I used a local canyon road as an evaluation course and found the differences between a manual 350Z and the auto 370Z to be substantial. On one side, there's a good couple miles of uphill with longer straights and multiple corners as you descend. Acceleration was more linear as I sped up to the top of the drive, but cutting through the turns was very balanced using the paddle shifters, which allowed me to concentrate more on the actual drive instead of fidgeting with a clutch pedal and shifter. Of course, a little seat time in a traditional 6-speed manual would give me a fair comparison to lean on, but I was more than impressed with the auto. On standard surface streets, the 370 can bounce through traffic with ease and is very nimble, just a real thrill to control. It's a perfect daily driver although the ride quality can be stiff at times, but if you're a likeminded performance enthusiast, you won't mind it at all. And a little birdy has also confirmed with us that 20-inch wheels can be fitted without clearance problems in the way of offset or brake clearance - and yes, those front brakes are monstrous at 14-inches of pain and pleasure. But even the 19-inch factory wheel upgrade isn't bad and it's produced by RAYS Engineering, the same birdy who tells us their wheels fit, no problem, though maybe not as aggressively as its 350 counterpart...yet.
Inside, the 370Z boasts a much needed and welcomed redesign with a much more grown-up look over the 350. The top mounted gauges now sit receded into the dashboard instead of plopped up on top, a center navigation easy-to-use with Bluetooth connectivity (although it's still lacking a 6-disc CD changer) and a glove compartment (finally!) in addition to the other small compartments located behind the seats. The trunk is much more usable now that the rear strut brace has been inverted to go underneath instead of the 350's space inhibiting beam.
Our only gripe with the new Z is that it's definitely not priced for those of us who live on a tight budget, me included. The standard model is your cheapest bet and opens up at $29,930 while a fully loaded Touring edition hits close to $40K range. But at a fraction of the cost with a legacy that tops the GT-R, the 370Z, we predict, in just a few short years will come out on top as one of those sports cars that one must own in their lifetime.
That New Car Smell
2009 Nissan 370z
The Sticker Starting at $29,930
Under The Hood 3.7L DOHC 24-valve VQ37VHR V6 engine with Variable Valve Event and Lift (VVEL)
The Power 332 hp at 7,000 rpm; 270 lb-ft at 5,200 rpm
Scale Tipping 3,314 lbs
Layout Front engine, RWD
Gearbox 6-speed manual with SynchroRev Match or 7-speed automatic with Adaptive Shift Control, manual mode and paddle shifters
Stiff Stuff Double-wishbone front suspension design and 4-link rear
Rollers Standard 18x8/18x9 alloys with 225/50R18 and 245/45R18 Yokohama Advan Sport tires; optional 19-inch RAYS lightweight forged alloys with Bridgetstone Potenza RE050A tires
Stoppers 14" front/13.8" rear sport brakes
At The Pump N/A
The Pack Infiniti G37, Nissan 350Z, Lexus IS 350
Deep Thoughts The next generation Z is just what the enthusiast called for. Completely redesigned and refined. And 20s fit, no problem - holler!
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