When Kanye West sampled Daft Punk's "Harder Better Faster Stronger" for last year's big hit, "Stronger," Yeezy didn't have to stray far from the original. His spin on the old dance classic was so good, the French robots gave major credit to the hip hop extraordinaire for re-imagining a jam that basically received a drum addition that Timbaland suggested to give the backbeat some extra punch. Platinum status and a Grammy later, this track still rocks iPods aplenty to this day, including mine. The Z, like the massive remake of Kanye's standard, is a car produced time and time again by Nissan and serves as constant reinterpretations of the original sports coupe released back in `69. And every time one comes out, you get a harder, better, faster and stronger car than the one prior. The 370Z is no exception.
Starting right where the 350Z left off, the 370Z is the next great evolutionary step for Nissan's sports car legacy. Sure, the GT-R is here, but who of us can afford one? Next logical choice? Duh. Served in a package that looks strikingly similar to the 350, it's not. From head to toe, this car is actually shorter at 167.1" with a wheelbase of 100.4" but the sharply angled roof takes its styling inspiration directly from the GT-R. It's lighter, too, about 88 lbs less than the previous generation but retains a near perfect front/rear weight balance at 54/46. Design-wise, it's brought back that nostalgic Z look with a shorter back end and all around you can see the Z influence if you look close enough: taillights, headlights, even the wheel spokes - all utilizing the Z shape and are pretty cool once you get used to them. The front and rear ends are now more aggressive looking than ever; the front very reminiscent of the GT-R and is made for zero lift while the back flexes its muscles with the twin tip exhaust outlets. Another highlight are the side markers, which light a Z in all its glory when the signals are activated or the alarm turned on/off. Nissan just keeps adding to its stable of great looking sports cars and I love the way the 370Z looks and turns heads. You will, too.
But my favorite part is driving it. Cradled in the Z's new seats, the damn thing comes to life via a keyless ignition at the press of a button, a feature that comes standard on most cars these days. The space-age instrument panel is a firm reminder of performance as is the Z on the steering wheel horn plate. The 3.7L VQ37VHR V6's roar is a bit more subdued than the 350, but with the additional 26hp, your total output of 332 horses at 7K rpm more than makes up for it and is wicked fast. You can literally creep up on someone and dust them if you'd like; it's a silent killer unlike the previous gen. You're offered two types of transmission, one being a 6-speed manual gearbox with SynchroRev Match, an electronically controlled system that blips the throttle for you to smooth out shifts and downshift flawlessly as if you didn't need to master the art of heel-toe at all; alternatively the 7-speed auto is a smooth engaging system (our test vehicle for this story) and was easy to shift through like a GT-R using the Adaptive Shift Control, allowing gears to switch quickly via the steering wheel paddle shifters or the shift lever.