GRM Review: Nissan 370Z Roadster

We tried out the Z's topless counterpart. What do you think? Is it worth nearly fifty grand?

http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/new-cars/2012-nissan-z-roadster-tour/

No.

In reply to Datsun310Guy:

Agreed. Also... it is fugly.

13.3 in the 1/4, really?

Blargh.

belteshazzar wrote: 13.3 in the 1/4, really?

I think the engine might be underrated from the factory and the 7 speed transmission helps make use of the available power. It's a pretty quick car, but I wouldn't call it very nimble.

yes really 13.3. 370s are depressingly fast.

But as mentioned, for that money id MUCH rather have a boxster.

for that money, I would want a Miata and Change

For the Money I could have a stable of fun including a 350z in race trim for the newley created Spec Z class.

At 50K it's just ridiculous. Not that it's a bad car, just too expensive. Of course I saw an 80K M3 at the BMW dealership the other day. Things have just gotten out of hand.

I think the "Japanese Muscle Car" syndrome is about to hit yet again... The same reason that the 3000GT VR-4, Supra, 300ZX Twin Turbo, RX-7 all left.... they simply became too expensive to really be avaliable to anyone who would like one. To me manufacturers have some really good ideas, yet lose sight on the core intent of the original design they set out to build.

In reply to dansxr2:

I rather doubt that "Japanese Muscle Car" syndrome is making a return. The Z-car is, right now, the only new car that fits the 90's Japanese muscle car mold in terms of pricing and character. The alternatives are either smaller, lighter, and cheaper (Miata, Toyobaru twins), or not built in Japan and also cheaper (Genny Coupe, Mustang). Nissan is promising the next Z-car will be smaller and lighter, and I wouldn't be surprised if its MSRP came down too.

It's pretty, and I really like Z cars, but I couldn't stomach $50k on one.

Vigo wrote: yes really 13.3. 370s are depressingly fast. But as mentioned, for that money id MUCH rather have a boxster.

Okay, you read that opposite way I did. For $50k I don't consider mid/low 13s all that fast in the 1/4.

It's funny that we have another thread where people are bitching about the price of the Toybaru twins

Correct me if I'm wrong, but has Japan ever made a convertible not named Miata that's sold in decent numbers? I'm not sure why they bother.

Nimble they are not, highway tourer they are.

Good god that is ugly.

RexSeven wrote: In reply to dansxr2: I rather doubt that "Japanese Muscle Car" syndrome is making a return. The Z-car is, right now, the only new car that fits the 90's Japanese muscle car mold in terms of pricing and character. The alternatives are either smaller, lighter, and cheaper (Miata, Toyobaru twins), or not built in Japan and also cheaper (Genny Coupe, Mustang). Nissan is promising the next Z-car will be smaller and lighter, and I wouldn't be surprised if its MSRP came down too.

they said that when they came out with the 370z... it was also supposed to be cheaper than the previous 350z, but it was only like $100 less than the previous model and still only a hair's breadth away from 30k. i remember when the 350z came out, price started at like 24k or so.

Okay, you read that opposite way I did. For $50k I don't consider mid/low 13s all that fast in the 1/4.

You're right. I was looking at it more from the side of a n/a v6 in a 3500 lb car running low 13s is impressive. I completely agree with you about the price.

I didnt want to say anything earlier, but if i had $50k that i HAD to spend on ONE car id probably buy a used Quattroporte.

$48,000 for that?

Not only is that car a complete waste of space at that lofty price, Nissan on a whole has completely lost their way. Let me count the ways...

-I understand why they have the Versa. It's their cheap car that gets good gas mileage, their value leader. But why do they still have the Sentra? This latest generation is ugly and uninspiring. Nearly everything in its class's last generation of cars outshines the present Sentra in every way. And the SE-R? Don't get me started....

-The Maxima.... The "4 Door Sports Car" that's only available with a CVT. WTF happened here? Nevermind the fact that it competes internally with the Altima... I remember in the early 2000's when they were rumored to make it a RWD/AWD sports sedan, but then the G35 came out and they instead built the pudgy, frumpy lump that is the 2004+ car. Now the new Altima even looks like the newest generation Maxima. Why do they still make both?

