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2010 Nissan 370Z Roadster launched


If there was ever a town made to road test convertibles in, it must be Queenstown in New Zealand. So it's no wonder that Nissan Australia has flown a group of automotive journalist over to review its new Nissan 370Z Roadster.

Day one of the event was an introduction to the vehicle and an overview of Nissan's plans for the new Z Roadster. Even though there was no drive program today, pricing and performance figures were made public as well as the cars specifications.

The 370Z Roadster 6 Speed Manual will retail for $74,990 while the 370Z Roadster 7 Speed Automatic will be available for $77,990.

Nissan Australia has gone for the tick-all-the-boxes approach and all new Nissan 370Z roadsters come fully packed with loads of features.

The MY10 Nissan 370Z roadster sees the introduction of new 19" RAYS lightweight forged alloys that enable a much bolder and aggressive stance. The new wheels will also be available on all MY10 Nissan 370Z coupés from April.

Nissan Australia didn't provide acceleration figures for the Australian spec 370Z roadsters but European-spec models will go from 0-100km/h in 5.5sec for the manual and 5.8 seconds for the seven-speed auto.

The Nissan 370Z Roadster is the latest in the Z family which has so far found 1.6 million owners worldwide, with the majority of those sales being the iconic Nissan 240Z.

Numerous improvements to the roof have taken place from the outgoing 350Z roadster. The 370Z Roadster comes with a completely automated roof and the open/close operation takes 20 seconds and can operate at speeds of up to 5km/h.

The new canvass lining provides greater noise insulation, hides the roof spars and does away with hand operated locks on the windscreen header rail for a tight, linear seal.

The 370Z Roadster also has a larger electrically heated glass rear window and a fixed wind deflector between the rear headrests to reduce buffeting.

At 1618kg for the automatic (1608kg manual), the 370Z Roadster is 25kg lighter than its predecessor and only 55kg heavier than the 370Z Coupe (manual 60kg heavier).

The door and boot openings, as well as the A-pillars and side sills, have all be strengthened with torsional rigidity up 60 percent over the 350Z Roadster for greater driving stability and collision safety.

From the outside it looks almost identical to the Coupe, taking its dual cockpit design theme from the GT-R, Nissan's halo brand.

Interior wise the Coupe and Roadster are identical with the exception of the roof operation button which has now moved to the centre console.
Standard features include the intelligent key with push-button engine start, automatic climate control, two 12-volt power outlets and a 6-CD Bose audio system with eight speakers, dual subwoofer MP3/WMA playback and Bluetooth hands-free phone system.

At the heart is the 7in dash-mounted satellite navigation system with touch screen functionality, DVD/iPod/USB connectivity and steering wheel controls.

Nissan Australia CEO, Dan Thompson, said the 370Z Roadster is an exciting addition to the famous Z family.

“It will be no surprise for customers to discover the new 2010 Nissan 370Z Roadster delivers an exhilarating open air driving on top of the new 370Z Coupe’s exceptional levels of performance.

“But perhaps unexpected for a car this sporty is its greatly enhanced refinement and quality – as seen in features such as its one-touch, fully-automatic convertible top and beautifully crafted interior. The Roadster retains the Z’s unique characteristics of burly performance and sensory reward,” Mr Thompson said.

A drive review and roadtest of the 370Z Roadster will be available tomorrow night. For now the specifications and a variety of photos are available below:

Fuel Economy

  • Manual = 11.2L / 100km - 0.8L / 100km improvement over the 350Z Roadster
  • Automatic = 10.8L / 100km - 1.2L / 100km improvement over the 350Z Roadster

Engine

  • Engine Name: VQ37VHR
  • Cam design: DOHC
  • Orientation: Longitudinal
  • Cylinders / configuration: V6
  • Block / head composition: Aluminium / Aluminium
  • Displacement: 3.7-litres
  • Power: 245kW at 7,000rm
  • Torque: 363Nm at 5,200rpm
  • Bore & stroke: 95.5mm x 86.0mm
  • Compression ratio: 11.1:1
  • Maximum engine speed: 7,500rpm
  • Induction system: Sequential multi-port electronic fuel injection
  • Valvetrain: Four valves per cylinder; Continuously Variable Valve Event and Lift Control System (VVEL)
  • Engine mounts, side: 2 solid Rear: 1 liquid-filled Front: 1 electronically controlled liquid-filled
  • Fuel: Premium unleaded
  • Emissions system: Closed loop feedback system w/ 3-way catalyst
  • Exhaust: Single muffler with Y-type dual exhaust outlets (w/finishers)
  • Ignition system: Electronic, Nissan Direct Ignition System (NDIS)
  • Alternator: 150 Amp.
  • Battery: 62ah at 20h capacity

Transmission

  • Drive configuration: Mid-mounted frontengine / rear-wheel drive
  • Transmission : Six-speed manual - Seven-speed auto w/ Manual Mode and paddle shifters

Drive RatiosManualAutomatic
1st3.7944.923
2nd2.3243.193
3rd1.6242.042
4th1.2711.411
5th11
6th0.7940.862
7th0.771
Reverse3.4463.972
Final Drive Ratio3.6923.357

Brakes

  • Front: Ventilated discs, 355mm x 32mm
  • Rear: Ventilated discs, 350mm x 20mm
  • Calliper type: Fixed four-piston front, two-piston rear /aluminium
  • Electronic aids: Brake Assist (BA), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD)

Steering

  • Type: Power rack-and-pinion, vehicle speed variable assist
  • Turns (lock-to-lock): 2.6
  • Turning circle (kerb-to-kerb): 10.0m

Suspension Front:

  • Double wishbone aluminium suspension
  • Subframe construction: High vacuum diecast aluminium alloy
  • Anti-roll bar: Standard, hollow
  • Shock absorbers: Twin tube

Suspension Rear:

  • Independent multi-link aluminium suspension
  • Subframe construction: Steel
  • Anti-roll bar: Standard, hollow
  • Shock absorbers: Twin tube

Wheels

  • Wheels: RAYS lightweight forged alloy
  • Front: 19x9
  • Rear: 19x10
  • Tyres Bridgestone Potenza RE050A
  • Front: P245/40R19
  • Rear: P275/35R19
  • Spare: Aluminium-alloy, T145/70D18

Dimensions

  • Wheelbase: 2,550mm
  • Overall length: 4,250mm
  • Overall width: 1,845mm
  • Overall height: 1,325mm
  • Coefficient of drag (Cd) 0.33
  • Track width Front: 1,540mm Rear: 1,565mm
  • Weight (Kerb) Manual: 1608 kg Automatic: 1618 kg
  • Weight distribution (%): 53/47 Front/Rear
  • Fuel tank: 72-litres

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