Fans of Nissan performance vehicles are currently stuck between a rock and a hard place, as the aging Nissan GT-R gets discontinued around the globe, and sales of the new Nissan Z are only set to start in June. The new Z promises to be a strong performer, and from some of the leaked videos we've seen, it's going to hurt some serious feelings in the import scene (poor little Supra) but we all know that these cars aren't going to remain stock for long, and we've already been spotting modified versions on the internet, so now Nissan tuning legend Nismo has launched its first official aftermarket part for the Z: a sports muffler.

The new sports muffler will only be available for Japanese customers for now and features stainless steel construction. This cat-back exhaust system features two center-mounted silencers that flow into a larger muffler with twin exits. The exhaust tips aren't too in-your-face and are finished in a classy polished look with the all-important Nismo logos etched into the side. According to the Nismo website, this upgrade produces "a light and comfortable exhaust note from normal driving to high-speed driving." The kit does however lower the car's ground clearance by 5 millimeters, although that won't be noticeable. The free-flowing exhaust system should also increase power levels.

The new Nissan Z is powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 that produces 400 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 350 lb-ft of torque from 1,600 rpm to 5,600 rpm. With the new exhaust system in place and a retune, we wouldn't be surprised if the new Z makes 450 hp.

The Nismo Sport Muffler kit retails for ¥308,000 ($2,410) in Japan, and orders and shipments are set to commence in September. Unfortunately, the system is not officially offered in the US just yet, but we believe that Nismo will soon offer a full range of performance upgrades for the US market, and eventually a dedicated Nismo model and a few special edition cars. For now, the world patiently awaits the new Z, which has been held back by ongoing global parts shortages.