At 120 MPH in the 2009 Nissan 370Z my friend Dan calmly asks if we're going over 100 MPH, proving you can go fast without feeling fast. But where's the fun in that?

When Nissan reintroduced the Z to the U.S. in the form of the 350Z they didn't just resurrect a beloved nameplate, they reminded us of a time when you could have a fun and athletic Japanese car without spending a fortune or driving something that looked like an octopus.

For 2009, the 370Z improves on the previous model in almost every measurable category. With the increase in displacement comes an increase in power and torque, to 332 HP and 270 lb-ft, respectively. With that 26 HP boost comes a weight decrease of almost 100 pounds to a svelte 3,232 pounds.

It's also quicker, achieving 60 MPH in a scant 5.1 seconds (auto; the manual runs 4.7) thanks to the improved power-to-weight ratio and two new gearboxes. There's the 6-speed manual with SynchroRev Match downshifts, essentially mimicking the old heel-and-toe. Then there's the new, paddle-shifted 7-speed close-ratio automatic transmission. Normally, we wouldn't spend any time talking about the automatic transmission but, due to some bad karma, an autotragically-equipped Z is what we got.

Sadly, a lot of people are going to buy the car with this transmission. It appeals to people who want a sports car for looks and image, but neither have the time or inclination just to drive. I do like to drive rear-wheel-drive sports cars because they're the most fun, even for a driver like me.

This is why Dan and I ditched the city and our ladyfriends for the weekend, setting out for BFE Houston's rural Montgomery Country. Actually, we went further out than Egypt because, sadly, Egypt, Texas is now a suburb. Our mission? To find the two treasures of the thick Piney Woods of Texas: long stretches of unsupervised woods and BBQ sandwiches out of a shack.

In the dense suburban traffic between the city and the unspoiled woodlands a few of the vehicle's unfortunate quirks reveal themselves. The sharp, sculpted exterior and aggressively angular greenhouse make for a pleasant exterior but essentially rob the vehicle of visibility. Combine the low driving position with the lack of glass and the aluminum strut brace running behind the front seats acts sort of like a mid-mounted engine, obscuring rearward vision. Sadly, that doesn't translate to mid-engine-like forward visibility, which is more like a front-engine muscle car in that you have to look over the bulging hood to see the road in front, restricting vision further, which in turn restricts speed.

Finally, we make our way to the right road, as signified by the occasional passing biker and lack of driveways or cross streets. This is where the fun starts, where having lots of power going through the rear wheels, a well-tuned suspension and nothing better to do on a Saturday morning pays off. Or, at least, where it should pay off.

As mentioned, the new 370Z is better in almost every measurable category. The one subjective category where it fails to meet high expectations is giddy enjoyment. How can a car be better and simultaneously less fun? It's a philosophical difference because, as is, the new Z is a great car.

It's the difference between President Obama and President Clinton. Both are liberal Democrats but the latter gave us sex/drugs/violence and the former just gives us macroeconomic policy lessons. Drama makes for awesome television, competence doesn't.

Compared to the ubiquitous 3.5-liter VQ V6 in the 350Z the rush of awesome-yet-fleeting power has been replaced with a stronger, yet flatter power curve from the new 3.7-liter V6. Run through the well spaced 7-speed, this allows me to avoid hitting the shift paddles every 10th of a second. This is "better" but unrewarding. I want to launch my pelvis backwards into the persimmon-colored seat all at once, but this new Z wants to deliver a faster, but controlled and prudent experience.

The handling has also been improved from the previous version with a new double-wishbone front suspension and lighter/firmer parts all around. Paired with precise steering the new Z takes to the corners like a scalpel, exhibiting almost no understeer nor much oversteer when pushed hard. Well, at least as hard as I can push it. There's barely a hint of roll and grip to spare. These are the ingredients for a great sports car but I don't want a scalpel. I don't drive to shave seconds off my lap time on this country road. I drive to break things. I want a sledgehammer.

Fearful of attracting police attention and a little disappointed with the experience, we head out in search of barbecue. We could use the built-in GPS system but, if you want good shack food, you wouldn't want a place you could easily find on a map. With little effort we find Holder's BBQ in Dobbin, Texas, home of the "Best BBQ sandwich in Montgomery County" according to the beaming and polite women behind the shack's window.

Boy, she wasn't lying. Slow-cooked beef with too much sauce drenched over pre-packed buns and served with extra salty fries never fails to disappoint. I start to think about what a Nissan engineer would do to make it better. They'd probably cut some size from the meat, which flows over the side of the sandwich and onto the plate. The bun, too, could be smaller. Oh, and they'd probably complain about Holder's having a sign shaped like a pig even though, inexplicably, they sell beef-based BBQ.

Maybe I'm too picky. Maybe some people don't like to eat off plastic trays or get sauce on their face. The new Z is better but, by being better, it's a worse car for a mediocre driver like me in search of thrills beyond just speed.

