It looks like our guesses were correct that the Nissan GT-R‘s replacement in the Super GT’s GT500 class will be the all-new Z.  It was recently unveiled by Nissan and Nismo at the Fuji International Speedway, and it will be the automaker’s sole competitor in the category for the 2022 season.

If people are doubting the Z’s prowess as a race car compared to the legendary R35, well, the badge has quite a pedigree. The S30 240Z was dominant in the SCCA C Production category, and the same can be said with the Z32 300ZX in the IMSA series of the 1990s. The Z33 Fairlady Z also won a series championship in Super GT.

As per GT500 regulations, the 3.0-liter twin-turbo VR30DDTT V6 will be swapped out for a standardized single-turbo 2.0-liter in-line-four engine. Despite being smaller, these motors pack quite a punch. Combined with the lightweight bodywork, crazy aerodynamics, and handling upgrades, GT500 cars can be frighteningly quick around the track.

We’re all excited to see the return of the Z to motorsports, but we’re also licking our lips at the possibility of GT500-inspired aftermarket body kit for the road car when it finally gets released.