that both modern engines are turbocharged, too!

The 2023 Nissan Z features a twin-turbocharged V6 engine with 400 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. The Z is available with either a nine-speed automatic transmission or the enthusiast-pleasing six-speed manual transmission.

The Toyota Supra, as many know, uses a six-cylinder BMW engine. It, too, has a substantial power output with ratings of 382 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque. While there is currently no manual transmission available, recent leaks and suggestions from Toyota lead us to believe that the 2023 Supra will be available with a manual transmission on six-cylinder models. All manual enthusiasts can do until that’s confirmed, though, is cross their fingers. Instead, the current offering is an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The 2023 Nissan Z rides on a 100.4-inch wheelbase and measures an overall length of 172.6 inches. The 2022 Toyota Supra has a slightly shorter 97.2-inch wheelbase. Remarkably, it measures almost identical in length at 172.5 inches. It’s safe to assume that the 2023 Supra will remain the same dimensions.

Furthermore, both vehicles are within an inch of each other in width and overall height. Being that they’re competitors, it’d be hard to assume that their sizing similarities are a coincidence.

Performance, suspension, and handling

The 2023 Nissan Z is estimated to have a 0-60 time of around 3.5-seconds. In comparison, the Supra’s current production 0-60 time is four seconds flat, according to Motor Trend.

The Z has a double A-arm front suspension assembly with a multi-link setup in the rear. The Supra, too, has a multi-link rear suspension setup. However, it has Macpherson struts in front.

The Z comes with what Nissan calls “sport-tuned” suspension in performance trim to enhance handling characteristics. Meanwhile, the Supra comes standard with adjustable dampers for fine-tuning the ride and handling characteristics.

Similarities in suspension and handling performance across both vehicles come in the form of strut tower bracing and electric power steering.

The most significant difference is the price

Nissan has already confirmed that the starting price of the 2023 Nissan Z is around $40,000, which really puts it ahead of the Supra in this category. While the base model Supra is available with a starting price of $43,290, it uses a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that only produces 255 horsepower. Additionally, if the manual transmission rumors are true, the four-cylinder engine will not have it as an option. Six-cylinder Supra options start around $60,000 currently, and there’s a good chance it’s not going to get any lower.

Ultimately, both these modernizations of iconic Japanese sports cars will offer drives an exciting experience. The world is watching and anticipating the release dates of both of these 2023 staples of affordable performance. Frankly, it’ll be a treat to experience either one of them.