If your idea of fun is shaving seconds from your lap times around a sunny Nevada racetrack or you're an expert driver looking for a precise tool with which to exploit your skills, you'll appreciate the 370Z's stunningly competent performance. Just buy one with the 6-speed manual. It's also a great car if, like most buyers, you just want something that looks cool. But if, like me, you're only a mediocre driver and you're just looking for cheap thrills, then the new Z probably isn't the car for you. It's almost too competent for its own good.

Customers can start placing orders for the new 370Z today, to do so, they’ll need to spend at least $29,930 for the base 6-speed manual transmission. The price then goes up to $31,230 with the 7-speed Autobox or $35,760 if you plunk down for the auto Touring model with leather seats.

There’s two options packages: the $3,000 Sport Package brings 19-inch wheels, sticky tires, front and rear spoilers, bigger brakes, the controversial SynchroRev Match system and the limited slip differential; the $1,850 Navigation Package ads satellite navigation, a 9.3 GB hard drive to store music on and an iPod interface.

Today also marks the start of a new ad slogan for Nissan, “SHIFT_the way you move.” Previous slogans used “SHIFT_” but with different phrases for each product.

Nissan's press release follows:

Nissan Announces Pricing on All-New 2009 370Z Coupe
Revised Marketing Tagline "SHIFT_the way you move" Also Revealed

FRANKLIN, Tenn. (Dec. 30, 2008) – Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) gets an early start on the new year with the announcement of pricing of the all-new 2009 Nissan 370Z Coupe and a revised marketing tagline. The new Z® goes on sale today at Nissan dealers nationwide with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP)* starting at $29,930 for the 2009 Nissan 370Z Coupe equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission and $31,230 with the new 7-speed automatic transmission. The new Z® is also offered in a 370Z Coupe Touring model, which is priced at $34,460 with the 6-speed manual and $35,760 with the 7-speed automatic transmission.

Two option packages are offered: the Sport Package, priced at just $3,000, with 19-inch RAYS forged wheels and Bridgestone Potenza tires, aerodynamic front and rear spoiler, larger Nissan Sport Brakes, SynchroRev Match (6-speed manual transmission only) and Viscous Limited Slip Differential; and the Navigation Package, priced at $1,850, with Hard Drive-based Nissan Navigation System, 9.3GB Music Box Hard Drive and Interface System for iPod®.

As the most powerful Z® ever produced, the new 370Z hits dead center in the sports car "sweet spot" of performance, design and value – with less weight, more power and enhanced handling, quality and style. With a standard 332-horsepower 3.7-liter V6, choice of two advanced transmissions and a full array of driver-oriented interior features, the new 370Z is designed to be one of the top performance values in the world.

Also today Nissan announced the rollout of a revised marketing tagline: SHIFT_the way you move. Previously, SHIFT_ was used with multiple complement words, which varied by product or media application. The move to one set phrase "the way you move" reflects alignment of the direction Nissan is taking to meet changing consumer needs and wants.

"SHIFT_ has always been the core of Nissan's DNA. It is rethinking the ordinary, changing your point of view, and being original, forward thinking and challenging," said Christian Meunier, vice president, Nissan Marketing, NNA. "Our commitment to the philosophy of SHIFT_ has become even more critical as we look to the future and the pressures of economic and environmental change that are affecting consumer behavior in how they interact with and impact the world."

All Nissan national marketing materials will include the new SHIFT_the way you move tagline beginning in January.

[via Nissan]

This commercial for the new 370Z is a far cry from The Run promotional video made for the debut of the 350Z, but it's cool none-the-less. Just listen to the beautifully angry sounds made from the VQ37VHR 3.7-liter V6 and you'll agree it's almost as good as The Kinks.
Hat Tip to A. Kaiser!

[via The 370Z]

The Original Z

The biggest single influence on the original Z was Yutaka Katayama, affectionately referred to as the “Father of the Z”. In the pre-Z years, Katayama fell in love with the Jaguar XKE and viewed it as perfect; the epitome of the sports car. Fueled by Katayama’s passion and the acquisition of the Prince Motor Company (a small company of enthusiasts who birthed the Skyline) in 1966, Nissan put the Z into production during October of 1969. Badged as the Datsun Fairlady Z in Japan, this small GT gained huge acclaim for both its design and performance. When it came time to sell the Z in the U.S. the cars were shipped wearing the Fairlady badges, but Katayama felt strongly against using the Fairlady name in America and shifted to the numbered designation that we know today (the Fairlady name is still used in Japan). Despite this small discrepancy between the two markets, the Z quickly gained cult status here in America.

The New Z

Fast forward to today and you’ll see that same kind of passion in the new-for-2009 Nissan 370Z. The five-point design criteria for the original Z car was:

1.) A coupe design for safety and comfort.
2.) A style that would set it apart from other coupes.
3.) A design that allowed part sharing for lower development costs.
4.) An innovative use of design and technology.
5.) It had to be functional and fast.

The outgoing 350Z was a great attempt to rebirth these original design philosophies, but the car was portly; something the original Z was most definitely not. It appears Nissan's attempted to combat this, shortening the 370Z significantly and returning it to the 99-inch wheelbase, long regarded as the "perfect" sports car wheelbase. This cut in length translates into a lighter, more taught Z; the added horsepower doesn’t hurt either. Katayama would be proud.

