Even boy racers grow up…eventually. And so it is with the 2015 Nissan 370Z Nismo Tech 7A/T. The brand’s performance division for 30 years, Nismo is responsible for producing the company’s badasses, misfits and delinquents, and they have done quite a job.
But at some point, one makes a concerted effort to step up their game to reflect a more mature attitude. Such is the case with the 370Z Nismo. But don’t be completely fooled. There is still enough scoundrel to go around. Read on as we discuss the new Z.

What is it?
Next to the Nissan GT-R, nicknamed Godzilla, the 370Z Nismo is the performance flagship of the Nissan brand. Based on an anything-but-pedestrian 370Z, the Nismo is a two-seat, rear-wheel-drive coupe that features a tweaked version of the naturally aspirated 3.7-liter DOHC V6 engine that now puts out 350 horsepower at 7,400 rpm, for an improvement of 18 ponies over the 332 hp version found in the standard coupe. Torque checks in at 276 lb-ft (six lb-ft more), and reaches peak power at 5,200 rpm. Fed by a sequential multi-port electronic fuel injection system, it features continuously variable valve event and lift control (VVEL) for added power and efficiency.

Normally, the 370Z Nismo is equipped with a stellar six-speed manual gearbox that features a SynchroRev Matching function that makes anyone a heel-toe hero. Driving purist my scoff, but the technology, which blips the throttle to match engine and transmission speed, makes for smoother shifting and a better overall driving experience.

New this year, and included on our model, is the seven-speed automatic with Downshift Rev-Matching (DRM), adaptive shift control and manual shift mode with steering column-mounted paddle shift levers. While not a dual-clutch unit, it is still able to be used in two ways: we could just pull the paddles according to our whims or make a concerted effort to place the shift lever in the S-mode for a throttle remap and the ability to hold the gears in place longer before shifting. For those who would rather push the gear selector lever forward and back in its own +/- gate, that possibility still exists.

Power gets to the standard Viscous Limited Slip Differential (VLSD) through a light-weight carbon fiber composite drive shaft.

The Nismo-Z rides on a double wishbone front suspension with Nismo-tuned shocks, springs, stabilizer bar and shock tower strut in front, while an independent multi-link suspension with standard stabilizer bar and Nismo-tuned springs and shocks bring up the rear. A secondary stiffening brace in the cargo hold ties up the rear end nicely, but does cut down on usable cargo space. Nismo sport brake rotors measuring 14-inches in front and 13.8 in the rear help to bring things back under control should they ever get out of hand.

A specially-tuned Nismo dual exhaust system with H-Pipe configuration helps get rid of the waste while at the same time giving great throat for a lusty growl when this car’s skinny pedal is squeezed to the floor.

We observed 19 city / 26 highway, with a 21 mpg average, matching the EPA’s estimates for the 3,400 pound coupe.

While our 370Z Nismo 7A/T Tech is only available in a coupe model, the standard Z-car can be had as a hardtop or a drop-top roadster. Using either of those models as a blank canvas, buyers can opt for the Coupe in Base, Touring, Sport, Sport Tech and Nismo versions, while those who enjoy topless motoring can select from Base, Touring, and Touring Sport models.

Rumors exist that a new version will debut in model year 2016 that could possibly feature removable T-top roof panels.

What’s it up against?
Buyers of this legendary two-seater will likely also look at such competitors as the new 2015 Ford Mustang, the Chevrolet Camaro, Audi’s more expensive Quattro-driven TTS and the less-powerful Subaru and Scion glimmer twins, the BR-Z and the FR-S. It’s a tradeoff as to their needs, although many will point out that these main rivals all have second row seating.

How does it look?
With this, the sixth generation of the Nissan Z-car and the second-generation model since its reintroduction in 2008 as a 2009 model, the Nismo has generally aged well. Sure, the huge blind spots still exist, but overall, the car has a certain refined appearance, that like most of its drivers, has matured through the years.

At the front, the Nismo features a unique fascia with splitter and new LED running lights, while other external performance body parts have seen an updating from the previous year’s version. The rear fascia and diffuser have received a makeover that visually extends downward through the elimination of blacked out lower cladding in favor of body-colored side panels.

No part, though, has received a more thorough going over than the former shopping cart-styled rear wing, which has been replaced with a more visually pleasing rear spoiler.

And on the inside?
Inside, the performance look from years gone by continues, this time with leather and Alcantara-trimmed manual Recaro-branded bucket seats. Offering great support, we still wished there were more power-operated creature features inside that befit a near-halo car like the Nismo. All in the name of weight savings, we suppose.

From a driver’s standpoint, we miss the telescoping movement of the steering wheel to go along with its tilt functionality. As a result, we would describe our driving position as almost rather than perfect.

Our Tech model featured improvements over the standard Nismo version, such as a seven-inch touchscreen-based navigation and audio system from Bose, as well as standard Bluetooth connectivity.

Total cabin volume checks in at 58.5 cubic feet, with 6.9 cubic feet of that in the actual cargo hold under the hatchback. In other words, judicious packing is the order of the day for a weekend getaway.

But does it go?
The Nismo Z had us thinking back to our childhood days in go-karts, where there were tons of road feel and a very direct sense of purpose when plowing behind the wheel. It’s easy to do when you are only four-inches off the ground. Driving the 2015 Nissan 370Z Nismo 7A/T reminds us a lot of that. It too, rides like a go-kart, with stiff and direct handling that seems to make an average driver a good one, and a good one even better.

While zero to 60 came on in five-seconds flat, we were more taken by the great aural sensation we felt when blipping through the gears. It’s a feeling that appeals to all the senses from the sight of gauge needles dancing within the confines of their dials, to the feeling of directness from the Alcantara-covered steering wheel. The sound of the H-pipe exhaust system causes an extra burble from within before its final belch with the essence of burnt fossils from the chrome tailpipes. It displays (small) V8-like power from the six-cylinder, Nismo-tweaked engine, which is unfortunately not much faster than the standard 370Z engine. At the end of the day, we would always welcome a few more ponies to this rodeo.

On the downside, we found the ride just a bit rough on secondary roads in South Florida. Whether it was caused by the barely-there flex of the 19-inch low-profile Bridgestone Potenza tires or through a lack of insulation or refinement from the overall construction of the Z, it’s due for some TLC from the NVH engineers. It has become somewhat better though, through a trio of fluid-based engine mounts that help to isolate excessive engine roughness.

Leftlane’s bottom line
Great handling in a personal sports car package, the Nismo 7A/T Tech modernizes a classic, with the addition of a new and more efficient seven-speed automatic sports transmission. Add in the extras that make a Nismo Z into a Nismo Z Tech model and at $47-large, you still have a heck of a package at a relatively bargain price.

2015 Nissan 370Z Nismo 7A/T Tech base price, $46,790. As tested, $47,725.
Nismo carpeted floor mats, $125; Destination, $810.