Nissan 370Z NISMO 2017 Review

It would be easy to dismiss Nissan Australia’s long-awaited second NISMO model (after the $300K GT-R NISMO) as far too little, far too late.

After all, the sixth-generation Z, the 370Z, was launched here more than eight years ago in April 2009, and the NISMO version has been available to Americans almost as long.

Since then most mid-size German coupes have been replaced – some twice – and Ford launched its first global Mustang. And with the V8 GT Fastback priced under $58K, it’s no wonder it has shot straight to the top of the sales charts.

You could also argue that with just 8kW more power and 8Nm more torque than the standard 370Z, along with a suspension retune, wider (but not bigger in diameter) wheels, minor brake upgrade and the obligatory sports body kit and interior tart-up, the NISMO-Z has hardly been worth the wait.

Especially when overseas versions get higher 260Nm/374Nm outputs and a roadster version as well.

But that would overlook the fact the 370Z is still a great sports car, the only accessible two-seat six-cylinder Japanese coupe on the market, one of just two Nissan passenger cars currently available here (the other is the GT-R) and showing no signs of being superseded any time soon.

OK, so the Z is showing its age in terms of technology and packaging, even for a sports car, with high seats and a low roof making head room tight for tall occupants, and a super-shallow boot heavily limiting luggage space.

A relatively shallow footwell and no steering wheel reach adjustment tends to force you into a hunched-over driving position, there’s plenty of hard plastic surfaces on the old-school dashboard and there’s no digital speedo readout.

And forget about advanced driver safety aids, which are just as useful these days, such as automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, radar cruise control and lane-keeping assistance.

On the flipside, those features aren’t prerequisites for most sports car buyers and the 370Z’s already taut chassis, lusty 3.7-litre V6 and rear-drive layout provide a solid basis for a no-frills, back-to-basics performance coupe.

Add to this formula a reflashed ECU and H-shape exhaust system with 30 per cent lower back-pressure to deliver peak outputs of 253kW/371Nm and a host of small but worthwhile chassis upgrades and the newest NISMO makes good sense.

The latter includes firmer springs, dampers and anti-roll bars, plus unique 19-inch RAYS alloy wheels measuring half an inch wider at 9.5-inch front and 10.5-inch rear.

The downside of this is that a tyre repair kit replaces the temporary spare wheel, but the upside is they come with stickier Dunlop SP SPORT MAXX GT 600 rubber (measuring 245/40 R19 up front and 285/35 R19 at rear -- up 10mm) to replace the Bridgestone Potenza RE050As on the standard 370Z.

There’s also what Nissan describes as a reinforced three-point front strut tower brace (which looks like a NISMO-badged version of the standard car’s), plus upgraded brake hoses and fluid – but the same vented 355/350mm front/rear rotors with four-piston front and two-piston rear aluminium callipers.

The result is slightly more lateral grip, slightly less body roll and generally sharper handling, at the expensive of some ride quality. There’s no doubt the set-up is firm, making for a busy ride on fast, lumpy roads, where the stiff high-speed damping transmits plenty of shock into the cabin.

But there’s still a good deal of low-speed compliance, making for a plush ride on smooth surfaces and even reasonably rough bitumen. In short, the NISMO tune trades off a little bit of ride comfort for a lot more handling focus, and it’s light years away from the GT-R NISMO’s punishing set-up.

The sharper dynamics alloy you to better exploit the buxom VQ-series V6, which despite its hairy-chested torque at low revs and willingness to rev freely to its 7400rpm power peak (400rpm up on the regular Z) still doesn’t stretch the vault-like 370Z body beyond its limits.

Matched with a slick-shifting six-speed manual gearbox, it sure is a fun thing to drive, although we hated the auto-blip downshift function around town as much as we loved it in the twisties far away from the shops.

Oh yes, of course there’s the de rigeur badging and body kit, including more aggressive NISMO front/rear bumpers, side skirts and black wing mirrors – all with red inserts – plus a specific rear spoiler and front/rear NISMO badging, adding a decent dose of street cred.

And although only those you take for a ride will appreciate them, the NISMO-badged engine cover, front strut tower brace, centre console and tacho will look impressive in smartphone photos at the pub.

But our favourite NISMO additions are the Recaro sports seats that not only look the part with red Alcantara centres and black leather bolsters, but deliver plenty of hip-bugging side bolstering – even if the eight-way manual driver-side adjustment (four-way for the passenger) never quite makes them low enough.

Completing the NISMO makeover is a matching black/red Alcantara/leather steering wheel with red-stitched centre marker, red start button and, for auto versions, red paddle shifters.

Only four paint colours are on offer – down from eight on the standard 370Z and none of them are new – including Eau Rouge red, Diamond black, Shiro White and Brilliant Silver, which is an extra-cost premium hue.

Undoubtedly, the best news with the 370Z NISMO is its price, which at $61,490 plus ORCs (plus $2500 for the seven-speed auto, which wasn’t available to drive at the launch) is a mere $4560 more than the 370Z Coupe’s previous base price.

That’s because it tops a repositioned 370Z line-up that now starts from under $50,000 for the first time — almost $7000 less than before — and that’s a direct result of sliding sales over the past eight years.

With just 183 sold to July 2017, the Z has become less popular than the Mustang, Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupe/cabriolet, Hyundai Veloster, BMW 2 Series coupe/convertible, Toyota 86, Mazda MX-5, BMW 4 Series coupe/convertible, Subaru BRZ, Mercedes-Benz E-Class coupe/convertible, Audi A3 Convertible, Audi A5 coupe/cabriolet/Sportback, Porsche 911, Lexus RC, MINI Cabrio and even the Abarth 124 Spider.

So you can thank its donor car’s age for the 370Z NISMO’s bargain sub-$62K price tag -- which easily undercuts its two-seat German competitors, not to mention those with six cylinders -- and is just $4000 up on the Mustang GT coupe.

Nissan won’t say if it expects the NISMO to lift overall Z sales, of which it’s forecast to account for 30 per cent, but with this much bang for your bucks in a two-seat rear-drive V6 coupe we’d be surprised if it doesn’t.

2017 Nissan 370Z NISMO Coupe pricing and specifications:
On sale: September
Price: $61,490 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.7-litre petrol V6
Output: 253kW/371Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual, seven-speed auto
Fuel: 10.6L/100km, 10.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP