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Nissan 370Z Road Test and Review (Video)
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When the Datsun 240Z came out in 1970 it had the perfect formula for a sports car success story at the time. It was inexpensive compared to the BMW's and Jaguars of the day, yet it offered similar performance.
Now let's fast forward to the 6th generation Z car. Does it still offer the same great performance as its competitors for less money? This is the true nature of the Z car, so read on to see if it carries on the spirit of the 240Z.
The Nissan 370Z debuted as a 2009 model replacing the 350Z. The new car is shorter, wider, and faster than its predecessor. The car has been entirely redesigned despite a resemblance to the 5th generation cars. The interior has also been made over as well.
The hidden secret of the Nissan 370Z is to me one of the most exciting features of any car on the market today. For those of you who know about racing techniques, you can probably appreciate how hard it is to drive quickly and smoothly at the same time. The new Z has you covered by helping you downshift like a pro blipping the throttle for you and matching revs with every downshift.
Nissan calls this exciting new 6 speed manual shifter "SynchroRev Match". Similar to Ferrari and Lamborghini auto paddle "F1" style transmissions that synchronize revs and blip the throttle with each paddle downshift, the 370Z does the same every time you clutch in and down shift. It works extremely well in any situation, and will make anyone at least feel like a better driver!
The Nissan 370Z is powered by a 3.7 liter V-6 that produces 332 horsepower. That's good enough to whoosh you to sixty in 4.7 seconds. By the way while you are enjoying the great performance of the 370Z, you should be getting about 18 mpg in the city and 26 on the highway.
Of course if like me, you enjoy ringing the Z out to enjoy the exhaust note and amazing performance, you might not do quite as well in terms of fuel economy. You will also have to spend a bit more on gas because Nissan recomendeds premium gas for the 370Z.
Keep the traction control on for safety most of the time and the computers will make sure you don't spin out of control. The Z definitely has enough power to get you into trouble in any gear, so I would only turn it off for a track day or auto cross event. I got to experience the Nissan 370Z in the rain, and it is a handful even with traction control on! It is a screamer though, and quite fun!
The 370Z is easy to shift and drive fast with very little effort as a good sports car should be. It feels right much in the same way as the Mazda Miata and RX7. Like Mazda, Nissan knows a thing or two about how to build a sports car and they certainly have delivered in the 370Z.
But wait.... does it offer all of the performance of a Corvette, BMW, Ferrari or Porsche for less? Well you can certainly say yes if you measure it by performance numbers. A sub 5 second run to 60 will certainly put you in the company of far more expensive sports cars. And the 370 Z's starting price of around $30,000 is certainly a bargain when compared to a Porsche, Vette, or Ferrari.
But the Nissan 370Z that I am driving will actually set you back about $39,000. The Touring package adds about $5,000 to the price but includes power leather seats, Homelink and Bluetooth hands free phone system, an upgraded sound system with XM Radio, cargo cover and aluminum pedals. So by the time you add carpeted floor mats ($115), illuminated "Z" kick plates ($200), and the sport package which includes bigger brakes, RAYS 19" wheels, "SynchroRev Match", and a Viscous Limited Slip Differential ($3,000) and destination, your total comes to $38,470. Navigation is available but will cost you even more. Is that still a bargain?
Well, remember the 240Z came out 40 years ago, and times have changed. Datsun was the new kid on the block back then and didn't have the same prestige that the Nissan name carries today. People buying a Nissan 370Z today expect certain creature comforts that tend to raise the price. Their trusted reputation gained over 40 years here in the US, doesn't come cheap either. You know when you buy a Nissan today that you are getting a safe, well designed, and very fast car.
So I think that while $20,000 might be a price target more in line with where the 240Z was in 1970, $30,000 for a great handling, quick car like the Nissan 370Z with forty years of history offers a lot of bang for the buck. When you consider that the Porsche Cayman starts out at $50,000, and it will cost you $45,000 to get you behind the wheel of the BMW Z4, yes... the Nissan 370Z does carry on the spirit of performance, reliability and value just like the original Z car.
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