Thanks to the luck of the draw, I spent almost two full months driving nothing but one truck or SUV after another.  Not that I don’t like trucks, of course, but the difference was sharply evident when I slipped behind the wheel of my first real car for eight weeks–the new Nissan 370Z.


If you’re looking for wheels that are far removed from SUVs, it’s hard to go much farther than the new Z.  This low-slung two-seat coupe features a taut, race-bred suspension, driver-oriented interior appointments and street cred that’s been established by three decades of predecessors.   The Z’s most recent incarnation had turned it into a hard-edged sports car, uncompromising and cutting-edge to the point of being futuristic.  With the arrival of the giant-killing GT-R on U.S. shores for 2009, however, Nissan had the video game-style performance angle pretty well covered, and the Z needed to find a new gig.
Nissan took the opportunity to redirect the Z slightly, and with a dash of retro-modern styling, it’s shaping up as an alternative to the new wave of muscle cars coming from the Big Three.  The 370Z actually even has a bit of credibility when going head-to-head with the Mustang, Challenger and Camaro:  after all, it’s descended from the original 240Z, which roamed American highways during the twilight of the muscle car era as well.  Since the 240Z was also a budget-priced sports car, it’s also fitting that the 370Z no longer sits at the top of Nissan’s price list.
Melding the sharp-edged styling of the 350Z and the long-hood, short deck profile of the 240Z is no easy task, but the 370Z manages this trick elegantly.  The boomerang-shaped front and rear lighting is striking and adds tension to the design for a ready-to-roll look.  The 370Z’s cabin is moved slightly rearward, and wide fender flares at the rear end give the car the back-heavy look common to many high-performance coupes.  Perhaps most important is the slight upkick of the rear quarter window, which mimics the distinctive line of the original 240Z.  On the functional level, the 370Z is almost four inches shorter than the 350Z thanks to a rear axle that’s been moved forward in the chassis.  Overall length decreases by just under three inches for a more compact and lightweight body.  The new Z’s doors, hood and hatch are all aluminum.
Inside the 370Z, the driver is king, a fact that’s driven quietly home by the differently-contoured seats that are faced with slip-resistant cloth.  The driver’s seat has cutouts in the lower cushion that make it easier to work the pedals, and the instrument panel’s main gauge pod is attached to the off-round, racing-style steering wheel to keep it in the driver’s line of sight.  The interior styling is much more human-friendly than the machine-like plastic-and-aluminum appointments of the outgoing 350Z.  There’s a center-dash cubby in place of the GPS that’s kind of useless, but it’s faced with attractive, good-feeling material.  Baseball stitching and brushed aluminum trim are used extensively, and the interior is a pleasant place to be.  I had only one complaint; even after spending a week with the car (which lacked an owner’s manual), I couldn’t figure out how to open the hatchback.  Not that I desperately needed the 6.9 cubic feet of space back there, but it was an interesting thing to be unable to find.    Available equipment includes Bluetooth connectivity, a navigation system and a 9.3 GB music hard drive.
Despite the new equipment, the 370Z is about 100 pounds lighter for 2009.  Extensive lightening measures were undertaken in order to offset a weight gain thanks to a radically stiffened body structure.  Nissan’s engineers succeeded in making the 370Z taut; there’s not a trace of flex in this car’s athletic body, even over rough pavement.  The new front suspension uses double wishbones with lightweight aluminum components, and the four-link rear features a one-piece cradle.  Eighteen-inch wheels are standard, with lightweight 19s available as part of the Sport package.  The reflexes are just as sharp as before, but with a bit more personality and feedback.  The new Z doesn’t feel like a video game, which means it’s just as much fun at the speed limit as it is at higher speeds.  Four-wheel anti-lock brakes are standard, of course, and Nissan has tweaked the 370Z’s braking system for better feel and fade resistance.
The lighter body is propelled by a more powerful engine, which I have taken my sweet time getting around to.  Want numbers?  The 370Z is powered by a 3.7 liter V6 engine with 332 horsepower, which is about thirty horses more than last year’s model.  The engine itself is a jewel, being a member of Nissan’s renowned VQ engine family.  Variable Valve Event and Lift improves low-end power and high-end torque, providing a manageable, confidence-inspiring rush of power.  Nissan offers a choice of six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmissions.  The six-speed is a close-ratio box featuring the innovative new SynchroRev Match system, which automatically adjusts the engine’s speed to wheel speed when downshifting, just like a professional driver would on the race-track.  It’s one less thing for the driver to think about when diving into a corner, and it smoothes out the ride for the passenger as well.  The self-blipping transmission is cool, though it takes some of the fun out of nailing a perfect heel-toe downshift. Don’t worry, trained drivers, it can be switched off.    Opt for the automatic and the 370Z comes with paddle shifters and Downshift Rev Matching and Adaptive Shift Control, which do pretty much the same thing as the SynchroRev Match system does.
Thanks in part to the upgraded engine and extra gears, the 370Z manages respectable fuel economy, getting 18mpg in the city and 26 on the highway.  Thanks to aggressive pricing by Nissan, the 370Z starts at just under $30,000:  the base entry fee to this ride is $29,930.

Specifications:  All specs are for the 2009 Nissan 370Z.
Length:  167.2 in.
Width:  72.8 in.
Height:      51.9 in.
Wheelbase:  100.4 in.
Curb weight:   3232 lb.
Cargo space:   6.9 cu.ft.
Base price:  $29,930
Engine:   3.7 liter DOHC V6
Drivetrain:  six-speed manual transmission, rear-wheel drive
Horsepower:  332 @ 7000
Torque:  270  @ 5200
Fuel capacity:  19.0
Est. mileage:   18/26