Nissan sharpens up its enduring Z car with more power and less heft. Gautam Sharma gleans whether it’s a worthy successor to the 350
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Nissan 370Z | First Drive
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f there’s a single car that symbolises Nissan’s Lazarus-like rise from the brink of financial ruin a few years ago, it has to be the 350Z. It was the canny Carlos Ghosn who masterminded the Japanese carmaker’s dramatic resurgence, and the Brazil-born CEO was also the driving force behind the conception of the New Millennium Z car, which aimed to recapture the essence of the iconic 240Z of the 1970s. The “Three-Fiddy” certainly achieved the latter goal, offering punchy performance and sassy looks for a not-extravagant sum of money. Consequently, the design objectives for the new 370Z were pretty straightforward: update and improve those aspects that were beginning to lag behind its rivals (of which Porsche’s Cayman S was considered one by Nissan’s top brass), but leave the basic formula alone. This is evident when you look at the car’s sheetmetal and basic specs. It’s an evolutionary design that doesn’t look dramatically different from its predecessor (notwithstanding the arrowhead-shaped headlights and boomerang tail-lights), but what you may not glean at first glance is that it’s shorter and wider-in-stance than its forerunner, as well as being lighter (despite added mod-cons and safety gear). The new chassis is also stiffer than before, while the VQ engine has been enlarged to 3.7 litres (hence the badge) to liberate a few extra horses and Newton metres. Dubbed the VQ37VHR, the embiggened V6 punches out 326bhp and 366Nm, handy increases over the 308bhp and 358Nm eked out by the final iteration of the 350Z. The drivetrain is rounded off by a new seven-speed automatic transmission, or a six-speed manual with a new downshift-rev-matching feature that negates the need to heel-and-toe when dropping through the ratios. Other key tech changes include a new bodyshell that alters the car’s proportions significantly. The 370Z’s wheelbase is 100mm shorter than its forerunner, but track width has increased by 15mm at the front and 55mm at the rear. Torsional rigidity is also up by 30 per cent, and Nissan says the biggest gain is at the front end, where a bracing bar has been mounted on top of the suspension turrets. Extensive use of aluminium (it’s now used for the doors and rear hatch as well as the bonnet) plus other weight-saving measures have seen more than 32kg trimmed from the car’s mass, despite extra safety, environmental and luxury equipment. These changes are matched by a new double-wishbone front suspension layout and a revised multi-link rear suspension, both of which are lighter yet stronger with greater lateral stability, according to Nissan. Maintaining the core selling proposition of the car, Nissan says the 370Z offers more bang-for-buck than sports coupes such as the Porsche Cayman, BMW Z4, Audi TT and Mercedes-Benz SLK. On paper, this certainly appears the case... Confession time: On seeing the first official images of the 370Z last October, my immediate thought was, “What on earth were they (the styling department) thinking?”
Cantilevered roof inspired by gT-R sibling
‘Static two-dimensionsal images don’t convey the latest-gen coupe’s real-world visual impact’ You see, static, two-dimensional pictures don’t necessarily portray the latest-gen coupe’s real-world visual impact, but seeing it in the metal dispelled any doubts. Put simply, the car looks great. The arrowhead headlights and boomerang tail-lights that looked awkward in the pics somehow manage to look purposeful and well resolved in the flesh. The proportions of the car are also far more imposing than before. Meanwhile, the significantly shorter wheelbase and widened front and rear tracks – housed within pleasingly flared guards – combine to make for a more athletic shape, and also nice is the GT-R-inspired cantilevered roof, which peaks just above the A-pillar. Enough about the looks though, it’s the driving that you’re probably more interested in. If so, you’ll be pleased to glean that Nissan has managed to move the game on convincingly. Slide in behind the driver’s seat and you’ll find the familiar Z touches – a large central tacho is flanked by two smaller dials (one of which is obviously the speedo), while perched above the centre console are three more supplementary
dials (which include a temperature gauge and digital clock). Driver and passenger are separated by a high transmission tunnel and it must be said that the 100mm trimming of the wheelbase doesn’t seem to have compromised leg or headroom. One minor gripe is that the steering wheel isn’t reachadjustable, but fortunately there’s enough adjustability in the seat to conjure up an agreeable driving position. Fire up the engine via the start button and the V6 settles into the familiar metallic hum that characterised the 350Z. Slot the stubby gearlever into first (we kicked off the drive programme at the international media launch by driving a six-speed manual) and the 370Z moves off smoothly. Once under way, the added tautness of the new bodyshell becomes evident, and the feeling conveyed through the seat of the pants is one of directness and control – yet this doesn’t come at the cost of a bone-jarring ride (even though all the cars at the international launch were equipped with 19-inch
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Nissan 370Z | First Drive
rims shod with liquorice-strip lowprofile rubber). Narrow, sodden (and at times poorly surfaced) French backroads aren’t ideal terrain to explore the outright cornering capabilities of any car, particularly a powerful rear-driver with a relatively short wheelbase. This being the case, we started off in tentative fashion, but still found the Z was easily provoked into spinning up the rear tyres and executing lurid fishtails (even with traction control on) when powering away from wet intersections. We asked a Nissan development engineer about this trait at the lunch stop and he said the traction/stability control systems have been programmed to allow some latitude with wheelslip and yaw, provided you’re progressive with your inputs. Tromp on the throttle in brutal fashion and the electronic nannies will kick in immediately, but feed the power in quickly yet smoothly and it’ll allow you some leeway. Enthusiastic drivers will enjoy this aspect, but more sedate types might be slightly alarmed by the car’s apparent twitchiness in the wet.