-The Altima... They keep making it increasingly boring with every model generation, although the 1st two generations were pretty boring too. That and there seems to be a correlation around here between D-bags that can't drive and Altimas. Whatever happened to that SE-R model? That was kinda cool.

-The Juke.... it hurts my eyes worse than the Aztek. Another classic example of a good engine in the wrong vehicle, slugging around with a CVT that plagues the entire brand.

-The Rogue... Some friends recently bought one to replace their aging Honda Odyssey minivan. Theirs is the LE model, I believe. It's ok, aside from the weirdness of the CVT (noticing a theme here?) and the fact that it's very bland. The woman who owns it's sister recently bought a RAV4. It's nicer, and I can't stand modern Toyotas. We realized yesterday that it looks as if they took my Mazda 3 hatch and inflated it... a lot.

-The Murano... damn it's ugly. And the CrossCabriolet is one of the most useless and hideous ways to waste $40k+

-The Z... Damn it's expensive now. I'm not a fan of the looks or the price. I'd rather get a Mustang GT for the money, or hell, a Boss 302! I did read the report about them making it smaller and lighter. That's a step in the right direction.

I don't really have a problem with the trucks, but they are really old compared to the competition. The Frontier has been around since 2005-06 (I think) and the Titan is going on 7-8 years without any changes. The other SUV's are fine (except that they ruined the Pathfinder), and the Xterra is pretty awesome.

What happened to Nissan? I remember when they made sporty, cool looking, fun, and dependable cars. I used to lust after the older Z cars, the Maxima, and the original Sentra SE-R. Now, they make nothing I would remotely want. They have tried to become plain vanilla and that disappoints me, and I'm sure it disappoints a lot of other people too.

I wish they would fire their design chief, stop putting stupid CVT's in everything, and make engaging, affordable, fun to drive cars like they used to. Nope, ain't gonna happen anytime soon.

Datsun310Guy wrote: No.

+1

JoeyM wrote:

Datsun310Guy wrote: No.

+1

+2. And cost aside, anything that ugly would have to be really, really fun to drive for me to consider it.

In reply to silverfleets little tirade.

I agree with most everything you said. Apparently however the car buying public does not. http://news.yahoo.com/nissan-profit-soars-record-sales-amid-disaster-062604140--finance.html

Many articles like this showing Nissan profit and unit sales up year on year despite the economy and everything you pointed out.

The car market has changed and the approach the existing players are mostly taking is won our little niche of enthusiasts seem negative on. I only hope that we continue to be an apealing enough market that the truly enthusiast oriented car continues to be made and isn't just stickers and wheels to get the mass market to think there car is fast. Also I hope that just like the good old days new players enter the market first appealing to those market shares to small for the big manufacturer's to bother with continuing to supply us with what we want.

Re: the CVT, nissan has made a commitment to replace all automatic transmissions across the board be CVT. at least that was what one of the sales guys told me. its great if they can get the needed reliability out of them. most people can't tell the difference anyways, and it helps them get better mileage.

Yeah, I went a little nuts with my post.

I understand the need for volume leaders in a car company. You have to sell the boring cars, that's what most people want. The issue I have is that's pretty much all that Nissan sells now, and they used to be a car company with a rich history of performance-oriented and fun to drive cars.

Other companies have figured out how to balance these things. For example, look at Ford. They have to sell boring cars. But they are also offering some pretty cool stuff too, like the new Mustangs and the Ford Focus ST. They are cars that you would want to own, and seem fair for the price. Mazda is another company that gets it. Their Skyactiv stuff is selling really well, and part of the initiative in designing those cars is to make them engaging to drive.

Even :gasp: Toyota gets this now. Look at the Toyobaru. It reminds me of the original Z car in a lot of ways. Small, light, relatively affordable, and is supposed to be fun to drive.

Nissan, Y U NO BE LIKE OLD NISSAN?