Nissan 370Z Roadster : ENJOY IT

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Nissan has taken its successful sportscar formula to the next level with the as you find it 370Z Roadster. Steve Walker reports.

Car manufacturers seem to be devoting more and more time and energy to telling us how their latest model is cleaner, more fuel efficient, safer, cheaper to run and better value than the one that preceded it. This is important information but it can be more than a little boring. What happened to the good old days when the overriding considerations were how good a car looked and how well it went? Nissan is doing its bit to encourage a return to the important things in motoring with its 370Z Roadster, a sportscar from the old school.

The 350Z was the model that revived the Nissan Z car for the modern era and we can all be thankful for that. The Japanese marque has a long history of quick and colourful cars with a Z in their title but they were fading in the memory by the time the 350Z made its appearance in 2003. It stood out in the marketplace with its macho approach, lusty V6 petrol engine and accessible pricing. Better still, it happened to be an extremely talented driver's car. The coupe had a hardcore feel rare in sports cars at the sub £30,000 price point and the open-topped Roadster was certainly less a hairdresser's car than a tattooist's one. The 370Z doesn't depart from the themes of the 350Z, merely aiming to refine Nissan's heady formula. The engine is a 3.7-litre V6, that's more than bored-out version of the unit in the 350Z. It features Nissan's VVEL (Variable Valve Event and Lift control) technology which varies the timing of the intake valves and enables a tighter control to be kept on the fuel/air mixture in the cylinders. The result is improved efficiency but that's not the point of the 370Z Roadster. The engine produces 332bhp at 7,000rpm at which point it will be making a noise to send shivers down your spine and accelerating at a rate liable to have a similar effect. Peak torque of 366Nm is generated at 5,200rpm which also hints at the delights to be gleaned but holding onto those gears as the revs rise.

"â€¦the 370Z is a bit of a brute"

The 6-speed manual gearbox is quite a piece of engineering with its optional SynchroRev Match system. It can automatically match the speed of the engine to that required for the next gear by `blipping' the throttle. It means that drivers of any skill level can create the impression of having executed the perfect heel and toe downchange without necessarily needing to know what one is. The system can be disengaged by those who prefer less assistance. There's also a seven-speed automatic option with paddle shifters which also has a rev matching function when operated in manual mode. The 370Z Roadster shares its chassis with the Coupe version, utilising its fully independent suspension with a number of lightweight alloy components. Loping the roof off a car can play havoc with its rigidity but the Roadster version counteracts any wobbly tendencies with extensive reinforcement measures beneath the skin. The stiffness of the car is also helped by the fact that it was designed from the ground up with this convertible Roadster version in mind. The roof itself is of the soft-top variety and can be raised or lowered in 20 seconds at the press of a button. Compared to the old 350Z roadster, it has an enlarged heated rear window for improved visibility and a cleaner silhouette with the hood raised. The Roadster inherits the muscular lines of the Coupe version and if anything, the aggression has been ratcheted up a notch or two from the old 350Z model. Those in the know will spot styling cues from Nissan's mighty GT-R supercar including the front air-intake with its twin aerodynamic fins rising like fangs from its lower lip. Inside, 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 with the high centre console dividing driver and passenger seats into separate pods. The trademark chunky gear lever of the 350Z is fatter than ever and there's plenty of adjustment built into the Roadster's figure hugging sports seats. Nissan is making two trim levels available with the 370Z Roadster - standard and Touring. The basic car doesn't want for a huge amount and has a detailed safety specification that includes VDC stability control, front, side and curtain airbags, load limiters and pre-tensioners for the seatbelts. Despite this, it's easy to see buyers being seduced by the pricier Touring models which have the excellent heated and cooled electric seats, a Bluetooth hands free phone system and an eight-speaker stereo by BOSE. The Touring customers also have the option of choosing two 370Z option packs. The Sport package will be popular with keen drivers and includes 19" wheels with Bridgestone Potenza tyres, an upgraded braking system, the SynchroRev Match technology for the manual gearbox and the Viscous Limited Slip Differential. The Navigation package is made up of a 9.3GB hard disc music and navigation system with USB connectivity. There are no two ways about it, the 370Z is a bit of a brute, even in Roadster form. You've got to love its honesty but buyers may be less enamoured with its fuel economy of around 20mpg and emissions that would shame a moderately sized bonfire. Owners can still offset the car's environmental impact by planting a couple of Norwegian pine forests and fostering a family of Polar bears. It's testament to the fun factor attached to Nissan's roadster that many would deem such a sacrifice to be well worth it. In the age of hybrids, common-rail diesels, stop and start technology, hydrogen fuel cells and carbon off-setting, it's easy to forget what the essential fun of driving is all about. Nissan's 370Z Roadster serves as timely reminder. It isn't the most practical or politically correct destination for a £30,000 car budget but it could well be the most fun and it's hard to put a price on that.

Facts At A Glance
CAR: Nissan 370Z Roadster
PRICES: £28,000-£33,000 - on the road [est]
INSURANCE GROUP: 18 [est]
CO2 EMISSIONS: 280g/km [est]
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 5.0s / Max Speed 155mph [est]
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 17mpg / (extra urban) 33mpg / (combined) 23mpg [est]
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and curtain airbags, ABS, VCD, seatbelt pre-tensioners
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 4247/1848/1315mm [est] April 21st 2009