2023 Nissan Z Proto sold out, almost half the customers in the queue could miss out

The new 2023 Nissan Z Proto edition – a limited-run launch model for the reborn version of the iconic sports car – has sold out before the first customer deliveries have commenced.

Nissan Australia is holding about 480 orders, but may only get 240 cars, meaning close to half of all local Proto buyers could miss out – even though they have already placed a deposit.

Instead, they will be offered a refund of their deposit or get bumped to the top of the queue for the regular version.

There are two Nissan Z models at launch: the standard 'Z Coupe' priced from $73,300 plus on-road costs, and the Proto from $80,700 plus on-road costs.

Both are powered by the same twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine (298kW/475Nm) paired to either a nine-speed auto or six-speed manual.

Compared to the standard model, the Proto gains unique 19-inch bronze-finish wheels, yellow brake calipers, and black and yellow interior and exterior colour combinations to match the 2020 Nissan Z Proto concept car.

Nissan says it is negotiating with the factory to secure enough vehicles for the orders already placed.

Executives for Nissan Australia declined to say how many Proto orders it has received – and how many cars are due to be built for our market.

However, a company representative said about 40 per cent of the 1200 deposits received so far were for the Proto, while 60 per cent were for the regular model.

Based on these estimates, 480 customers in Australia have put money down for a Proto. Now it seems many may miss out.

The US and Japan each get 240 examples of the Z Proto edition. If Australia is allocated the same number of cars, it would mean about half of the customers who placed an order could miss out.

In an interview on Saturday with Nissan Australia boss Adam Paterson – during the media preview drive, which is under embargo until 7:00pm 1 September 2022 – the executive said they won’t know how many Proto editions will be delivered locally “until they get on a boat” from Japan.

The Nissan Australia boss was cagey about providing an estimate of how many Proto cars are coming due to changing production forecasts.

“I think we’d like to wait until they get on a boat so we can confirm (numbers),” Mr Paterson told media during the briefing. “We don’t have a final number because production still so volatile.”

When pressed on a volume estimate, Mr Paterson said: “I know what the (maximum) ceiling is, I just don’t know if we’re going to get them.”

When asked again for an estimate, Mr Paterson said: “You’re asking a for a number. We'll come back to you.”

When asked about the wait time on a regular Zed model for customers who order today, Mr Paterson said: “The wait depends exactly on how quickly they're going to get built.

“The situation is so volatile, not just for this car, but all of them. To quote a wait time, it means I have to have absolute confidence about how many are going to be built each month. I don’t have that right now.”

However, Mr Paterson noted: “All of the Z orders with the exception of Proto will eventually get filled.”

When asked if this meant some Proto customers might miss out, Mr Paterson said: “That’s correct. There are more orders than we had an initial estimate as far as total availability is concerned.

“The dealer will work with (cancelled order customers). Obviously they can have their deposit back if we're not able to satisfy the order, or the dealer will work with them to see if they’d like to move to a [standard] Coupe as opposed to a Proto.”