How Was This Car Named Best Vehicle for a New England Coastal Road Trip? Barely Anyone Has It

From the time I first earned my driver's license to now, I have always wanted a sports car.  It's not just because they are fast and look cool, but the fun of driving a real sporty vehicle is beyond a thrill.

In New England we have many coastal roads to cruise on, including gentle slopes and curvy roads. Driving a sports car along the coast is a special feeling of excitement, so when this car won the annual New England Motor Press Association Award (NEMPA) for "Best Vehicle for a New England Coastal Road Trip" it was truly a milestone.

Remember the Datsun 240Z in the 1960's and 70's?  That was the ultimate sports car for Generation X and it drove as good as it looked.  When Nissan renamed the Datsun brand in the 1980's, it was part of a global marketing strategy, according to gearshifters.org.  The Z cars then went through various phases over the next few decades.

These sports cars were rebranded just as the letter "Z" in 2021, but not many people bought them.  In fact, as of current numbers, less than 1000 have been sold in the U.S., so to have this car named "Best Vehicle for a New England Coastal Road Trip" makes me wonder if this will spike the sales of this hot looking and performing vehicle.

According to NissanNews.com, the most current sales numbers have the first three months of 2023 with 466 sold nationally.  In 2022, there were 263 sold, and only 36 sold in the last quarter of 2021 when the new Z was released.

The Nissan Z is available in a 6-speed manual or 9-speed automatic transmission.

Have you seen a Nissan Z on the roads?  It's very likely the answer is no, but it sure does look good.  Maybe this award will breath some new life into this exhilarating vehicle, but I can't imagine driving it during our New England winters, even on the coast.

Nevertheless, congrats Nissan.