Nissan's 370Z sports car now has a soft-top sibling: the dramatic 370Z Roadster. According to Nissan, this model has been designed from the outset as a Roadster and, as such, is lower, lighter and more dynamic than the 350Z Roadster it replaces.
"When work started on the 370Z some four years ago we decided from the outset that there would be a drop-top version as well as the coupé, so both were designed and engineered side by side. As a result we have been able to ensure the Roadster is notably stiffer than its predecessor to guarantee there has been no compromise in the area that matters most in a sports car: dynamic performance." says Pierre Loing, Nissan's European Vice President for Product Planning.
The Roadster's soft-top is powered by a hydraulic pump and can be raised or lowered in just 20 seconds at the touch of a button and without the use of any fiddly latches. When lowered, the roof is tucked away under a body-coloured tonneau cover which combines with the glass wind deflector mounted between the reinforced seat surrounds behind the occupants to reduce wind turbulence at speed.
The Roadster features a body structure that is 40 to 45 percent (front/rear) more tonsionally rigid than that of the 350Z Roadster. Weight saving measures such as forged aluminium alloy links at the front, a revised subframe comprising a high vacuum die-cast alloy cradle and a hollow anti-roll bar that is not only lighter but also significantly stiffer, shave 62 kg off the weight of the previous car.
Power is provided by the same 3,7-litre V6 found in the 370Z coupe. This unit can be mated with a choice of seven-speed automatic or innovative six-speed manual transmission with Synchro Rev Control that matches the engine revs to the appropriate ratio to optimize racing gear changes. Developing 245 kW and peak torque of 363 N.m, this engine propels the manual model from 0-100 km/h in 5,5 seconds with the automatic taking three-hundredths of a second longer. The top speed is electronically-limited to 250 km/h.
All of the Roadster models are comprehensively equipped as standard with the 19-inch alloy wheels, engine stop/start button, electrically adjustable leather seats, Bluetooth connectivity, steering wheel-mounted phone and audio controls, wind deflector and Bi-xenon lights. The 370Z Roadster also comes standard with a 6 CD/MP3 audio system, with 8 Bose speakers, 2 sub woofers and iPod compatibility.
Among the optional extras available on both the roadster and coupe is Nissan's premium infotainment and advanced 40GB Satellite Navigation system. This module features DVD playback, USB and auxiliary inputs for audio and video, 9.3GB storage for music recorded from CD and Bluetooth audio streaming.
Pricing:
*Coupe MT R512 500
*Coupe AT R531 000
Coupe MT + Navigation R534 000
Coupe AT + Navigation R552 000
*Roadster MT R543 000
*Roadster AT R561 000
*Roadster MT + Navigation R564 000
Roadster AT + Navigation R582 000
Prices include a 3 year/90,000km Service Plan and 3 year/100,000km warranty with * denoting a special order model.
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