Waif looking girls might be the thing for some, but when it comes to cars, you got to have one with the figure that resembles Raquel Welch in her prime...
Photos: Joel Tam
I've recently read an article that discussed about the attractiveness of women in different age groups in which a survey was conducted on 2,000 men and women. The results indicate that most people find women the most alluring when they are in their thirties as compared to younger girls as they are more confident and stylish. And it holds true in the Fairlady's case. In fact she seems to get even better as she ages, from a looker at 35 to a stunner at 37. And it gets even better when she is topless...
Eight years ago when the 350Z was announced to the world by Nissan, the world was in rapture, applauding Nissan for reintroducing its Z line of cars back into the Japanese manufacturer's stable of sports cars. In fact the 350Z was considered long overdue after the demise of the 300ZX, a car which was one of those noteworthy members of the Z lineage. Enough of history though, for this article is all about the latest member in the Z family, the 370Z roadster.
As compared to its predecessor the 350Z with its bullfrog stance, the 370Z Fairlady sports a tauter and curvier body design giving it a very seductive exterior. Akin to Monica Belluci with a well toned body figure after going through a fitness regime, but that's just a allegory for the 370Z coupe. For the roadster, the description takes it a notch further, making your mental imagery a little more vivid, think Monica Belluci topless... That's how sexy this car is.
Like the coupe, the 370Z roadster is similar in dimensions save for the fact that it had its top chopped and replaced with a fabric folding roof that comes with a standard automatic latching power top. The 370Z roadster also boasts of an aluminium hood, door panels and trunk for better power to weight ratio while at the same time, the body structure's rigidity and stability were improved on, with additional structural reinforcement in both the A-pillars and side sills.
Interior wise, true to its sports car heritage, the 370Z roadster’s two seater layout is purpose built. With a driver-centric three layer design, items are grouped neatly by driver information provision and operation controls, with a deeply scooped instrument panel giving drivers a sense of connection and engagement when they drive the car.
Like the 350Z, the 370Z's instrument panel retains the traditional Z three pod cluster with oil temperature, voltmeter and clock, while the speedometer and tachometer now include an 'initial sweep' function, coming alive when the car is first started (As shown in the video). The steering wheel also feels upmarket, featuring a new 'oval' three spoke design that is found in most sporty continental cars, with better grip for improved feel on long drives.
Be it the coupe or the roadster, the 370Z Fairlady is available in either a close-ratio six-speed manual that comes with SynchroRev Match that automatically controls and adjusts engine speed when shifting to the exact speed of the next gear position or a seven-speed automatic. We had the seven-speed automatic and the drive experience was truly as mentioned earlier engaging, even though it was an automatic. But like the manual, the automatic will blip the throttle for you when you downshift using the paddles, courtesy of its Downshift Rev Matching (DRM) technology.
Compared to the 350Z, the new 370Z convertible had its power output bumped up a wee bit, churning out 333 horses and 363 Nm of torque from its 3.7 litre DOHC V6 engine with Variable Valve Event and Lift Control (VVEL). Along with its larger displacement, the 3.7 litre engine provides a wider and better power delivery band that stretches all the way to the 7,500 rpm redline, with improved low-end power and more high-end torque. Down some sections of a particularly twisty test route that we the Burnpavement team often use, the 370Z roadster albeit having an extra 91 kilograms added due to its transformation from coupe to droptop, still feels lighter than the coupe, performing with adequate agility when we tossed it round the bends, I'll attribute this to Nissan's efforts to enhance the roadster's body structure rigidity and stability. And oh? Did I also forget to mention that the engine and exhaust notes provide some much needed aural pleasure when you gun the roadster?
In summary, the 370Z roadster is a thrill to drive hard in. With a powerful and responsive naturally aspirated engine coupled to a steering that is accurate, the experience of driving this roadster with its top dropped is permanently etched in my memory. Driving a convertible is something all drivers should experience at least once in their life, never mind owning one.
