The Nissan Z-series is one of the most iconic sports car lines of all times – and, believe it or not, we’re marking 55 years since the first Z-car was released all the way back in 1969.

But how exactly is the Japanese car manufacturing company celebrating? In the best way possible – by releasing the Z Heritage Edition, no less! 

This truly special car pays tribute to all the Z models by aiming to bring all the ‘greatest hits’ together in one package. As such, the Z Heritage is already turning heads thanks to its somewhat classic and nostalgic, yet still sleek and modern design. 

Nissan fans, as always, are being pretty eagle-eyed about this brand new release and have spotted a few curious details. On the Z Heritage Edition, you'll notice that it has a twin-box rectangular grille, but that’s not all. 

Photos that have emerged of the Heritage all show the car in a bright New Sight Orange paint with jet-black details all over the vehicle, including a black shape on the bonnet and black lines up and down the doors, all of which are in homage to the Z models of years gone by. Nice touches!

The Nissan Heritage Edition also comes with fender extensions and some pretty impressive black 19-inch alloy wheels. The wheels have their own unique badges – naturally, that’s going to be a pretty big deal for the collectors out there.

Rest easy, Nissan fanatics. Fans of past Z models will be glad to know that while the exterior of the Heritage has its differences from Z-series of the past few years, underneath, it’s the same beast. 

The Heritage has the same twin-turbo 3-litre V6 engine as the Performance Edition. And, the engine has the same 400 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque – if the power ain’t broke, why fix it.

Since this is a particularly important Z-series, it will probably come as no surprise to you that the price tag reflects it.

While the standard Nissan Z starts retailing at just over $42,000, with performance editions starting at nearly $53,000, the Nissan Z Heritage Edition starts at just over $59,000 – a collector’s edition for what some might call a collector’s price.

The Z Heritage will hit the market this summer, but if you plan to wait and see whether it’s worth the pennies, you might want to reconsider… it’ll be sold out fast.

Nissan has already confirmed that there will be a limited number of Z Heritages on the market, so while its price may seem pretty steep now, it could very well become increasingly expensive depending on how consumers feel about this celebration model. 

That being said, the exact number of Z Heritage Editions that will be made has still not been officially disclosed, so only time will tell if Nissan decides to keep it a rare beauty or make it slightly more available to the masses. Is it time to swap your piggy bank in for a Z Heritage? Vote with your wallet…

Having brought the EV9 to the world's attention late last year, Kia finally seems to be reaping the rewards of their innovative electric SUV. Could this mean any doubters of the electric sports utility could now be eating their words?

The EV9 is the South Korean car giant’s first electric vehicle SUV with three rows – and, as it happens, May 2024 was officially the company's second-best sales month in the US.

In May, the company sold more than 2,180 EV9s, a sales boost of 127% – which is also an impressive new record for the well-loved brand.

Interestingly, this is not the first time that May has been an important EV month for Kia. Their older EV6 model, which was also the company's first fully electric standard, set sales records for the company during the month of May when it sold more than 2,250 models. 

Is this a flash in the pan? Maybe not. Kia’s hard-pressed assembly line at West Point, GA only recently rolled out its first EV9. This makes it the first time an electric vehicle has ever been completely assembled in Georgia. 

The interesting thing about this particular assembly is that it is proof that Kia is planning to increase their output of EVs, most notably in the US. 

Therefore, now that EV9 production is set to keep running smoothly in the US, Kia fully expects their EV sales growth to continue. At least, it’s a bold strategy that could well pay off in the long-term. The even better news for EV motorists and Kia fans is, of course, that they get a handy tax credit by driving the EV9 away.

However, the EV9's success is not limited to the US market. Kia has witnessed significant demand for the electric SUV in international markets, indicating the company's potential to emerge as an electric leader. Who would have thought it?

Unfortunately, good news is frequently paired with bad, and for Kia fans, EV greatness is balanced with Sedan sadness.

While their EV sales have reached new heights, the Kia K5 Sedan has seen a sales downfall of nearly 65%. That, again, is a record for the manufacturer – only, it’s moving in the complete wrong direction.

Could it be that Sedan fans are moving over to the EV9? It’s a theory. However, Kia overall hasn’t fared well despite the EV9 skyrocketing in popularity.

Sales are, reportedly, down by around 2.1% for Kia year on year. 

That said, it seems that the company’s biggest failure has been in the Korean market, with sales having fallen by 8.3% there. Only time will tell if the increase in production and high demand for EV9s will help bring Kia back to its former glory.

For those interested in the SUV EV model, a Kia EV9 costs around $55,000 inside the US. Could this be the saving grace for the car brand – even if their sales have dwindled somewhat elsewhere? Have faith, Kia fans – let’s wait and see.

If you’re a Toyota fan, it’s worth paying attention to recent news regarding a very public PR setback for three of the manufacturer’s most popular cars.

Aki Toyoda, chairman of the Japanese car giant, recently apologized publicly for the company's reported “cheating” on certain certification tests for up to seven of its vehicle models. The company reportedly provided incorrect data, specifically during pedestrian safety testing – not a great look! 

The mania surrounding driverless or autonomous cars might feel a bit old-school nowadays – but the concept of robot vehicles is still very much in the headlamps of companies such as Hyundai.

Driverless cars are still a way away from being fully mainstream – they’re going to need incredible safety testing to be considered safe for public use! However, recent news from Hyundai suggests we’re inching ever closer to letting computers do the driving.