Nissan 370Z – My first introduction to the ‘Z’ cars was a friend who had a Datsun 240Z in the late 70’s. Here was a sports car that looked good, was very balanced between performance and ride/handling and affordable for the masses.
It was a revolution to me, a young, late teen, impressionable car fanatic.
The date is now 2019 and I am in my late 50’s, thinner on top and thicker everywhere else. The years have been much kinder to the 370Z than they have been to me. At 50 it’s still a good looking car, yes a little larger everywhere than the lithe 240Z version, but more the George Clooney, older but stylish.
The Z made its global debut with the 240Z in 1969. Following the 240Z, the 260Z and 280ZX followed, before the first Nissan badged 300ZX arrived. The Nissan 350Z went on sale at the start of the century before the current generation Nissan 370Z was unveiled at the 2008 LA Auto Show.
On sale now, the Nissan 370Z 50th Anniversary Edition is priced at $53,490 (MSRP)* for the manual variant, and $55,990* for the automatic alternative.
* Manufacturer Suggested Retail Prices (MSRP) are provided for media purposes only and do not include statutory charges or other on-road costs
Nissan 370 Z 50th Anniversary Style
The Nissan 370Z 50th Anniversary Edition’s distinctive two-tone colour scheme, in red and white and silver and black, is based off the #46 BRE (Brock Racing Enterprises) Datsun 240Z that won the 1970 and 1971 SCCA National Championships in the US.
Nissan 370 Z 50th Anniversary External Updates
Based off the standard Coupe, the model has the following exterior updates:
- 50th anniversary badging features on the rear of the car and the surrounds of the indicators on the front quarter panels
- White body with a red bonnet, a-pillars that connect through to the boot, side mirrors and two signature stripes on the side of the car (or)
- Silver body with a black bonnet, roof a-pillars that connect through to the boot, side mirrors and two signature stripes on the side of the car
- Along the side of the car, a thin line runs from the headlight to the rear glass, culminating in a small triangle inspired by the C-pillar of the Datsun 240Z
- Updated 19 inch wheels, incorporating red rings
Nissan 370 Z 50th Anniversary Internal Updates
Inside, the Nissan 370Z 50th Anniversary interior has also been refreshed, including red highlights that add to the premium feel of the cabin. It includes:
- Red leather mesh on the seats incorporating the 50th anniversary wreath around the Z logo
- Red stitching on the doors, knee pad, C Cluster and steering wheel – the latter also adding the red centre mark
- There are red highlights on the shift knob and the shifter boot, plus a 50th anniversary logo.
- A 50th anniversary logo on the tachometer
- Dark chrome Z logo on the kick plates and a black finisher
Nissan 370 Z 50th Anniversary Engine and Drivetrain
This 2020 special edition Nissan 370Z is powered by Nissan’s 3.7 litre V6 engine, which outputs 245kW of power at 7,000rpm and 363Nm of torque at 5,200rpm.
The 50th Anniversary model comes equipped with a close-ratio, 6-speed manual gearbox that features a synchronised downshift rev-matching system called SynchroRev Match®, or a 7-speed automatic with Downshift Rev Matching, paddle shifters and adaptive shift control designed to offer quick, manual-like shifting when operated in manual mode.
It’s still a smooth drive, perhaps not quite as much a simple pleasure as the 240Z but way more sophisticated and more befitting the current buyer demographic.
Nissan 370 Z 50th Anniversary Model Details
Complementing the interior updates, the Nissan 370Z 50th anniversary edition comes with satellite navigation with 3D mapping and a 7-inch integrated colour display with touch screen and steering wheel-mounted controls.
Including intelligent keyless entry, push button start, Bluetooth handsfree phone and cruise control as standard, the Nissan 370Z also has heated seats, a leather accented steering wheel and gear shift lever and automatic climate control.
Nissan 370 Z 50th Anniversary Summary
We only had a brief drive in the 50th Anniversary model, but that was enough to reinforce my love of this type of car. In a world that is heading at a rapid pace towards SUVs and what seems like an inevitable paradigm shift towards electric and alternative powered vehicles, the 370Z represents a throwback to simpler days when life was fun.
There are few competitors to the 370Z and we will have a full drive review in a few weeks and I’m really looking forward to that.
