We review the status of heavy neutral gauge bosons, Z ′ , with emphasis on constraints that arise in supersymmetric models, especially those motivated from superstring compactifications. We first summarize the current phenomenological constraints and the prospects for Z ′ detection and diagnostics at the LHC and NLC. After elaborating on the status and (lack of) predictive power for general models with an additional Z ′ , we concentrate on motivations and successes for Z ′ physics in supersymmetric theories in general and in a class of superstring models in particular. We review phenomenologically viable scenarios with the Z ′ mass in the electroweak or in the intermediate scale region. We review the status of heavy neutral gauge bosons, Z ′ , with emphasis on constraints that arise in supersymmetric models, especially those motivated from superstring compactifications. We first summarize the current phenomenological constraints and the prospects for Z ′ detection and diagnostics at the LHC and NLC. After elaborating on the status and (lack of) predictive power for general models with an additional Z ′ , we concentrate on motivations and successes for Z ′ physics in supersymmetric theories in general and in a class of superstring models in particular. We review phenomenologically viable scenarios with the Z ′ mass in the electroweak or in the intermediate scale region.