...Automatic? Why?
We love a good Z car. We've been head over heels for them since they were being spit out by Datsun. In fact, we have a 350Z of our own that we use as an autocross and track car. Naturally, we were excited to get our hands on the newest edition of the 370Z Nismo, their even sportier version of this sports coupe.
This trim level starts at a good $42,000, which isn't cheap, but you also get a 350-horsepower engine wrapped in a 3,346-pound shell. The 2015 model year also comes with a bodywork redesign that gives it a little more of a wild look.
To sum up this car, I'd say it's sporty without going overboard. The interior isn't all that extreme. In fact when you don't have the right pedal down, the only real sense of performance you get is through the way the seats hug you, as if bracing you for some massive 5g lateral load. Not sure how comfortable those seats would be over a long road trip, but that may be beside the point.
Overall, the power is fairly impressive. It's a pretty torquey engine, which isn't exactly what I was expecting. The ride is firm without going overboard. I actually had the opportunity to drive one of these around the Daytona International Speedway road course with the mini Nissan GT Academy and was impressed with the stock handling characteristics. While you can step the rear out, it's predictable in the way it moves.
Overall it's a good—even if a little hardcore—street car and also a potential performer on track. You do pay the extra penny for the shiny Nismo badge on the front and back, though.
Glad to see that Nissan still loves the Z. Remember, for a while there, it wasn't even part of the lineup.
The Z has come along nicely since its reintroduction, too. The first ones had kinda cheapie interiors and seemed a bit unfinished.
The latest ones sport much nicer interiors, but I still wish the cars offered more over-the-shoulder visibility. Ever change lanes in a 370Z? It's a bit of a leap of faith.
This one is an interesting piece. Yes, all of the Nismo goodies make it go fast, but why then the automatic gearbox? At that point, it goes from lethal track toy to boulevarder. (I will say, though, as far as torque converter automatics go, this one was pretty good.)
...Automatic? Why?
Good question. It's just what the press car company had on hand I guess.
Automatic because it is much more likely to get mentioned in multiple threads by people bemoaning the automatic than it would if it has a manual.
If they had stuck a dual-clutch in there from the GT-R, it would be epic.
Yeah, sadly we don't get to spec out the press cars. What is in the fleet is what we get.
Brett_Murphy wrote: Automatic because it is much more likely to get mentioned in multiple threads by people bemoaning the automatic than it would if it has a manual. If they had stuck a dual-clutch in there from the GT-R, it would be epic.
That would have been pretty cool. I will say, this was one of the nicer torque converter automatics experienced in a while.
I keep waiting for those headlights to grow on me, they still havent. I love everything else though
Why does it weigh more than my Cherokee?
Swank Force One wrote: Why does it weigh more than my Cherokee?
Because it's a car from this current malaise era of affordable japanese performance cars.
Awsome! 25 more horses and 100 lbs lighter than my 10 year old Mustang!
Hey, wait......
I got a chance to spend a little time with the car in question---- but didn't contribute to the online comments.
Would it be "epic" with a dual-clutch? (ala GT-R) Well.....yes and no.
There isn't a problem with power--- as this version of the VQ makes plenty....lots of torque too. The engine sounds good at WOT, but drones at regular speeds. With a rapid-fire dual-clutch it would be a faster car, but not necessarily a more fun car. For me, the problem with this car isn't in the trans (although a manual would have been nice) but in the steering.
Nissan must be using some sort of variable assist with this Z's steering. It feels ok at slower speeds, but as velocity increases, it gets twitchy, heavy, and non-communicative. This is exactly what you DON'T want as things start coming at you fast. Instead of building confidence as speeds increase, the Nismo 370z gets more nervous and darty as speeds get serious.
It's a shame really, because otherwise this is the best "new" Z car yet. The interior is improved, the seats grippy, even the horrible 3/4 visibility seems a little less confining with the subtle design changes. They also struck a good ride/ handling balance, as it doesn't beat you up, even over longer distances.
Overall it's a good car, but not a great one. The Z has become long in the tooth, as it's competition gets tougher. As it is now, price-wise it is knocking on the door of our M235i project car--- which is a superior machine in almost every way. (and the M235i isn't perfect by any stretch)
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