370Z: Nissan's safer, thriftier sports car

Nissan has announced full details for the locally-delivered 370Z sports car -- and the Aussie-spec cars have made it here cheaper than the old model.

At a starting price of $67,990, the replacement for the 350Z is $2000 cheaper in price than Track version of the older car. Buyers after an automatic option can settle for the new seven-speed box for an extra three grand ($70,990).

"The new 370Z delivers more agility, more performance, more practicality and more exhilaration," says Dan Thompson, Nissan Australia CEO, welcoming the new sports car to the local product range.

"It is lower, wider and shorter and bristles with new technology, including the innovative SynchroRev Match feature for automatic 'heel and toe' gear shifts.

"Only the Nissan 370Z offers the unique combination of 'no compromise' sports car style and performance at an attainable price."

Nissan is promoting the 370Z as an altogether new car with a substantial technical upgrade of powertrain components. No exterior panels are shared with the 350Z and the 370Z features a slightly larger engine (3.7 litres versus 3.5) developing more power and torque -- 245kW versus 230kW and 363Nm, not 358Nm.

In addition to the longer stroke of the new VQ37VHR engine, the DOHC powerplant's variable valve timing facility has been reworked to adjust valve lift as well. Nissan refers to this new system as VVEL (Variable Valve Event and Lift) and claims that it raises torque and driveability at both ends of the rev range.

As a consequence, peak power and torque figures occur at slightly higher engine speeds, but fuel consumption has been reduced significantly in combined-cycle testing. The manual version of the 370Z uses 10.5L/100km and the automatic is more economical still, at 10.4L/100km. Both figures are a marked improvement on the 11.7L/100km and 11.8L/100km numbers for the manual and auto variants of the 350Z. The improved fuel efficiency is offset by the new car's smaller fuel tank; 72 litres as opposed to the 80-litre tank of the 350Z. In theory at least, the 370Z's range should be on par with that of the 350Z, but Nissan claims the new car will actually travel 100km using 1.2 litres less fuel than the 350Z.

While the six-speed manual transmission is a revised version of the manual box in the 350Z, the seven-speed automatic is altogether new and brings with it paddle shifters and Downshift Rev Matching (DRM) to blip the throttle when selecting a lower gear. Both transmissions benefit from the SynchroRev Match system developed by Nissan to ensure gearchanges are smoother and faster than before. According to Nissan, the new system, which relies on clutch and gearshift sensors to monitor the driver's input, can change gear in half a second. For manual transmission variants of the 370Z, this system is switchable, meaning drivers can elect to turn it off.

Underpinning the 370Z is a new double-wishbone front suspension system with alloy members and a tweaked version of the same multi-link IRS system found in the 350Z. Drive runs to the rear via a carbonfibre propshaft as used in the 350Z and a viscous limited slip differential. The alloy wheels fitted to the 370Z measure 18 inches in diameter and Nissan has specified Yokohama Advan tyres, measuring 225/50 R18 at the front and 245/45 R18 at the rear.

Power-assisted rack and pinion steering is a modified version of the 350Z's and the level of assistance varies with the car's speed. Brakes consist of ventilated disc rotors for all four wheels, with the rotors measuring 355x32mm at the front (combined with four-piston calipers) and 350x20mm at the rear (twin-piston calipers).

The 370Z is shorter, but wider than the 350Z. In overall length, it's 65mm shorter (4250mm for the 370Z, 4315mm for the 350Z) but the wheelbase is 100mm shorter (2550mm, 370Z), which Nissan says brings the rear axle closer to the driver. As a bonus, it lends the 370Z a tighter turning circle and contributes to the larger luggage capacity. The latter is also boosted by the removal of the strut brace that was located in the boot of the 350Z. Nissan says that the 370Z will now accommodate two golf bags in the boot.

The new car is 30mm wider than the 350Z at 1845mm, while height has been reduced by 8mm (now 1315mm). Nissan has mounted the seats 10mm lower, so that headroom is not compromised.

Kerb weights for the 370Z (1517kg for the manual, 1531kg auto) are both lower than the 1532kg figure for the 350Z Track manual. Nissan engineers achieved the overall lower weight by applying weight-reduction measures such as aluminium panels for the bonnet, doors and tailgate. The new car would have been 100kg lighter than the old, if not for the added body strengthening and features that resulted in a final weight reduction of 15kg. By Nissan's estimates, the 370Z improves on the torsional rigidity of the 350Z by as much as 30 per cent.

Pedestrian safety has also stepped up a notch in the 370Z, with a 'pop-up' bonnet to ensure the victim is cushioned slightly, with the head cradled by the bonnet -- rather than impacting with the engine directly under the bonnet.

Inside the car, the driver's seat has been designed with more pronounced contouring to hug the body better and bolstered cushioning for under-thigh support. The passenger seat is wider and designed more for comfort.

Standard equipment comprises: an engine-start button; keyless entry/start; four-way electrically-adjustable seats (heated); leather seat trim; driver's seat height and lumbar adjustment; Bluetooth connectivity; height-adjustable leather-bound three-spoke steering wheel with remote controls for audio, telephone and cruise control; a Bose MP3-compatible six-disc in-dash CD audio system with eight speakers; DVD-based satellite navigation; auto-on/off headlights; electric windows/mirrors and climate control.

Safety features include: ABS/EBD, Brake Assist, dual front airbags, side-impact airbags, side-curtain airbags, active headrests and self-levelling xenon headlights.

Colours available to order are: Monterey Blue, Eau Rouge Red, Titanium, Shiro White, Chicane Yellow, Carbon Silver, Diamond Black and Brilliant Silver. Of those, only Eau Rouge Red, Shiro White and Diamond Black are not metallic/premium colours costing extra.

For more information on the 370Z, you read our international launch review more here or wait for our local launch review in the next few days.

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