Nissan Z Proto Spec Markups Are Absurd [UPDATED]

Look, we knew there was a lot of hype around the new Nissan Z. Rightfully so, as our first drive showed. And we know that quantities of any new model from any brand are usually limited at launch in a normal year -- and supply-chain problems across the industry, along with the pandemic's lingering effects on production, have made 2022 anything but a normal year for autos.

Still, the markups being charged for Nissan Z Proto Specs strike us as absurd.

According to posters on our parent company's Nissan Z forums, the markups are wild. One poster showed an ad for a Proto Spec car at $125,000, with the dealer (Nissan of Irvine, presumably in Irvine, CA) reminding buyers that less than 300 units of Proto Spec trim would be built.

Another dealership, this one in Kentucky (Jeff Wyler Nissan), was spotted charging a $50K markup. Meanwhile, a forum poster found Mike Rezi Nissan selling one for $79K on Cars.com.

As a reminder, Nissan plans on building just 240 Proto Specs for the American market, with an MSRP of $52,990 for either the automatic or manual transmission. That doesn't include the $1,025 destination fee.

We've reached out to Nissan for comment and will update if we hear back.

UPDATE: Nissan replied with this statement: "As Nissan invests in our future together, we are focused on delivering strong customer satisfaction. Our Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Prices (MSRP) are determined after extensive research to provide the right value proposition for the customer, however, the final price of a vehicle is determined by the selling dealer. We expect dealers to be transparent with customers regarding pricing, which will help to increase loyalty for future purchases and service."

[Image: Nissan]

Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by  subscribing to our newsletter.