With the introduction of its new 370Z Roadster and race-track tuned Nismo, Nissan has a triple play going in the sports car game.
They are the culmination of nearly four decades of Z cars from the Japanese manufacturer, and nicely round out a line of two-seaters that offer high performance at relatively low prices -- relative, that is, to the likes of Porsche, Audi and Chevrolet Corvette.
Introduced in 2009, the base 370Z starts at $30,850. Now it has been joined by the Nismo model, also a hard-top, two-seat coupe that is set up for owners who like to spend some time as weekend racers. It also is a 2009 model and has a starting price of $39,850.
The Nismo -- the name is an abbreviation for Nissan Motorsports -- gets 350 horsepower, or 18 more than the standard Z, along with a host of performance items: a tighter sport suspension, 19-inch wheels, horizontal body-stiffening struts and a big rear spoiler. It also is six inches longer than the 2010 Roadster, the newest of the trio.
For the all-out enthusiast, the Nismo likely would provide the most satisfying driving experience. The stiff suspension and performance tires produce a much harsher ride but not one that will wear the driver out. The flip side is fast steering and precision handling around curves.
The Nismo comes only with a six-speed manual transmission. But it is equipped with Nissan's Synchro Rev Match, which automatically matches engine revolutions to the selected gear on downshifts. It eliminates the need for the driver to employ the "heel and toe" technique to accomplish smooth downshifts.
Synchro Rev Match is offered on other Z cars as an option, but is part of the standard equipment on the Nismo.
The no-nonsense attitude of the Nismo also comes through with its stitched fabric seats that grip the clothing to hold the driver in place in rapid motoring around curves.
For those who don't spend time at the track and value the wind-in-the-hair experience of open-car motoring, Nissan now offers the 2010 370Z Roadster. It has a starting price of $37,690 with the six-speed manual gearbox (Synchro Rev Match is an extra cost option).
The test car was the upscale Touring version of the Roadster, which had a starting price of $42,540 with the seven-speed automatic transmission. It transfers 332 horsepower from the 3.7-liter V6 engine to the rear wheels. With a manual-shift mode and paddle shifters for those who want to play around a bit, the Roadster delivers a sporting driving experience.
But mostly it is an easy, slick cruiser with a comfortable ride and, with some options, virtually any amenity an owner might dream about. The top is a quality fabric, padded on the inside, which raises and lowers with the touch of a button. It automatically unlocks and locks in place on the windshield header.
The handling is still Z-worthy, though not as quick or precise as the Nismo, but the ride is softer and in keeping with lazy, top-down summer afternoons on twisting roads. At less than 14 feet long, it is easy to park and maneuver through traffic.
Nissan thankfully resisted the current fad of equipping the new Z Roadster with a folding steel or aluminum top. Those cars have the advantage of providing a secure, coupe-like environment with the top up, but they universally wipe out most of the cargo space.
In contrast, the cloth top convertibles like the Z Roadster and the Audi TT and TTS retain useful trunks. The Z Roadster has more than four cubic feet of space in its trunk, which is accessible with the top up or down. It's enough for a couple of golf bags or overnight suitcases. In addition, the Z has small but useful spaces for smaller items behind the seats.
Of course, a fabric top allows more road and mechanical noise into the cockpit than a well-designed metal top. But on the Z it's not objectionable. Moreover, fabric technology now has reached the point where soft tops likely can last nearly the life of the car.
Standard equipment on the Z Roadster included basic safety enhancements: stability and traction control, antilock brakes, electronic brake force distribution, side air bags and tire-pressure monitoring. Also included are automatic climate control, pushbutton starting, power seats, mirrors and windows, auto-dimming inside mirror, garage-door opener and cruise control.
The Touring model added heated and cooled mesh cloth seats with leather trim, a Bose audio system with MP3 capability and XM Satellite radio.
Two option packages boosted the test car's price to $47,980. One was a navigation system that also included a 9.3-gigabyte music-box hard drive, Bluetooth streaming audio and XM's real-time traffic and weather information. Nissan says this is the first time XM radio and Bluetooth have been available on a Z convertible.
The other option was a sport package that included lightweight 19-inch wheels, high-performance tires and a limited-slip differential. The sport package costs $2,850 and, while perhaps desirable for enthusiasts, doesn't add much on lazy summer afternoon drives.
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service. For more columns, go to scrippsnews.com) Comments or suggestions? Contact Frank Aukofer at driveways6(at)gmail.com
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