EnlightenedOsote's blog: "Cars"

Now smaller, lighter and more powerful, Nissan's 330-bhp rear-drive sports car is pure high-performance muscle. By Sam Mitani • Photos by Bruce Benedict January 2009 1 of 2 Full Test: 2009 Nissan 370Z PERFORMANCE 0–60 mph, sec 5.1 0–60 mph, sec 12.8 14-mile, sec 13.7 @ 103.6 Braking, 60–0 117 ft. 80–0 197 ft Speed thru 700-ft. slalom 71.4 mph Skidpad, 200-ft. circle 0.97g See more specs >> Slideshow: 2009 Nissan 370Z >> Video: 2009 Nissan 370Z >> It's hard to believe, but seven years have passed since the Nissan 350Z was introduced. Then, Road & Track secured the exclusive first drive of the car, which appeared on our December 2001 cover, weeks before anyone ever got a sniff of its exhaust fumes. Flash forward and it's déjà vu all over again. I'm again in Japan, examining the 370Z in the brisk Hokkaido air with Z-meister Shinjiro "John" Yukawa (also the head guy of the 350Z team). He expounded on the virtues of the new car, just as he had then — but this time, his tone was a bit more relaxed and he smiled a lot. He had the look of someone who was pleasantly confident, like a basketball coach who knew the outcome of a game before tip-off. That the 350Z was a resounding success is obvious. Since the 2-seat sports car hit the market, more than 250,000 have been sold worldwide, with 70 percent of those sold in the U.S. It revived a new culture of value-oriented sporty cars from Japan, with machines like the Mazda RX-8, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and Subaru WRX following the Z across the Pacific. So, for the second act, the pressure was on Yukawa to come up with something new that retained the essence of the original car. After experiencing the new 370Z, you start to understand why he's in such high spirits. Slideshow >> By now, most of you have seen photos of the car, but it looks much better in the flesh, as those who've visited the Nissan booth at the Los Angeles Auto Show can attest. The first things to catch your eye are the headlights and taillights. They're wild shapes that look like warped arrowheads, but they blend nicely with the rest of the car's styling. The general shape of the Z hasn't changed, but careful observers will notice that the car is shorter. At 167.1 in., the new Z is 2.5 in. shorter than the previous car, with a wheelbase cut by nearly 4 in. It's also 1.7 in. wider, with a roofline lowered by 0.1 in. Despite the shrinkage, the 370Z remains adequate for two 6-ft.-plus individuals, and their luggage is easier to haul because Nissan relocated the rear strut brace forward and lower in the compartment. There's also a proper glovebox. The true benefit of the car's downsized dimensions is less weight. The new Z is more than 200 lb. lighter than the 350Z; it's as if the old Z went on a strict diet and strengthening regimen. Slideshow >> The strength part of the equation comes from the VQ37HR. Nissan's 3.7-liter V-6, which also sees duty in the Infiniti G37, has been tuned to produce 332 bhp at 7000 rpm (up 32 bhp) and 270 lb.-ft. of torque at 5200 (up 10 lb.-ft.). The new engine revs smoother than the 3.5-liter V-6 it replaces, and its broader torque curve is made possible in part by Nissan's Continuously Variable Valve Event and Lift Control System, which alters valve timing and lift for increased efficiency. Once you press the throttle pedal, it's immediately clear that the 370Z is a different animal than the 350Z. Amidst the familiar hum of the VQ, the new Z leaves the line with more vigor. The hearty low-end punch is still there, but the 370Z keeps accelerating robustly, pulling strongly all the way to its 7500-rpm redline. What's notable here is the 6-speed manual transmission. It's basically the same unit as before, but now has what Nissan calls Synchro Rev Matching. This slick system automatically matches revs on downshifts. From the time you take the Z's shifter out of gear, computers monitor the shift lever's movement and anticipate a downshift. It then matches revs perfectly as you grab a lower gear: All you need to do is brake and clutch. It's faster and more precise than conventional heel-and-toeing.