Boomerang-shaped tail-lights are a distinctive design element
On a different note, the manual gearbox’s Synchro Rev Control system works a treat, effortlessly matching engine revs with road speed on gearshifts. You can disengage the system by holding down the “S” button for three seconds, but Nissan says even its most experience test drivers were unable to match the speed and consistency of SRC, which ensures gear changes in half a second, twice the speed of a “normal” gear change. If clutch pedals aren’t your thing, you can opt for the new sevenspeed automatic, which has been “tuned to think like a manual”. While it can be driven as a conventional automatic and left to its own devices, enthusiastic owners can treat it as a clutchless manual of sorts, using either the centre shift lever or magnesium paddles behind the steering wheel to change gear. The transmission is highly responsive when commandeered via the flappy paddles, but I found the actual paddles a bit flimsy in feel. Nissan claims it’s honed the auto transmission to the stage where it ◊ August 2009 WWW.AUTOCARmAg.COm 19
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‘The enlarged V6 offers plenty of punch across the rev range, but it’s not the most sonorous engine ’
∆ has the fastest manual mode shift time of any automatic. As per the manual ’box, a Downshift Rev Matching (DRM) system automatically blips the throttle on downshifts in manual mode to provide seamless gear changes. The enlarged and upgraded V6 engine offers plenty of punch across the rev range, but to my ears it’s not the most sonorous powerplant around – there’s certainly no Alfa Romeo-esque yowl to be savoured. No complaints about the huge brakes, which serve up ample stopping power, as well as feeling progressive. Driver and passenger are hugged by superbly comfortable seats, but if there are any disappointments inside, it’s in the fact that there’s a lack of special-ness in the cabin’s design and layout. Despite Nissan’s efforts to make strides in this area, the likes of the Audi TT instil a much greater sense of occasion. On the plus side, luggage space has greatly benefited from the deletion of the rear strut brace (no longer required), and there’s also space behind the seats to stash a briefcase or two. That said, the cabin could do with more storage cubbies for small odds and ends. Standard kit includes a stop/start button, viscous limited-slip differential, 18-inch alloys and a beefed-up braking package (alluded to earlier), while up-spec models score heated leather and suede seats, a BOSE audio sound system, Synchro Rev Control, a gear position indicator and cruise control. ◊
Nissan 370Z | First Drive
RIVALS - A quARtet of two-dooR teARAwAyS
Engine Power Torque Transmission 0-100km/h Top speed Price
AUdi TT 3.2 qUATTRO
3.2-litre V6 247bhp 320Nm Six-speed DSG 5.9sec 250km/h From $46,350
No shortage of gizmos and mod-cons
AlfA ROmeO BReRA 3.2
3.2-litre V6 256bhp 322Nm Six-speed auto 7.0sec 250km/h From $60,000
PORsChe CAymAN
2.9-litre F6 265bhp 300Nm Seven-speed DSG 5.5sec 265km/h From $49,500
BmW Z4 sdRiVe30i
3.0-litre I6 255bhp 310Nm Six-speed auto 6.1sec 250km/h From $54,500
3.7-litre V6 is both more potent and cleaner burning than its predecessor August 2009 WWW.AUTOCARmAg.COm 21
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First Drive | Nissan 370Z
‘It looks the biz, goes like stink and is a doddle to drive in traffic...’ ∆ Safety gear includes the usual ESP, ABS, electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD) and brake assist, while driver and passenger airbags are complemented by side and curtain ’bags. Active head restraints are fitted as standard. The 370Z’s lighting package comprises standard projector style xenon headlamps with full LED tail-lights. Also standard on the 370Z is a pedestrian-friendly “pop-up” bonnet that raises itself automatically in a crash to create a cushion of air between the bonnet and the engine’s hard points. This technology has already featured on cars such as the current Jaguar XK. Overall verdict? An unreserved thumbsup. Nissan has succeeded in carrying over the essence of the Z, while maintaining its strong bang-for-buck selling proposition. It looks the biz, goes like stink and is a doddle to drive in traffic. Job done. L
interior layout is well-executed, but 370Z’s cabin still can’t match ambience of Audi TT
Vitals
fActfILe NissAN 370Z Engine Power Torque Transmission Length Width Height Wheelbase Kerb weight 0-100km/h Top speed Price On sale
3.7-litre V6 326bhp at 7000rpm 366Nm at 5200rpm 6-speed man/7-speed auto 4250mm 1845mm 1315mm 2550mm 1525kg 5.4sec 250km/h From $45,000 (estimate) September/October
shark-inspired face oozes street cred
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