Nissan 370Z: The second date

Good thing I was in Paris as Nissan launched the 370Z for the European and Middle East scribes, because I like numbers. And numbers matter in this story, so how about 0-100kph in 5.3secs and a top speed of 260kph. This car accelerates quicker than the new BMW Z4 sDrive30i and is only a tenth of a second slower than a twin-turbocharged sDrive35i and a Porsche Cayman S.

While these figures knock on the door of supercars, they are not the most important numbers to consider. The same goes for all the impressive data in the technical specifications. The number you have to keep in mind while reading this feature is the base price - $29,900 (about Dh110,000). It's difficult to resist comparing this new Nissan with more expensive cars. The trouble is that if we make comparisons with similarly priced two-seater sports coupés, the 370Z simply eats them. When it comes to the Z-cars, Nissan bigwigs work to a strict bhp-per-buck ratio. They reckon $100 per horsepower is the upper limit for real world affordability, and I agree that formula is just about right.

With the 1969 130bhp 240Z, Datsun used another simple formula - good looks plus a conventional layout equals winner. Now into the sixth generation of Z-cars, things are still on the rise. The 300Z (200bhp) was bettered by the 350Z (300bhp) and now the 370Z (332bhp) has improved that further still.

The cockpit feels familiar but it too is a big improvement over the old car. Quality materials and revised instruments look miles better this time around. The instrument pod moves with the up-down adjustment of the steering column, improving visibility, but for reach adjustment, you have to move your seat.

In profile, cars are shaped like aeroplane wings, hence their disposition for aerodynamic lift. Achieving downforce is very difficult and usually comes with high drag and much impracticality. That the 370Z has a low drag coefficient of only cd 0.29 and zero lift is commendable.

Standard kit includes 18in alloys, climate control and Bluetooth. Then comes the GT Pack with heated leather or suede seats, a Bose sound system and 19in alloys, and the highest spec gives you sat-nav and better quality interior trim.

You may think that Nissan has stuck to its 240Z roots with a conventional and highly effective sports car, yet tucked under the 370Z's cam cover is some trick valve gear. Variable valve timing is nothing new but combined with Nissan's variable valve lift, the power band is vastly improved.

The 370Z is also the first manual gearbox production car to have automatic blipping on downshifts. The race drivers' balletic art of toe-heel downshifting is gradually being made redundant. Ferrari, Maserati and Lamborghini paddle-shift systems automatically deliver a resounding whoop on downshifts. Their drivers become addicted to hearing the gearshifts; so much so, that where one gear change would have sufficed, they now wallow in ten. The payback comes by having a clutch with the life expectancy of a mayfly. With the manual or auto 370Z you do not have to whoop down through the entire set of gear ratios every time you come to a stop. With the 370Z's six-speed stick shift, you can miss gears and avoid pitstops for new clutches. A seven-speed paddle shift is available at slightly extra cost and - like the manual - comes with a synchronised downshift rev-matching system. This means that it goes 'brrrmm' when you change down. There is also a button by the gear lever labelled 'S-mode' - press it, and the throttle automatically blips, bang-on-accurately. It removes all shock from the gearchange and, believe me, it works.

The conditions on the test route outside Paris varied, so there were opportunities to trundle along slowly as well as to blast away and work the car hard. The amount of traction control is a compromise and is preset by the manufacturer; too much and it is intrusive, too little and you can trash the car. The 370Z is set up on the 'sporting' side of average. On a damp road, an optimist could still wreck it even with the traction control enabled, so watch out.

On dry roads with the traction control switched off, grip is excellent, requiring brutality and/or mischievous provocation to unstick the rear end. Be warned - if you switch off the traction control system, it stays off, even when you restart the engine.

Ride comfort, noise suppression and handling represent a first-rate compromise, but ride quality still comes a bit short of the rivals mentioned earlier.

However, this is still a car for long or short distances. It is also extremely agile, noticeably more so than the 350Z it replaces. The shorter wheelbase, lower centre of gravity and countless other changes make this car distinctly quicker than the previous model. There is space for oddments behind the seats, in the glove box, and in door pockets, as well as a useful, covered cargo bay in the rear.

In the real world, the flat torque curve results in a seamless pull. Mated to the seven-speed auto, this combination delivers breathtaking vanishing acts with minimal driver effort. Simply floor the throttle and hang on tight. I can't recall such smooth and constant g-force pull on acceleration. When it comes to steering and stopping, more subtle engineering is evident. Power-steering is speed sensitive and also has a system that eliminates kick-back and vibration. Brake pedal travel is longer at low speed for feel, and becomes shorter and firmer at high speed, adding to the driver's confidence.

It's a pity that Nissan didn't dream up a trendy name for the automatic. The auto label could easily be misinterpreted. In reality, the seven-speed paddle-shift/auto is a hoot and offers the best of both worlds. You can leave it in auto mode or play with it in fully manual mode. As with all paddle-shift systems, it requires some re-education on the part of the driver. Head-nodding on gearshifts that came standard on first generation paddle-shift cars is generally absent.

Both transmission systems work superbly, so it is a matter of personal choice for the buyer. The manual is familiar and the auto needs familiarisation to get the best from it. With a torque converter that spends most of its time locked-up, efficiency is improved and this removes that slipping feeling of old generation autos. Interestingly, the automatic version also has better fuel economy and lower emissions than the manual. Which is why I'd choose the seven-speed as its diversity delivers manual mode for precision driving - you even get a shift light - and auto mode for when you feel lazy.

Reaction from every single French school kid that I passed in several towns confirms that this is a cool car. While Nissan has its bhp-per-buck ratio, I think we now need a jaw-dropping-per-buck ratio. The 370Z is a lot of car for the money.

Specs