My Impressions of the NISMO 370Z VS Touring

JoeyD

I broke 1500 miles in my Nismo yesterday. I think I have had enough time to feel her out and give a good comparison between it and my old Touring 7AT.

First the bad news. As I mentioned before, the trucker who delivered my Nismo to the dealer lowered the ramp on to the front fascia and completely wrecked it. The dealer promised me a new one ASAP. Now Nissan USA says that the fascia is currently out of production and they have no idea when it will go back in to production. This means I am indefinitely stuck with a brand new car with a front bumper held on by zip ties and prayers. Grrr!

Now the good news. I whole heartedly disagree with just about the entirety of Edmunds comparison between the two models.

Suspension is the obvious place to start quantifying differences between the two models, because its is the most noticeable. The Touring 7AT is setup for a novice driver with a noticeable predilection for understeer. The NISMO is setup for an intermediate to experienced driver with balanced power-on handling and a bit of oversteer power-off. That being said watch out! In the 7AT I could easily feel when I was approaching the grip limit. The Nismo still gives a warning but is more subtle and requires a much faster reaction. The chassis is noticeably stiffer all around and body roll is almost dialed out. However, I think the Nismo 370 could still benefit from a stiffer front anti-roll bar. Keep in mind that I had 285 Rear and 245 front on my 7AT, the same as on the Nismo.

Drivetrain is about the same, as the componentry is only slightly different. The 6MT vs 7AT is still not a debate I can make a ruling on. The 7AT is a great transmission with powerful precise shifts and great gear selection. The 6MT is also fantastic, but it has had some problems reported by other users. It really comes down to personal preference (unless you go Nismo then the choice is made). The stock viscous LSD on the Nismo may not be the best track setup, but on the road it stands head and shoulders above the open diff of my 7AT. The only mods I could justify on my Nismo are a light-weight flywheel and clutch combo (I don't like the engagement of the stock clutch, because of its unnecessarily long stroke) and 2-piece rotors with higher performance pads. This motor wants to rev and it's heavy flywheel is a hinderance.

The Engine/exhaust has a noticeable deeper growl. Nissan claims that +18HP is derived via exhaust and engine tune. I would like to get a 6MT non-nismo on a dyno the same time as my nismo, because I think the power-band is different. It feels as though bottom end torque has suffered, but 5500-7000 is beastly and pulls much harder than it did in my last 370. The exhaust note from 5500-7000, under load, is art.

I won't comment on style changes, as they are all personal preference, except to say that I love the lines of this car and the red stitching.
My one and only gripe is the stereo. Which is garbage, but easily fixed.

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When was the last time you did 230MPH in something with 4 seats?

chief_Roka

Just 4 the sake of precision and understanding...
You are comparing a touring "WITHOUT" Sport package 7A/T to the NISMO correct?

shabarivas

Wow - good read - but you should really compare it to a sport package Z... im pretty sure the chassis rigidity is identical

Lug

Shouldn't be.

Road & Track Magazine - 2010 Nismo 370Z (4/2009)
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The car's handling has been improved, too, via stiffer suspension. Compared to the standard setup, front spring rates have been dialed up 15 percent, and rear spring rates increased 10 percent. There are also fatter anti-roll bars at both ends. Overall, roll stiffness has been increased by 15 percent, says Nissan, and the front and rear damping factors have been increased by 40 percent and 140 percent respectively. Although the ride quality will be harsher, the Nismo Z will undoubtedly take corners better and be faster around a racetrack.
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shabarivas

Umm its compared to the "standard" setup - me thinks thats talking about non sport... I do agree the coils are different w/ the nismo but thats about it...

JoeyD

Comparing Touring (non-sport) 7AT to Nismo. Hope that clarifies any questions.

In addition to the coils are the front and rear body dampers. As well as the addition of positive downforce as apposed to negative in non-sport, and neutral in sport configuration. I had almost 23K miles on my first 370 (suspensions are the same on sport and non-sport 370Zs only the wheels, tires(both of the former i have addressed), brakes, and differential differ. Say what you will about the Nismo, but I'll bet my bottom dollar that in the hands of an unbiased professional driver (read as "the stig") the Nismo will be measurably faster than both the base and sport 370Z.

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When was the last time you did 230MPH in something with 4 seats?

chief_Roka

Good write up but very predictable in the sense that a basic Z (touring option) is more like a 2 seat touring car. (Not by amenities package but by function) compared to the sport pkg that bumps it up to true sports n nismo bumps it up to track.
A sport/nismo comparo would really hav more of an impact as far as a significant comparison.

chief_Roka

Well, we kno edmunds sucks... but C&D hav some serious drivers. They always pull the highest times than the rest of the mags. They pulled 5.2 n 13.5 in a 1500 mile car.
They expecting after a few months of break in. Maybe 4.8 13.3
Which is still .02 seconds slower than 7at spt pkg. I mean no big deal of difference but...
The extra stuff does give a handling advantage in the nismo. More downforce, etc... but the nismo also adds like 67lbs in junk n the 18hp doesn't even give it any edge.
Don't get me wrong. I'm sure it has some impressive attributes. But for 6k I can make it a 1.02 g handler myself which would be .03 more than nismo n remove 80 lbs more n see me doin it 4.3/12.7

JoeD

I see no mention of chassis-rigidity in that blurb. Care to point it out?

As shabarivas mentioned, chassis-rigidity is identical among the entire 370Z Coupe lineup, regardless of trim-level or packages.

Greg

Nothing personal but..That's still just the age old tale of comparing a modded car with a stock one. Prices aside.. I always say, for it to be fair. Both cars would have to have the same amount of "extra modifications" . So the Nismo with an 80lb diet and a 6k expense account?

So how would both cars compare now?

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CBRich

First, the handling between Sport and non-Sport is negligible as the only thing done that could affect it is the wheels and tires. And they don't make much of a difference.

Second, the Nismo body dampers very well could change the overall chassis rigidity. And of course the springs are much stiffer so the Nismo having a better handling feel should come as no surprise at all.

So he thinks the handling of the Nismo is a bit better. Well good, it should be. No reason to be butt hurt over it.

awesomez

I have driven a Nismo recently and I must say I am not that excited about it. It's definitely stiffer and anybody who plans to only take their car to the track and back home should definitely go with Nismo. Since I own a Touring Sport 7AT I can tell with complete certainty that it's better than nismo if you plan to drive it any significant amount on the road. It will still do good on track, possibly faster but not better.

Also, sport does get the vlsd as well.

Lug

Aren't fatter anti-roll bars used to stiffen the chassis?

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shabarivas

Yea but any serious Z will upgrade sways ... and coils ... which puts me leagues ahead of the nismo... what differentiated the old nismo was the seam welded-ness

bucketman

Nismo's front and rear springs and sway bars are different. Body dampers designed to control body roll and the front strut bar is stiffened. These things will make the car and body stiffer. Only thing I wish is that it was seam welded like the 350 Nismo. Two weeks until track day(road course)!!!!!!!!!!