Tuesday 19th April 2016

Nissan 370Z NISMO: Spotted

The forgotten Japanese sports car, available for even less than you might think

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Now you may have noticed a great deal of discussion around sports cars on PistonHeads recently, what with the Mustang, the revised GT86 and, of course, the four-cylinder Porsches too. Yet in all that time, the Nissan 370Z NISMO hasn't really been mentioned. And it probably should have been.

Sure, it's not perfect. The interior is fairly plain, the kerbweight is a bit porky and it will cost a good chunk of money to run compared to most rivals. There will be those who maintain their Japanese snobbery too.

However, look at what else is on offer in a 370Z NISMO. There's a really well sorted front-engined, rear-wheel drive chassis, a six-speed manual gearbox with an effective rev matching function you can easily toggle on or off - take note Porsche - and a large, atmospheric V6. Sure, it's a fairly gruff and quite inefficient old lump, but there's a lot of power (344hp) and a redline on the exciting side of 7,000rpm as compensation. No doubt there are a few aftermarket tweaks that could enliven the engine also...

The original Nissan Z-car, the 240Z, was of course a Japanese response to the muscle car phenomenon in the US. Now we have right-hand drive versions of both the Mustang and the Zed in the UK, presenting another alternative. It doesn't look great for the Nissan here, with the Mustang having the car-of-the-moment excitement around it, that super V8 and a name that's better known in the UK. The NISMO is more enjoyable to drive, but it's more expensive than the V8 Mustang as well.

At least, it should be. The 370Z's list price of £38,050 always looked optimistic, meaning deals have been widely available. But they probably haven't been this good. For the 800-mile red 370Z NISMO seen here - a rare colour that really seems to suit it - Nissan Glasgow is asking £26,985. Yes, really.

Not only is that a huge saving over the RRP, it opens up a whole new group of rivals. It's a lot less than even a four-cylinder Mustang, it's cheaper than a TT 1.8 (just) and in fact brings it in line with the Toyobaru twins as the nearest rivals. The BRZ and GT86 will remain the better handling cars, but the appeal of another 144hp should not be ignored.

So don't forget the NISMO Zed if you're in the market for a sports car; it presents a good case for itself in any circumstance, but it's especially strong at this money. It's not the freshest offering out there, but how often do you see responses on these pages clamouring for a taste of the old ways? The Zed most certainly offers that, and you can be sure its replacement will be a very different car.

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NISSAN 370Z NISMO
Engine: 3,696cc, V6
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 344@7,400rpm
Torque (lb ft): 274@5,200rpm
MPG: 26.7mpg (claimed)
CO2: 248g/km
First registered: 2016
Recorded mileage: 810
Price new: £38,050
Yours for: £26,985

See the original advert here

[British Beef]

At that price actually represent excellent value for money.

Although I never understood why Nismo seemed to spend more effort on the styling than actually improving performance, personally I would rather the other way round.

The Mustang has fresher clothes, a V8 and +2 seating, so would probably still get the nod if I was in the market for a £30k fun car.