Nissan makes great sports cars, and the Z has been one of the best known and most praised of them all. We received a 370Z Roadster to drive for the week and had every bit as much fun as we did with the Porsche Boxster. Top down, it was lunch time, and with Bucky Worboys behind the wheel, I stepped into the passenger seat.
The interior was brilliant; the center console had a bit of a plastic look, but not enough to be discouraging. We raced out of the duPont REGISTRY headquarters and off to the main roads. The windshield was aerodynamically fit to direct wind completely over our heads, making the breeze light enough to wear a hat if we chose. We turned off the main road and proceeded to our signature ‘S’ turns to test the handling.
The Z gripped the road with little effort; however, both Worboys and I could feel nearly every bump and crack around each turn. We reached our straightaway, stopped, and prepared for take-off. We launched off from the start and hit 60 mph in what I guessed to be just over five seconds. This seems correct, as the factory specification for the Z Roadster is said to be 4.7 seconds, and it did have the extra weight of a passenger.
We arrived back at the headquarters, put the top up in a quick 21 seconds and stepped out, giving me another chance to admire the exterior of the vehicle. The design was clearly sport oriented with aggressive lines and the classic “Z” look. I was able to spot the Nissan sport brakes that came as options as I admired the 19” RAYS forged aluminum alloy wheels. Most of the body, right down to the headlights and taillights, was no different from Zs of the past few years, but I had no complaints. It was a beautiful sports car.
