Fast Cool Cars          2009-2010 Nissan 370Z

2009 - 2010 Nissan 370Z : 7 Speed with GT-R's dual-clutch - The lighter and more powerful Nissan 370Z coupe and roadster could take its first formal bows in January at the 2009 North American International Auto Show prior to going on sale in the fall of 2009. That is not to say Nissan can’t jump the gun and opt to unveil the new sports car this November at the 2008 L.A. auto show. Either way, the car is being designed as a formidable placeholder below the hot Nissan GT-R, while still leaving room for an affordable front-wheel-drive car positioned below the Z. The big news, as evidenced by the name change from 350Z to 370Z, is the 3.7-liter V-6 that goes under the hood. The bigger engine, which produces 330 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque in the Infiniti G37, will power a new Z that is lighter than the one it replaces—a perfect recipe for fun. Icing on the cake is speculation it may borrow the seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission from the GT-R “Both performance and design are much more sporty,” is how Shiro Nakamura, Nissan senior vice president and chief creative officer, describes the 2010 370Z for us. The design of the second-generation roadster represents a “super evolution,” the design chief says in a recent interview. The expectation is that the new Z is wider and shorter.