NISMO. The designation commands respect from enthusiasts worldwide. The 2014 Nissan 370Z NISMO is not just a run-of-the-mill sports car – instead, it offers the latest in attainable race-proven engineering, along with more than a little of the spirit of Nissan’s GT-R supercar.
Always a darling of the Fast and Furious set, the NISMO Z has long been celebrated as one of the ultimate expressions of Japanese tuning. Sometimes packaging such high performance attributes and equipment results in a car that is designed to take no prisoners, but tends to beat up its occupants at the same time. Is that the case with this successor to the legendary 240 Z? Let’s have a look.
What is it?
The latest in a fabled line of cars stretching all the way back to the 1969 Fairlady Z, our 370Z has been massaged by the tuners at Nissan’s NISMO (Nissan Motorsport International Limited) department.
A mid-engine, rear-wheel drive sport coupe, the NISMO Z seats two passengers. Starting with a base 370Z, Nissan has upped the horsepower of the longitudinally-mounted 3.7-liter V6 engine from 332 to 350 ponies at 7,400 rpm. There is 276 lb-ft of available torque, which peaks at 5,200 rpm. The engine incorporates variable valve event and lift control (VVEL) for precise power delivery.
The engine is mated to a slick shifting six-speed manual transmission with SynchroRev matching for optimal gear changes as well as an approximation of the heel and toe driving techniques favored by enthusiasts. The system adjusts the engine speed to match the speed of the gear that has been selected, resulting in smoother shift. A carbon fiber driveshaft sends the power rearward to a limited slip differential.
The NISMO Z rides on a four-wheel independent suspension consisting of front double wishbone pieces with NISMO-tuned springs, shocks and stabilizer bar. They are tied together by a NISMO shock tower brace to keep things rigid during extreme operations. The rear kit consists of a multilink setup, again with NISMO-tuned springs and shocks and a crosspiece in the rear cargo area for increased torsional rigidity. Steering is the job of a variable speed assisted power rack and pinion setup.
What’s it up against?
Although not exactly on the same playing field, the 370Z NISMO might be found competing with various forms of the Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Mustang and Hyundai Genesis. For those who like the basic parameters found in the NISMO, but also desire the addition of a pair of occasional use rear seats to go with the added dose of luxury, Infiniti offers the Q60 IPL (formerly the G37 IPL).
How does it look?
While the differences are not too pronounced at first glance, the NISMO Z features many elements that help to distinguish this car from the anything-but-pedestrian, standard 370Z. Overall length is slightly more than six-inches longer when compared to a standard model. Blame it on the extended chin spoiler and side skirts, which help to spread airflow around the sides rather than above or below the car.
More length is added at the rear with a functional NISMO spoiler and rear diffuser, which along with the side skirts and other added parts, have been painted dark gray for the 2014 model year. Selected NISMO red accents show up in the front and rear fascia and along the mirrors. The end-result is a body that looks as good as it performs.
Stepping out even further, Nissan chose to finish this Z off with a set of RAYS lightweight 19-inch alloy wheels, wrapped in Bridgestone Potenza performance tires. We appreciate having the Rays wheels finished in gunmetal metallic, which hides the brake dust that will, no doubt, appear after a few days.
And on the inside?
The point of the NISMO Z is performance. Period. So don’t sit there whining about a lack of navigation system or power seat adjustments. Besides, that’s our job.
The NISMO’s interior is upholstered in a non-slip cloth fabric, which still manages a nice showing. We found soft touch material all around, from the dash to the side panels, which it turns out, when combined with the heavily bolstered seats, are designed to help you stay in place during aggressive cornering.
The rest of the car is typical boy-racer, especially considering this is a Nissan. The driver’s IP is dominated by a large, red-accented center-mounted tachometer, with speedo- and other meters flanking it. The new-for-2014 performance wheel features Alcantara inserts and a red NISMO steering index. Other gauges including oil temperature, voltage meter and a digital clock all sit atop the center stack, and combine with red-accent stitching to at least give the impression of performance.
Our tester was also equipped with the high-line eight-speaker Bose audio system with SiriusXM radio, for those days that you really don’t want to listen to the amazing throat of the V6 that sits underhood.
As this is a low-slung sports coupe, there is little more than 6.9-cubic feet of rear cargo space, but that’s not the point of this Z-car. If you need more space, perhaps it would be wise to buy a Nissan Pathfinder.
But does it go?
Thankfully, the 370Z NISMO is more than just an aggressively pretty face. Power from the 3.7-liter V6 is abundant; by its nature, the engine wanted to accelerate like a bat out of hell. While not having an authoritative look about it, save for the red engine cover, it still manages to pull it out, accelerating even while in sixth-gear.
Speaking of gears, we found a precise six-speed manual gearbox that was properly gated for accurate shifting. A console-mounted button allows the switching of the SynchroRev-matching mode, for a sportier drive with smoother gear changes. Rev-matching occurs on downshifts and we just love the sound of rev-pops while descending through the cogs. By the numbers, 0-60 comes on in 5-seconds, while it achieves more that 107-mph in the quarter mile.
Grinding through the turns found a car that flatly sticks like glue with great road feel and adhesion. The steering is very responsive but if we had a nit to pick, it would be with the lack of telescoping adjustment, which didn’t quite allow us a comfortable driving position. The feedback is almost too good in that it transmits to the driver, how truly bad some road surfaces actually are.
The interior allowed us to carry on a normal conversation with our inside voices, although it is clear the car is lacking some of the insulation found in the standard 370Z. Road noise does creep into the cabin but that is to be expected in typical performance vehicles. For those keeping track, the Nissan 370Z NISMO tips the scales at 3,346-pounds, and achieves EPA mileage of 18 city/ 26 highway with 21 mpg combined.
Good bolstering kept us in place, while a fun driving experience kept us coming back. Overall it has a feeling that is one of total performance, at a fairly reasonable price.
Leftlane’s bottom line:
Nissan’s affordable sports car, the 370Z, develops a set to become the Nissan 370Z NISMO. As a result, buyers will find a lot of performance and quality for a price that most people would not expect.
2014 Nissan 370Z NISMO base price, $43,020. As tested, $46,370.
Options: Bose Audio Package, $1,350; NISMO floor mats, $125; Trunk mat, $95; Illuminated kick plates, $200; In-mirror rear-view monitor, $790; Destination, $790.
Photos by Mark Elias.
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