German-Japanese strife
Think of the Japanese and much more comes to mind than a mere Toyota Corolla or a Mazda 121. We know well how much more the Japanese can do, sometimes it is more than we can take lightly in Germany, particularly when they start building more than ‘just’ reliable family transport. The image must make room for a Toyota Supra, a Mitsubishi 3000GT, a Honda NSX or the motoring milestone which was the Yamaha R1. Now Nissan has as well as the super sport GT-R the 370Z at a more affordable price for everyday driving. The statistics read like a classic price/performance promise: 3.7 litre six-cylinder motor, 331 horsepower and an entry price of 38,690 Euros.
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- Nothing much is different in the interior either. The seats are comfortable and provide good lateral support. But it is not so easy to find the best seating position because the steering wheel can only be adjusted for height. Photo by Peter Wagner.
Second, but not second best
The story of Nissan in the sports car sector goes back a good few years. Already the 300ZX caused a sensation as did its little brother, the 200SX. The predecessor model, the 350Z established the look which remains constant. And this was an auto of which 1.7 million were sold worldwide. The 370Z is smaller, more compact, but the look is only very slightly changed. The Japanese lay worth on the preservation of a continuous visual line. Nothing much is differentin the interior either. The seats are comfortable and provide good lateral support. But it is not so easy to find the best seating position because the steering wheel can only be adjusted for height. The cheap plastic door handles inside and out remain a real let-down. But Nissan have made a considerable effort under the hood. The 350Z has another 200cc of engine capacity, 18 horsepower more push and is nevertheless 32 kilos lighter. Sounds perhaps like a sportsman’s diet! But does this bring the expected result when the 370Z hits the road?
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- The manual six-speed gearbox changes fast and crisply. But in connection with the gear shifting the driver benefits from a new function. In ‘S’ mode the driver can activate Synchro Rev Control, SRC for short. Photo by Peter Wagner.
The Z stands for ’zoom‘
The 370Z is well suited for the curves with rear-wheel-drive and a firm suspension. But there’s a lot of noise inside the car which is regrettable. The sprint to a hundred takes 5.3 seconds and the acceleration pick-up is good at all speeds. The maximum speed is electronically limited to 250 kilometres and hour. The manual six-speed gearbox changes fast and crisply. But in connection with the gear shifting the driver benefits from a new function. In ‘S’ mode the driver can activate Synchro Rev Control, SRC for short. This system adjusts the RPMs in accord with the driver’s maneuvers. In this way the SRC kicks in when shifting up or down to give an automatic double-clutch effectand makes the pedal proficiency of the experienced sports car driver superfluous. Even if the seven-gear automatic transmission deliver fast gear changes it is not really suited to the character of the car. The paddle mounted on the steering wheel is no alternative for a proper shift lever. The 370Z offers more sporting qualities than its predecessor, even if it not so easily thrown into a drift. If there’s a chance of things getting out of hand in this manner, the ESP steps in to calm everything down again. The 370Z also has a rear axle differential lock, dosing the power between the wheel on the inside of the curve and the one on the outside. But Nissan’s lock may not be entirely up to the task, with the performance of the inside wheel reduced significantly. Here Nissan needs to do better. Nissan claims average consumption of 10.6 litres per hundred driven, although it is clear that this represents a low end hope and true consumption depending on driving style can turn out as usual to be rather higher.
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- The 370Z is truly a bargain priced sports car. Photo by Peter Wagner.
A goal is reached
But the 370Z is truly a bargain priced sports car. Its direct rivals must be seen as the Porsche Cayenne S or the Audi TT RS. The Cayman S produces 330 horsepower from its 3.4 litre motor. And, of course, the name Porsche commands a premium price, starting at 69,830 Euros. The Audi TT RS coupé is a bit more reasonably priced, but cannot compete with the modest cost of the Nissan. Audi’s 2.5 litre five-cylinder in-line motor gives the driver 340 horsepower to command, of course with all-wheel-drive. But for this the driver will have had to come up with 56,150 Euros. The TTS coupé is priced at 10 thousand Euros less. But then one must make do without the typical six-cylinder sound. The TTS has a four-cylinder motor giving 272 horsepower. And so anyone who is free of the compulsion to have one of the prestige badges on his sports car is well advised to go for the Nissan 370Z, and benefit from a price/performance promise which is certainly kept.
