Quoted From Motor Trend:
First Drive: 2009 Nissan Nismo 370ZC'mon, Try Me: From Boy-Racer to Ground-Effects Track Car
By Scott Mortara
Photography by Julia LaPalme
Everything about the all new Nissan NISMO 370Z is better: interior, exterior, and especially the performance. Horsepower and torque have been bumped up a bit. The NISMO gets 18 more horsepower than the 370 sport, along with 400 more revs, while the torque is up by six pound-feet.
But the real story is how different this car feels from its predecessor, the NISMO 350Z. The crisp turn in is still there, but now you get good rotation as well. Going into a corner, the front end bites hard just as the rear starts to come around letting you get through and out of the turn even better. This new feel gives you amazing confidence, really letting you push the car hard. All this is possible due to the new suspension tuning: The front spring rate has been increased by 15 percent, rear by 10, front stabilizer rate is up 15 percent, rear 50, and the front damping factor is up 40 percent with the rear up a considerable 140 percent, all of which increases roll stiffness by 15 percent. These adjustments have made the NISMO an incredible track car.
The exterior has significant changes as well. Gone are the boy-racer looks and front fangs, replaced with a much more subtle yet equally effective ground-effects package.
The front appears similar but the rear is completely different than the NISMO 350Z's. The large, square tail and rear diffuser have been replaced with a much cleaner, more integrated rear end. The diffuser is still there, but it doesn't stick out as much, giving the car much sleeker look.
As for the interior, changes are not as drastic, just a bit of decoration. Nissan has adorned the seats and tachometer with the NISMO name and added a numbered NISMO plaque between the seats. Additional NISMO emblems are found on the strut tower brace, each wheel, the rear hatch, the exhaust finishers, and the dampers -- that's 16 in all.
It's nice to see a company evolve its product, taking something that was good and making it better. That's exactly what Nissan has done with the new NISMO 370Z.
