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Nissan says the roof is intended to look like the GT-R’s. We ask, “Is that important?”
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Yes it is. By no means is the Z a poor mans GTR. However it is kin to the GTR and not only does the slight imitation of the R35's roof help sell the Z to enthusiast and other customers but it works. And
that, is most important.
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and the new brakes (no longer Brembos but Akebonos)
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Oooh. Good to know!
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Clutch takeup is predictable, and the shifter’s throws are so short and smooth that your forearm barely moves.
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Maybe going for a stick won't be such a bad idea. The last things you want in L.A. is a PITA car to drive, and most often that's a stick shift.
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And the structure feels as solid as a Porsche 911’s, issuing exactly zero rattles or squeaks.
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So much for the folks saying this car was built to a cost. It definitely doesn't hurt to drive a car that feels like its plugged into the road. I live for this!
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and it has a locomotive’s sense of straight-ahead.
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We
definitely like this!
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the 370Z is simply BMW-ish in the manner its engine and transmission talk to each other. Jump in or out of the throttle, and there’s no jolt, no windup, no neck snap. Revs build and dissipate rapidly but without notice. The car eagerly establishes a soothing driving rhythm, such that glancing at the speedometer always produces a shock. When did we get going this fast? That’s a sure-fire sign of sedulous engineering.
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Sounds very BMW to me. BMW owners care to chime in?
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On low-friction surfaces, however, you can deactivate the stability control and induce shooting chest pains courtesy of big throttle-induced oversteer. What’s just as fun and less stressful is to apply 100 percent power out of every corner and let the stability control sort things out.
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No need to switch the traction control off afterall.
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Our own dance steps matched revs accurately about 80 percent of the time. Nissan’s electronic shoes matched revs 100 percent of the time. And you can’t fool the thing.
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Electronics always do it better boy racers.
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The V-6’s exhaust note, at least inside the cockpit, isn’t much sexier than a Pathfinder’s.
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Buh-wha-wha-wha-whaaaa??????????????????????
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At idle and at wide-open throttle, the 370Z is louder than its forebear.
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That can only be a good thing in my book. That's part of the sportscar ownership experience. Or at least it should be.
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We’d trade a couple of points on the skidpad in return for less racket and a slightly cushier ride.
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Hmmm. Fair enough... but really...who cares??? This thing is pretty good as it is.
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This latest Z offers amenities sufficient to satisfy a commuter, without doing any obvious harm to the car’s original charm—its bare-bones purity.
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And that's all that matters.