Raging roadster
Wednesday March 10 2010
The Nissan 370Z Roadster is a sportscar from the old school. 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 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 . 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.
The 370Z doesn't depart from the themes of the 350Z, merely aiming to refine Nissan's formula. The engine is a 3.7-litre V6, that's more than a bored-out version of the unit in the 350Z.
The engine produces 328PS at 7,000rpm, at which point it will be making a noise to send shivers down your spine. The six-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.
The 370Z Roadster shares its chassis with the Coupe, utilising its independent suspension with a number of lightweight alloy components.
The twoseater layout is retained, with the high centre console dividing driver and passenger seats into separate pods. 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.
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 offsetting, it's easy to forget what the essential fun of driving is all about. Nissan's 370Z Roadster serves as timely reminder.
