motoring.co.za - Two hundred reasons to like the Nissan 370Z

Two hundred reasons to like the Nissan 370Z

NEVER MIND THE MATH - FEEL THE RESPONSE

WELL-BALANCED, FAST AND NIMBLE: The Nissan 370Z doing what it was built for - straightening out a twisty country road.

October 28, 2009
By James Martin

Today's column is brought to you by the number 200. Two hundred cubic centimetres is the difference between this Nissan coupé and its predecessor the 350Z. That had a 3.5-litre V6, this has a 3.7-litre V6.

That's not much extra capacity - it's the size of one of those tiny cans of tonic you get in a hotel minibar - but the result is a huge leap forward and a spectacularly impressive car.

When I drove the 350Z, I remember liking the performance but being annoyed by some of the rough edges, such as a horrible screeching noise from the driveshaft when I pulled away. No such problems on this new model

It looks as though it's been weightlifting

. So how else has it improved?

Well, for a start, it looks as though it's been weightlifting; the wheel arches are beefier, the brakes are bigger, the roof slopes more decisively towards the rear bumper, the grille has grown fangs and the headlights now look like arrowheads, but that's all icing.

To be fair, it's not 200cc of air that's wrought the changes but a great burst of technical creativity at Nissan, the 80-year-old firm whose recent form has included the much-copied Qashqai and the amazing new GT-R - which I've also just driven.

The real change is that it's shorter, wider, lighter, stiffer and lower than the previous model - and those are the five attributes (apart from power) that go to make a serious sports car

This thing is well-balanced, fast and nimble

.

Famously, they're the watchwords of Lotus - so does this perform like a Lotus around the twisty roads near my home?

I wouldn't have bet on the well-groomed Nissan, but it's an extremely close call. This thing is well-balanced, fast and nimble.

You only have to drive the car hard for a couple of minutes to realise it's got something that no other car has: Nissan's amazing new SynchroRev Control function.

Applied to the manual gearbox, this mimics a racing driver's "heel-and-toe" gear changes (where his right foot blips the throttle at the same time as braking) to ensure that the engine revs are always at the right speed for the new gear. It's brilliant.

You don't get a lurch when you're changing down and there's no pause when changing up. It makes cornering smoother and safer and driving in town less stressful.

I'm sure other manufacturers will soon be offering a version because it's one of those "what did we do without it?" inventions.

PROPER SPORTS CAR

With the SynchroRev, the shorter wheelbase and the fantastic suspension, the 370Z is perfectly set up for track-day fun: turn off the traction control and you'll be Tokyo Drifting it round the bends and bombing up the straights like a madman.

This is a proper sports car - but that's also one of its flaws. If you've got kids, forget it; there are no back seats at all, only a parcel shelf. That's good if you've already filled the boot (it'll take two smallish suitcases), but it means your stuff's on display to all and sundry - and they'll be sniffing around this car, make no mistake.

Sticking with the interior, the new sports seats are some of the most comfortable I've been in for a long while - even in the basic package, they're power-adjustable, while the GT trim adds heating and the GT Ultimate upgrades them to "persimmon suede leather".

It's a shame the steering wheel isn't adjustable for reach, but it is for height - and there's another nice touch there. In a lot of cars, once you get the steering wheel where you want it, you can't see the gauges.

Here, they move up and down with the steering column. They've also plonked a rev-counter, speedo and clock in the centre of the fascia so everything's nicely visible - except the satnav, which is in a little recess.

SUBTLY IMPROVED

The 350Z felt a bit cheap inside - the new 370Z feels a lot more luxurious. I had the GT with leather trimmings but even the basic model has soft-touch plastics that are less Tupperware, more Fifth Avenue.

Everything about the new car has been subtly improved: sometimes too subtle, given the six years they've had to work on it. But loving cars isn't about statistics, as we sometimes forget. It's about feeling and this car feels fantastic.

It looks better and drives better than the previous one, and that SynchroRev Control really is something to shout about (I should point out it's not available on the basic model).

The only question is, would you choose one of these over a Porsche Cayman? That's a tough call: either will put a smile on your face.

Porsche may have the heritage but Nissan definitely has the wind in its sails. One thing's for sure - if you've got half a million rand to spend on a two-seater this year, you are one lucky, lucky man. You wouldn't mind predicting the lottery for me, would you? - Daily Mail

TECH SPEC

SA Price: R499 000.
Engine: 3.7-litre V6.
Power: 247kW.
Torque: 366Nm at 5200rpm.
Top speed: 250km/h.
Transmission: Six-speed manual, rear-wheel drive.
Fuel consumption: 10.6 litres/100km.
CO2 emissions: 249g/km.

Standard features:
19" alloys, SynchroRev Control, 355mm ventilated anti-lock sports brakes with electronic brake pressure distribution and emergency brake assist, stability control, speed-sensitive steering, limited-slip differential, front and rear anti-roll bars, dual stainless-steel exhaust pipe, bi-xenon headlights with washers, LED tail lights, black leather/suede four-way power seats, eight-speaker Bose sound system with six-CD changer, Bluetooth, automatic lights and wipers, cruise control, gear position indicator, automatic aircon, rear wiper and defroster.

Optional:
Integrated satnav, self-healing Scratch Shield metallic or pearl paint, seven-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifts.

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