NISSAN 370Z Roadster Review

We've already established that the latest "Z" - in Roadster form - isn't the most comfortable convertible out there, especially if the roads on which it is driven aren't exactly perfect, but that doesn't mean it's a go-kart on wheels. Sure, on paved roads you might furiously regret you've ever bought such a hardcore sports car, but on smooth surfaces it almost handles like a grand touring car – with the subsequent differences provided by the short wheelbase.

The seats provide a pretty good compromise between lateral support and a nice, cozy feeling. We didn't quite get why only the driver's seat can be configured for different heights though. Never mind the fact that the sitting area of the seat is the only thing that can be moved up or down, since the back support remains still.

When it comes to open driving, this is where the 370Z Roadster really gets some of its comfort points back, at least until you reach medium to high speeds on some deserted back road. With the top up, windows down and the seats on a low heating level, you can technically drive it comfortably at much lower exterior temperatures.

We tested this while there were approximately 13 degrees Celsius (55 degrees Fahrenheit) outside and we didn't encounter any problems as long as we didn't reach highway speeds. As far as the acoustic comfort goes, the Bose hi-fi audio system is quite a bit above average. It even adds the possibility of copying audio CDs on the onboard 9.3 GB HDD, and this is while you play them.

The wind noise on the other hand is way higher than expected, and having the top up or down doesn't make a lot of difference at higher speeds. The meaty tires aren't very silent either. On the whole, the Nissan 370Z Roadster is more of a track toy that can also be driven on the streets, but unless you're always driving on silky smooth roads it's pretty far from being a comfortable car for the reasons we've mentioned.

Some say that one of the crucial reasons for the Renault-Nissan alliance back in 1999 was that so Renault could have access to the award-winning VQ line of V6 engines from Nissan. So it happens that the 370Z Roadster we tested was equipped with one of the latest evolutions of this legendary engine.

With a displacement of 3.7 liters, the officially-named VQ37VHR unit was the first engine form Nissan with VVEL variable valve timing. It was first launched on the facelift-ed Infiniti G37, a car which we also tested last year. The VVEL variable valve timing on it works in a similar way with BMW's Valvetronic, with the main difference being that it also uses a desmodromic control of the output cam, a la Ducati bikes.

With an output of almost 330 Horsepower at a stratospheric 7000 rpm, this latest iteration of the VQ line of engines isn't as rev-happy as you might imagine looking at the numbers. Sure, it revs higher than most "regular" gasoline engines out there, but this doesn't provide the feeling of a torqueless Honda or Ferrari.

Instead, the V6 on our test car also delivers a higher-than-expected torque figure, with no less than 363 Nm (267.7 lb ft) on tap at 5200 rpm. It provides a very healthy amount of push into your spine every time you mash the throttle, and its driving performance is also a little bit helped by the seven-speed automatic transmission our car was fitted with.

We should remind you that we tested a similarly-equipped car last year (engine and gearbox), in the shape of the Infiniti G37 sedan, and we were rather ecstatic with its sporty potential. Speaking of which, the Nissan 370Z Roadster is using a shortened FM (front-midship, referring to the positioning of the engine) platform, which is also shared with most of the Infinitis in the current line-up.

For a car costing around fifty thousand Euros equipped like ours, the Nissan 370 Z Roadster is a decently-equipped vehicle. Giving its almost total lack of practicality, it becomes a tougher choice from this point of view though. Still, compared to a similarly-priced Porsche Boxster, BMW Z4, Mercedes-Benz SLK or Audi TT Roadster, the bang for buck ratio when it comes to gadgets isn't half bad in the "Z".

The problem arises when comparing it to a car that uses the same platform but seats five and has an actual luggage compartment: the Infiniti G37 sedan. The G37 costs the same, yet offers quite a heftier amount of gadgets, plus the aforementioned extra features. Sure, it's not a two-seat roadster with a history behind it, but we're mainly talking about gadgets here.

Our car was also fitted with a light and rain sensor, semi-electric powered seats with both a heating and ventilation option, a Bose hi-fi audio system and an electrically retractable cloth roof which opens and/or closes in exactly 20 seconds. But wait, that's not all. The center console was also adorned with a seven-inch LCD with touch screen (although most functions are operated via regular buttons), a navigation system with an HDD that shares 9.3 GB of its memory for copying music on it, iPod and auxiliary connecting outlets. The beauty of the multimedia system is the fact that, apart from providing the posibility of copying your music from audio CDs, it can also play movies.

Our car was also fitted with bi-xenon headlights and cruise control, but compared to its similarly-priced bigger brother from Infiniti it was missing the Intelligent Cruise Control system – which automatically accelerates or brakes the car from any speed, depending on the traffic encountered. Some factory fitted parking sensors and a rear view camera would've been nice at this price level as well, especially since parking can sometimes be cumbersome with the roof up.

Since it hasn't yet been tested by an international crash testing organization, we will just rely on Nissan's own words and the car's technical data for determining its overall safety factor. Since we're talking about a two-seater convertible, passive safety should be a bit higher than that of a hardtop model, at least to inspire some confidence, right?

Well, you'd be both right and wrong. You'd be right because the seating position in the 370Z Roadster is always lower than the front and rear roll bars, which kind of makes you feel like you're sitting in a targa model, not a full convertible. You'd be also wrong in thinking it has more than six airbags, which is pretty much the minimum at this price level. There are two dual stage frontal ones, a thorax airbag built into each seat and two head airbags which pop out from the doors in the unfortunate event of a side impact.

As far as the active safety is concerned, our test car was fitted with an anti-lock braking system, electronic brake distribution, brake assist, electronic stability control (with a very effective "off" feature) and a traction control system. Even with the ESP off, the mechanical limited slip differential makes (either accidental, or not) drifting a bit more controllable. Pedestrians haven't been forgotten either, with Nissan engineers fitting the "Z" with a pirotechnic "pop-up" hood in the case of a pedestrian impact.

If we were to choose a single great thing about the Nissan 370Z Roadster, it would most definitely be the way it handles with the electronic stability control off. Thanks to the mechanical limited slip differential, it provides so much fun when cornering it almost hurts... (your budget for rear tires). The meaty Bridgestone Potenza tires shoed on those 19-inch RAYS alloys have both tremendous grip (up to a certain point) and give a nice feel of the road. When it comes to driving fun, the 370Z Roadster certainly delivers.

The bad thing is probably the fact that it has an almost atrocious fuel economy. Sure, it also handles like a dream and the engine delivers a lot of punch, you might say, and you'd be perfectly right, but there are other cars which are faster and use less fuel than the 370Z. The VQ engine is a masterpiece in almost every way except for fuel efficiency. From what we heard, the version with a six-speed manual transmission isn't exactly a fuel sipper either, so the gearbox isn't the main problem.

The ugly bit about our test car is most likely the fact that it tries too hard to do so many things, yet it doesn't completely succeed at a single one. Whether it's performance, practicality, fuel consumption or even the old-school feeling of open top motoring, the "Z" is always second to one of its competitors. Maybe if it had tried to do a single thing good, instead of a lot, it might have succeeded. Other than that, as a weekend boy toy, it's as good as any other in this segment.