Z vs. Z

These changes (and others) beg a comparison to the original car, so let's do that. Below we’ll dissect the design of the 2009 Nissan 370Z in each sector of the car — the front, the side, the rear, the interior and of course, the badging.

Front

Other than the twin protruding “teeth” in the grille, the most noticeable change to the front end of the 370Z is a set of controversial “boomerang” headlights mimicking the design language set forth by the new 2009 Maxima.
The lights now house LED turn signals as opposed to the 350Z’s bumper mounted set. Gone are the geometric shapes that dominated the front of the outgoing car and we welcome the new aggressively shaped mouth, the outer edge of which hints at its brethren, Nissan GTR. Add the lights to the toothy grin of the grille and you'll see a much more aggressive look to the 370Z and add a sense of depth to the front when compared to the outgoing model.

Side

The first thing you’ll notice on the side of the 370Z is the radically changed upper profile which now peaks sharply at the top of the A-pillar (more than a little reference to the GTR) and slopes quickly toward the rear of the car.
The new window shape is a distinct throwback to the original 1969 240Z and helps highlight the ultra aggressive rear fenders. The fender edges have also grown in size to add to the muscular new stance. The lower rocker area has been reshaped to help lessen the 370Z’s visual mass and provide interest to the previously dull body side. Also of note is the shorter wheelbase and overall length. If you look closely you’ll see that Nissan took most of the visual mass out of the front and rear overhangs, but less noticeable is the decreased surface area between the trailing door shut line and the rear wheel opening.
The controversial mechanically designed door handle returns, but in a more streamlined, delicate form. It features a raised touch surface for the keyless entry system; a feature similar to that found on the GT-R.

Rear

The muscular, shorter tail of the 370Z is clearly visible when directly compared with the 350Z. This is the view where the rear haunches are most noticeable; punching out from the rear fender sheet metal. The roof/hatch cut line sweeps quickly to the rear and forms the outer edge of the new “boomerang” style rear LED taillight. Gone is the rear wiper setup, providing a much cleaner look to the rear hatch glass which itself has been reshaped and now tucks in between two channels forming the top edge of the deck surface. The deck surface now sits taller with a taught trailing edge with an integrated CHMSL. The rear plate pocket sits lower in the fascia drawing your eye toward the two large tailpipes and pulls its shape from the 1984 300ZX model. Gone are the twin reverse lamps of the 350Z, replaced by a single lamp situated low on the fascia, between the tailpipes.

Interior

The new interior looks to be a vast improvement over the 350Z and follows in line with current Nissan/Infiniti interior design language as well as paying homage to the original 240Z. The 3 spoke steering wheel is taken from the new ‘09 Maxima as are the navigation and HVAC controls. The main adjustable gauge cluster retains its 3 pods with the tachometer taking center stage, the speedometer sitting to the right and to the left is a new driver information display containing all the secondary readouts. The instrument panel beltline remains low and wraps into the doors and the console sweeps into the center stack; design features from the original 240Z. The triple gauge pod returns at the top of the center stack and houses the oil and volt gauges as well as a clock, now located in the furthest binnacle. Continuing the tradition of current sporting Nissans is a push button start for the keyless entry system. Nissan even included a cup holder for your Big Gulp. The door skins feature a new cut and sew leather pad (also seen on the console), a huge improvement in comfort, though the passenger loses the door pull from the 350Z. The large cross support bar of the 350Z is gone, replaced by a smaller, stiffer bar that does not impede on rear storage space.

Badge

The design of the 2009 370Z badge resembles the outgoing model’s, but like the exterior of the car, the Z is now more crisp, more muscular and more purposeful; the perfect expression of this new model. It can be found on the front nose, the front fenders aft of the front wheels and prominently displayed on the airbag cover of the new steering wheel.

Conclusion

The 2009 Nissan 370Z arrives with the long hood, short rear deck proportion of the original 240Z and does so in a fresh and handsome new way. Although we'll have to see it in person to know for sure, so far this appears much less an evolution of the 350Z and more a homage to the original Z car design philosophies, something we wholeheartedly welcome.

It's also pretty likely we'll see that engine mated to your choice of either a seven-speed automatic, like the just-introduced G37 sedan, or with a manual transmission. But the real story here's going to be the reduction in size of the new "Z," as Nissan moves it to the FM platform, reducing the size from the 350Z's current 104.3-inch wheelbase to something just shy of 100 inches — taking it back to more sports car-esque roots.

We've also been told to expect a familiar-looking interior, but with significantly upgraded materials from the 350Z's oft-discounted plastic dash. We're told we'll find out for sure how close our renderings are come October 29th when we hear we'll see the first official photos of the car, and all the deets on the technical side should hit November 11th. Don't expect to see a roadster come next month, but don't toss it out as an optional reveal for later into the winter auto show schedule.

Some say he has a tattoo of a Saleen S7 on his rear end. Others tell us he was born with a penchant for oil rather than his mum's milk. All we know is he's called the Auto Insider and he's always ready to provide the scoop from the other side of Eight Mile.