It has to be the Nissan 370z (From Bournemouth Echo)

It has to be the Nissan 370z

10:12am Friday 4th September 2009

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AT first glance the 370Z looks very similar to the 350Z, however as you look closer you will see there have been significant changes.

The 370Z still has the same muscular look, yet some clever cuts to the head and rear lights give a sleeker look along with flatter flared wheel arches.

Nissan has shortened the wheel base by 10cm, lopped 7cm off the overall length and yet the 370Z is 7cm wider.

These changes make the 370Z look lower and squatter than its predecessor.

Under the bonnet there has been an increase in power. The 350Z was blessed with a respectable 309bhp, Nissan has upped the power to 326bhp from the 3.7 litre V6.

Torque is also up to 366 Nm at 5,300rpm, but the best bit is all this power is available from 2,000rpm, giving strong power delivery all through the rev range in every gear.

On the road the 370Z is quite simply very fast. Zero to 60mph is achieved in just 5.4 seconds, overtaking is easy in all gears as the 3.7 litre V6 revs freely to 7,500rpm.

Yet the 370Z still manages a respectable combined 26.9mpg and produces 249g/km of CO2.

The sound from the new exhaust system is superb albeit a little quite inside the car. So leave the window down and listen to the throaty roar, or put the window up and the 370Z is beautifully quite thanks to Nissans new sound deadening materials.

I love gadgets and new tech and the 370Z doesn’t disappoint.

Attached to the new 7 speed auto gearbox is a clever gadget known to Nissan as Syncro Rev Control.

Going down through the gears using the magnesium manual paddles behind the steering wheel, the engine matches the correct revs and blips the throttle for a seamless change. Simple and brilliant!

On the road the 370Z is fantastic.

Steering is precise and feedback is very good. Nissan has stiffened the suspension although the ride is well damped making for fun cornering guaranteed.

There is bags of grip thanks to the wide 19” forged alloy wheels shed with 275/35 tyres at the rear and 245/40’s on the front.

Inside the cabin the build quality is very good with a real solid feel.

The four way heated electrically adjustable sports seats are very supportive and clad in leather and suede.

The 370Z comes with a Bose eight speaker surround sound system with Bluetooth, which gives fantastic acoustics and as you would expect comes with IPod connectivity.

The Satellite navigation is simple to use and gets you to your destination with ease.

There is some natty storage space directly behind the driver and passenger seats, enough to stow a small bag and laptop.

Better still there is boot space for a couple of overnight bags and a retractable cover to keep valuables well hidden.

There are plenty of standard features including Nissan intelligent key with push button ignition, limited slip differential, Nissan sports brakes, scratch resistant paint, rain sensing front wipers, leather clad steering wheel with audio and cruise controls, BI Xenon headlamps and washers with auto leveling, rear LED lights, electrically heated and foldable door mirrors, and much more.

The 370Z comes with some nice safety features including ABS, EBD and brake assist, driver and passenger airbags and curtain air bags.

There is no spare wheel in the 370Z just a can of tyre mouse, just enough to get you safely to a tyre repair centre.

Nissan offers accessories such as 19'' NISMO forged alloy wheels, aluminum illuminated door entry guards, very handy to stop door scuffs on entry and exit, front and rear parking sensors, Thatcham Cat 5 tracking device and front and rear mudguards.

Overall the 370Z punches well above its weight, so before committing to a German coupe I recommend taking the Japanese option for a test drive.

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