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By Scott BurgessDetroit Newspapers
March 1, 2009
Sometimes a more practical review is in order -- and by that, I mean, it's forced upon you. I like to hit the open road with a new car and stretch its legs a bit, but when I got my hands on the 2009 Nissan 370Z, my bosses had me coming into work every day. I know, the nerve. So, no day of driving out near Dexter, my favorite public proving grounds, and no long road trip to test the car's creature comforts. Now, it's difficult to test a car, a super cool sports car for that matter, as a daily driver, but not impossible. I managed my first 100 miles in the 370Z with the 9-to-5 commute, which at a newspaper is more like 8-to-6. I also managed a trip to the grocery store and a few errands -- though it's not like you can fit a lot in the back of this little car. The excitement is not always the journey, despite what clichéd writers may tell you; often it is the destination, especially when you're leaving work. But a week of cold weather testing revealed, first, that the 370Z, as fabulous as its carbon fiber drive shaft allows, is not a winter car. My test vehicle got stuck twice in flat parking lots, once at a Dunkin' Donuts drive through and once in my own driveway. There's just too much power rippling through those curvy fenders to handle a few inches of snow. That doesn't mean it's not fun. Turn off the electronic stability control and gun it. You can hit second gear without moving 10 feet forward and the back end will slide around like it's trying to do the Hustle. The 3.7-liter V-6 is a phenomenal piece of machinery. The fourth-generation VQ series engine, this V-6 cranks out 332 horsepower (26 more than the previous model's 3.5-liter) and 270-pound-feet of tire-chirping torque. More importantly, the engine delivers more power at lower rpm, which was one of the reasons it was difficult in the snow. However, when the pavement was dry, this car flew. The daily commute got a whole lot more fun. The six-speed manual gave me short, quick throws and the downshifting rev-matching -- known by Nissan as "SyncroRev Match" -- blips the 370Z's rpm and provides the car with extreme agility. No heel-toe disasters on the way to work. While my test vehicle came with the manual transmission, a seven-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters that includes Down Shift Rev Matching also is available. Some cars include the rev-matching feature and every sports car with a manual transmission should come with it, but, currently, only the 370Z does. Nissan reworked the 370Z's suspension, swapping out a multi link front on the 350Z for a lighter and stronger double wishbone set up. The multi-link rear is also improved over the previous generation. The ride takes a little getting used to because it's bumpier than I'd prefer for a daily driver, but excellent for the weekend speedster. Nissan shortened the 370Z's wheelbase by 4 inches and that may have added to the bumpier ride. Despite my problems in the snow, which I attributed to the car's light body and powerful engine, this car's handling is exact. The steering, which is a speed sensitive rack-and-pinion system, is firm and well weighted. Holding the wheel through a tight corner is easy but it's not loose. On the highway, it's a breeze to whip over one lane, hit the accelerator and stay with the flow of the faster traffic. While the ride is a little rough because of the performance suspension, it's certainly not unbearable and by the end of a week commuting, I was getting used to it. The cabin, however, smoothed out most of the bumps. Honestly, I liked the night-glow orange instruments better at night than during the day. The three-gauge cluster looks out of balance. But the layout is simple inside: Two seats, lots of space, a simple center stack with a storage box in place of a navigation screen and a simple center console with a single cup holder. (There's a second cup holder if you open the console up.) At first, shifting gears on the morning drive, I would bump my arm against my coffee cup. But quickly, I learned how to lay my arm across the console and avoid awkward shifts and still have the ability to sip warm Joe. My only complaint about the inside was looking out of it. The lines of sight, especially to the sides, were not very good. If you pulled the car up to a corner and twisted the nose in that direction you wanted to go, it was difficult to see the other way. Anyone looking at the 350Z will see a curvy sports machine. Nissan cut 2.7 inches from the car's overall length, compared to the previous generation, but added 1.3 inches to the car's overall track. It's shorter, wider and curvier. Nissan used aluminum door panels and an aluminum hood (to cut weight) but still made the car look aggressive and fast. While the previous 350Z presented a look that sometimes caught my eye and other times made me look away, the new model made me stare at it. From every angle it looks good. The boomerang shaped headlamps show off Nissan's ability to perfectly form sheet metal. And the door edge that juts out past the window feels like engineers and designers showing off just a little. There's a confidence about the car's exterior that translates to your driving. And the engine, interior and suspension let the daily drone from work to home to work to home feel special every single day. Sure, a sports car is fun on the weekends, but having the ability to let the driver have fun Monday through Friday is more important. Scott Burgess is the auto critic for The Detroit News. He can be reached at (313) 223-3217 or sburgess@detnews.com. 2009 Nissan 370Z Price : $29,930 Type: Two-passenger sports car Engine: 3.7-liter V-6 Horsepower: 332 Torque : 270-pound-feet Transmission: six-speed manual or seven-speed auto with manual mode and paddle shifters EPA gas mileage: 18 mpg city / 26 mpg highway Brakes : Front: 12.6-inch rotor Rear:12.1-inch rotor Optional brakes: Front: 14-inch rotor Rear: 13.8-inch rotor Steering: Power rack-and-pinion Turning radius: 32.8 feet (18-inch wheels) Suspension: Front: Double wishbone aluminum suspension Rear: Independent multi-link aluminum suspension Wheels: Standard: 18-inch, aluminum alloy Optional: 19-inch aluminum alloy Dimensions (inches): Wheelbase: 100.4 Length: 167.2 Width: 72.8 Height: 51.9 Interior (inches): Headroom: 38.2 Leg room: 42.9 Hip room: 54.6 Shoulder room: 54.4 Curb weigh t: Manual: 3,232 pounds Automatic: 3,269 pounds Fuel tank: 19 gallons Warranty Basic: three year / 36,000 miles Powertrain: Five year / 60,000 miles
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