2010 Nissan 370Z Roadster first details

Nissan has today officially unveiled the new 2010 Nissan 370Z Roadster which will match its hardtop Coupe sibling for excitement with the relaxed lifestyle of open-air sports car driving.

The brand has yet again opted for a much more elegant - and not to mention lightweight - folding canvas roof which has been designed to maintain the sleek silhouette of the Coupe.

This latest Roadster is far more refined than its predecessor, featuring a standard automatic latching power top which offers an easy single-action open-close operation with reduced wind turbulence and all-climate passenger comfort.

From start to finish, the top operation takes approximately 20 seconds with the driver only required to press a button located on either the centre console or door which also raises a glass partition between the headrest bars while open to reduce wind turbulence in the cabin.

While lopping the roof off a Coupe tends to make it heavier, Nissan has replaced the bonnet, door panels and trunk with aluminium components to offset any weight gain while at the same time significantly revising the body structure to improve rigidity and stability.

The performance-focused 3.7-litre V6 engine has been carried over from the Coupe, boasting an identical 245kW and 363Nm coupled with either a 7-speed automatic transmission or close-ratio 6-speed manual available with “SynchroRev Match”.

The Nissan 370Z Roadster’s list of standard safety features includes the Nissan Advanced Air Bag System (AABS) with dual-stage supplemental front air bags with seat belt and occupant classification sensors; front seat-mounted side impact supplemental air bags; door-mounted curtain air bags; and seat belts with pretensioners and load limiters.

In overseas markets at least, the Z convertible will be offered in two trim levels - the 370Z Roadster and the 370Z Touring Roadster.

Along with the standard features of the Roadster, the Touring variant adds heated and cooling leather appointed power net seats, Bluetooth Hands-free Phone System, 8-speaker Bose audio system, and aluminium-trimmed pedals.

Two option packages are also available exclusively for the Touring: the Sport Package, with 19-inch RAYS forged wheels and Bridgestone Potenza tyres, Nissan Sport Brakes, SynchroRev Match and Viscous Limited Slip Differential; and the Navigation Package, with Hard Drive-based Nissan Navigation System, 9.3GB Music Box Hard Drive and USB connectivity.

The rest of the world will see the new 370Z Roadster by late 2009, although Australian-specific pricing, specifications and availability are yet to be announced.

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