A Dollar-Per-Grin Win
By Nate Martinez
At Nearly $42,000, a fully loaded 2011 Nissan 370Z Touring isn't cheap-in fact, the car is pricey enough to merit a mild case of sticker shock. But upon closer inspection of its expansive spec sheet, followed by a multi-day test drive, the shock fades while the athletic coupe's intrinsic value grows.
Consider the 370Z's impressive attributes. There are the 14-inch front, 13.8-inch rear Akebono brakes that haul the 3362-pound Z to a stop from 60 mph in only 102 feet (a BMW M3 Coupe with Competition Package does it in 110 feet, a GT-R in 101 feet). These massive four-piston front, two-piston rear binders clamp hard on Nismo's optional $580 R-Tune performance brake pads designed to withstand temperatures of up to 700 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the quickest-stopping Z we've ever driven. And we've driven many, many Zs over the years.
There are the featherweight 19-inch aluminum wheels forged by Japan's renowned Rays Engineering, a supplier of the AT&T Williams Formula 1 team. Even now, only a handful of six-figure supercars roll on such fancy footwear. The rims, along with adhesive Bridgestone Potenza RE050A rubber, a taut suspension setup, and a vicious limited slip differential (all part of the Sport Package), help the 370Z Touring attain a 1.01 g average on the skidpad. That's slightly stickier than a mid-engine, no-option $60,000 Porsche Boxster S at 1.0 g, mind you.
Straight line acceleration adds to its value. The 3.7-liter V-6's 332 horses and 270 pound-feet of torque send the Z to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, while a quarter-mile passes in 13.4 seconds at 105.2 mph. A rocket it isn't, yet for the segment it occupies, the stats aren't disappointing.
Although you'll have to cough up the Sport Packages $3,030 entry fee to attain such laudable performance, every dollar is money well spent. The option group includes "zero-lift" front and rear spoilers that cut the Z's drag coefficient to a slim 0.29 Cd from the standard car's 0.30 Cd, and though you'll never feel the 0.01 difference in Cd, you will have gained some pub fodder.
The Navigation Package with nearly every facet of multimedia is also worthy of its $2,150 price. The 7-inch VGA monitor is a capable navigation screen and serves as a DVD movie screen when the car is parked (but really who watches DVDs in a parking lot?). A Bose-supplied stereo comes with an iPod input, 9.3-gigabyte hard drive, and streaming Bluetooth capability. Of course, you can connect your mobile phone via Bluetooth, too, though the sound quality and connection strength was patchy.
One of the best new-for-2011 amenities is the rearview camera, which eases any skittishness when reversing. It is included in the Navigation Package, but if you don't opt for the group, you can still get a standalone $750 in-mirror monitor.
The 2011 model year also brings the 370Z Roadster's synthetic suede door and seat inserts to the coupe. The soft, cozy material gives the comfortable, attractive cabin a higher-quality feeling. Leather-wrapped electronically adjustable seats remain standard in the top-level Touring, and support your bum and back with cushioning.
After driving the 2009 370Z three years ago, editor-at-large Ron Kiino had this to say about the then-new car's handling: "The most alluring aspect of the new Z is the sense it imparts: It feels sharp, direct, and balanced, a well-honed santoku knife to the 350Z's blunter and bulkier cleaver."
Kiino's observations still hold true for the 2011. The Z sticks hard and goes fast, and with the center console knee pads and supportive seats, you're always set in the proper position to command its athletic moves. The process usually goes like this: Following an electronically orchestrated downshift or two will help from the controversial SynchroRev Match (the technology's fun factor wilts the longer it's used), the car's inner santoku knife takes over, allowing you to play IronChef with delicious pieces of hot pavement. Dab the Akebonos, mash the floor-mounted accelerator, and prepare for a stupid grin to be plastered on your face.
Santoku sheathed, the Z rides firm, as expected, yet it is not overly jarring. The main source of in-cabin din are the massive 245/40R-19 front, 275/35R-19 rear Bridgestones. Compared to our long-term 370Z Roadster, the coupe serves as the ideal long-distance tourer by virtues of side visibility, overall civility, and cabin quietness.
Getting what you pay for isn't a problem in the 370Z Touring. After three years, we continue to admire its comfort level, style, and, of course, performance. In an automotive world filled with expensive sports cars touting questionable bang-for-your buck returns, the Z carries on as one of the best values around, especially in the dollar-per-grin category.