New Nissan Car Reviews
New Nissan 370Z Car Review

Z CANDY

Nissan has given us cast iron evidence of late that it can still produce rip-roaring sports cars. Is the 370Z another one we can add to the list? Steve Walker reports.

Fans of the Nissan 350Z shouldn’t be disappointed by its 370Z replacement. The Japanese maker has done the decent thing bringing buyers more power from a larger engine while also bolting on a series of design and engineering upgrades and some exciting technological additions.

Nissan’s sports car stock couldn’t really be much higher at the moment. The GT-R has been showcasing its penchant for taking the established supercar elite to the cleaners at a fraction of the price and now there’s a replacement on the scene for the much loved 350Z. The 370Z coupe promises more of the same; more muscular styling, more hardcore driving thrills and, yes, more power.

The 350Z gained a loyal following for its no nonsense approach to making its driver smile. A charismatic V6 engine, a balanced rear-wheel drive chassis, manly control weights and a mild hooligan streak all helped to set it apart from the more sanitised offerings at its price point. In a way, the simplicity and old school charm of the 350Z was at odds with the technology fest that is Nissan’s GT-R sports car and there are signs that the 370Z is edging on a more tech-heavy direction.

The 370Z’s core component is its 3.7-litre V6 engine. It’s a development of the 350Z’s 3.5-litre but 35% of its parts are completely different. The powerplant uses Nissan’s VVEL variable valve timing technology which helps it achieve a smoother delivery of its 229bhp maximum power output. Peak torque of 366Nm promises a muscular mid range and the 7,000rpm redline should please those who like a sports car which rewards a hefty right foot.

Perhaps the most intriguing aspects of the 370Z are its two gearboxes. Buyers get the option of a close ratio six-speed manual set-up or a seven-speed automatic with paddle shifters on the steering wheel. The manual ‘box is the first in the world to feature a Synchro Rev Control function that, in the manner of a deftly executed heel and toe downchange, actually matches the engine speed to that of the next gear. In effect, it blips the throttle so that the next ratio can be engaged in a smoother manner.

We’re used to car manufacturers telling us how their latest product has grown in size compared to the one it replaced but there are signs that the cycle of perpetual growth may be drawing to a close. The drive for greater efficiency make downsizing and weight saving increasingly desirable goals for all kinds of reasons and those are magnified if we’re talking about sports cars. The 370Z is a smaller car than the 350Z. Admittedly, it’s only 100mm shorter in the wheelbase and 70mm shorter overall but shorter it is. Nissan has also employed lightweight materials extensively in the car’s construction which have reduced the weight of a body that’s also significantly stiffer than the 350Z’s. The sole areas of expansion are a 33mm increase in width and a rear track that’s up by 55mm, to enhance stability.

The 350Z wasn’t a pretty car per se but its neat lines had a handsome aggression that marked the Nissan out from its overtly style-conscious contemporaries. The 370Z isn’t a massive departure from this approach and if anything, it’s an even more imposing prospect. The rounded lines of the front and rear ends remain but the roofline now pivots at the top of the windscreen before sloping away steeply to the rear in a fashion reminiscent of the all-conquering GT-R. The front air-intake also borrows from Nissan’s supercar slayer and gives the 370Z greater malevolency as it looms in your mirrors with twin aerodynamic fins rising like fangs from its lower lip. Nissan is keen to stress the Z car lineage in the styling that can be followed all the way back to the 240Z of 1970 but the 370 still looks a very modern coupe.

The interior of the 350Z was something of a let down, well put together and functional but lacking the design flair that some expected from a £30,000 coupe. The 370Z looks to address this with improved materials and some extra creativity. A number of the old car’s trademark features are still intact, such as the instrument cluster attached to the steering column that moves as you adjust the driving position to guarantee an unhindered view of the dials. The two-seater layout is retained but there’s a shelf behind the front seats that provides additional storage. The 350Z had a strut brace across its parcel shelf that tended to get in the way when storing bulky items but that’s now gone, made redundant by stiffening work elsewhere, and Nissan has also added a lockable glovebox for increased security.

The 370Z isn’t short of rivals in the compact coupe marketplace. Prospective buyers will also be considering the likes of Mazda’s RX-8 and Volkswagen’s Scirocco which undercut the Z on price but then there’s the Audi TT and BMW Z4 which will cost more if you need an engine that will replicate the 370Z’s performance but also want the benefit of a premium badge. Even in this company, the 370Z should be able to build on 350Z’s reputation as a serious driver’s car.

The 370Z is a car that lives to be driven hard and to do so will inevitably rack up some fairly hefty bills. Take fuel consumption as an example. Your Nissan dealer may well quote a combined figure in the region of 24mpg but you’ll need to be some kind of feather-footed freak to match those figures. On one ‘enthusiastically driven’ test route, we saw an average of 13.2mpg come up on the calculator. Ouch. Likewise the 370Z, while mechanically rugged, has an appetite for rear tyres if you’re the sort who likes to occasionally disable the electronic control systems.

You’d expect insurance to be commensurate with a car that can reach 155mph and which will jet to 60mph in just over 5 seconds: expect a Group 19 rating. That isn’t that bad when one pauses to consider that an Alfa GT 3.2 V6 is also rated at Group 19, as is a Porsche Cayman 2.7, while a BMW M Coupe is Group 20. Think of the Z as being a mere one group higher than a Ford Focus ST hatch and it doesn’t seem too bad at all. Industry monitors reckon the 370Z will retain around 54 per cent of its value after three years – a fair figure for a sports coupe although not in the Audi TT 3.2 V6 bracket.

Nissan’s Z car dynasty continues with the 370Z and the manufacturer has sensibly resisted the urge to tinker too vociferously with the winning formula as laid down by the 350Z. Fractionally smaller and with greater emphasis placed on weight saving materials, the 370Z promises to make the presence of its larger more powerful engine felt. Styling elements from the GT-R will help raise its profile with serious performance fans and the pair of advanced gearbox options present buyers with an genuine dilemma.

The 350Z always offered buyers in its price bracket something unique and the 370Z has all the elements to do likewise. Fans of its predecessor will be looking for the car to replicate that raw, muscular feel and if the 370Z can manage this while adding a dash more finesse and sophistication, it’ll be tough to stop.

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