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Should I keep my Nissan 370Z? – evo Market

If you can’t face selling your car, take a look at the latest options to upgrade and improve it instead

The Nissan 370Z was first unveiled in 2008, replacing the endearingly flawed 350Z, joining the flagship GT-R in Nissan’s sports car range.

Like previous ‘Z cars’, the 370Z’s name refers to its engine capacity – 3.7 litres in this case, in a V6 configuration and natural aspiration. An automatic gearbox is available, but it’s the manual that gives the 370Z most appeal – eschewing forced induction, sending its power to the rear wheels and with a manual ‘box, it’s one of the simpler recipes available in a modern sports car.

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A Nismo model debuted in 2009, and was revised in 2014 for a subtler look and a more appealing cabin (first drive in evo 204). It’s the model we’d go for, but prices are still high. With regular 370Zs heading towards the £10k mark though, they offer plenty of performance and fun for your money, and there’s even greater potential waiting to be unlocked with a few modifications. 

Nissan 370Z upgrade ideas

Traditional, rear-wheel-drive sports cars are a hard sell these days, and the Nissan Gripz crossover concept presented at the Frankfurt motor show in September 2015 suggested that Nissan could take its Z-car philosophy in a whole new (and not necessarily desirable) direction.

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If that’s given you the impetus to hang on to your own Z, the platform is ripe for improvement. We’d start with the breathing: the 370Z doesn’t want for performance, but the V6 always feels (and sounds) a little strained, even in Nismo trim.

Owners rate Stillen’s exhaust system highly (£1495 from tarmacsportz.co.uk) – it’s tuneful, not obnoxiously loud, and Stillen claims an 18bhp boost at the wheels. Stillen also produces an intake kit that draws cool air from near the radiator for a 17.5bhp gain at the wheels; it’s £475, also from tarmacsportz.co.uk.

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Owners are also full of praise for KW's Variant 3 coilovers for the 370Z, which offer improved control without compromising the ride quality too much for road use. You can buy them direct from KW for £1428 before shipping.

And with raised performance and that rear-wheel drive chassis, you'd be wise to precede all of the above with some driver training. One-to-one road and track tuition from CAT Driver Training comes highly recommended by evo, and costs £900. Interestingly, one of the cars CAT uses is a Nissan 350Z, though you can of course do training in your own car too.

Nissan 370Z key facts and figures

EngineV6, 3696cc
Max power323bhp @7000rpm
Max torque268lb ft @ 5200rpm
TransmissionSix-speed manual, rear-wheel drive, limited-slip differential
Weight1496kg
Power-to-weight219bhp/ton
0-62mph5.3sec (claimed)
Top speed155mph (claimed)
Price new£27,860
Price range used£12,000-£33,000

Servicing

Recommended service interval: 9000 miles or annually

What we said at the time

‘The Z doesn’t have the delicacy and finesse of a Subaru BRZ but it’s dealing with altogether larger forces that have less benign intentions. It gives you the tools to cope – honestly and transparently – but it doesn’t pull any punches. Big drifts are there for the taking, you just need to know what you’re doing and accept that something more than a gentle roll of the wrists is going to be required.’ David Vivian (evo 204) Read the full review here

Find a used Nissan 370Z for sale on the Classic and Performance Car site

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