My best friend and I are both Corvette fans. He owned a 1976 “C3” for a few years and I currently own a 1989 “C4” that’s been in my garage for a quarter-century. For the past decade, he’s driven a Camaro with sights set on a new Vette. He called the other night complaining about how expensive Corvettes have become and he really didn’t want to spend that much. I suggested he look at the 2025 Nissan Z.

Corvette enthusiasts have to adjust their lens, but they’ll find a car exquisitely styled with classic cues taken from the original 1970 240Z. Starting at the front, ovoid headlamps recall round lamps set into the original’s fenders. The square lower grille and raised hood shape look familiar too. In side view, the long hood and sweeping roofline are classic, but modernized with 19-inch dark Rays wheels, angry sill extensions, and satin silver window trim. Wide taillamps recall earlier Zs. Classic logos add nostalgia. It’s especially fetching in Bayside Blue.

I love our car’s bright blue interior with sueded doors and seats. Aluminum pedals add a glint of sport while flatscreen gauges and 9-inch touchscreen with volume and tuning knobs keep it simple. Connect devices through wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, or USBs below. An 8-speaker Bose audio system and heated seats amp the luxury while adaptive cruise, automatic emergency braking, blind spot warning, and rear cross path detection fortify safety. Gauges are clear, but I’d also prefer a head-up display.

I just wish it had a removable targa top to let in some sunshine.

If I peeled away the body, you’d find basic architecture that dates back twenty years. You’d never know that by looking at the car…nor by driving it. The body structure is stiff, suspension motions firm, and steering quick. I’ve read complaints saying the suspension is a little soft. Maybe a little, but there’s the Z NISMO if you want to attack tracks. This one is more livable on long drives and is beyond the capability of most drivers anyway. To balance handling, the engine is shoved far back in the chassis.

There’s no V8, but few will complain about the 400 horsepower 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6, connected to our six-speed manual or optional automatic transmission. Shifts are precise and mechanical with a heavy clutch. I drove home from the airport in evening traffic, so it’s not a replacement for leg day, but some may tire on longer slogs. Fuel economy is rated 18/24-MPG city/highway, but I saw closer to 27-MPG during Interstate runs.

With my friend’s harping in mind, I whipped out the old inflation calculator. His 1976 Corvette had a base price of $7,604 or $43,171 inflation-adjusted. I knew prices rose quickly in the early ‘80s, so I also pegged a 1982 Corvette with an $18,290 base price…or $61,228 adjusted. My personal 1989 Vette retailed for about $32,000 – $83,367 today. A base 2025 mid-engine Corvette costs $68,300. It’s expensive, but let’s keep perspective.

My buddy ended up buying a Ford Mustang with EcoBoost engine – a fine car with excellent handling and a plethora of technology. Good for him, but I’m thinking differently. If the Corvette ceased to be an attainable aspiration of the middle class, and I might argue it never really was affordable, then the Nissan Z is a killer bargain. It sports a base price of $42,970, less than my buddy’s ’76, and even at an as-tested $55,985, is still a fraction of the “$144,233” price of the ‘90s Corvette ZR1 it matches.

Storm Forward!

Send comments to Casey at AutoCasey@aol.com; follow him on YouTube @AutoCasey.