Dollars & Sense on Wheels: This Z stands for Nissan

A long ways from the 240Z. A look at all thing's automotive. This week's review by Scott Burgess of the Detroit News.

Pick a number, any number. Then put a Z after it and you know it will go fast. Just try zig zagging slowly.

It's been 40 years since Nissan introduced its sports car to America.

Back then, it was the Datsun 240Z. The only thing the newest member of the sport's car legacy has in common with the Datsun is the Z.

The 2010 Nissan 370Z roadster , with a sticker price over $37,000, advances the stellar 370Z another step with its comfortable ride and rip-roaring, seat-of-your-pants cornering that will leave a big smile on your mug and your hair ruined by the wind.

The downside to many roadster versions of their hard top counterpart is handling. Convertibles are typically heavier and less agile. When a car replaces its roof with air, the entire body becomes less rigid and carmakers try to add support under the body but still have trouble making it as stable as the hard top model. It can leave the car twisting and turning in the wind, so to speak.

The 370Z roadster, however, never left me feeling like I was driving the under-performing half brother of the regular 370Z. It hauls.

The 3.7-liter gives the roadster excellent power, 332 horsepower and 270 pound feet of torque. Nissan uses aluminum on the hood, door panel and trunk to help the convertible weigh in close to the regular model.

When the roadster launches, you can feel it in your stomach as the carbon fiber driveshaft sends all that power to the rear wheels. Ramps to highways become rollercoaster rides in this roadster.

Technology is impressive
My six-speed manual was just as delightful. It was smooth and the short throws allow for quick shifting without ever missing a spot.

Nissan has included SyncroRev Match with the manual to allow for throttle blips on downshift where the engine revs jump to match the lower gear, eliminating the engine braking. It's good to see technology replacing heel-toe shifting. Every time I attempt that, I feel like the car is about to eject me through the windshield.

While that may sound a little technical, I can try to simplify: it's really cool and makes you think you're a better driver.

Nissan is the first to offer this feature on a manual transmission.

The technology Nissan uses on this roadster is impressive and seamless. You never notice the technology, only its results.

The throttle is a drive-by-wire system and feels perfectly calibrated. The variable speed power rack-and-pinion steering is firm through any corner at any speed. This car has racer written all over it.

But it is not a stripped down kind of racer, sacrificing luxury for the sake of speed.

The fully independent suspension keeps the car connected to the road but it's never harsh or overbearing. When you're high-speed cruising, the 370Z roadster seems to sit back and let you enjoy the ride.

With the top up, the ride was surprisingly quiet. The thick black cloth roof muffles out almost everything from the outside and the car is nicely sealed up. The only detriment in Michigan winters would be its light body and rear-wheel-drive platform that may not handle snow and ice very well. When I drove the 370Z last winter, it still had summer tires on it and I found myself stuck in a Dunkin' Donuts drive-through and a parking space.

Then again, if there's that much snow and ice on the road, maybe you should just sleep in.

But even if this car gets stuck, it looks great. The L-shaped headlights and LED taillights almost look like check marks, as if God wanted to cross super cool roadster off his list.

The previous generation Z, the 350Z, had a more rounded snub nose and was more polarizing and looked funky at different angles. Sometimes I would see it and I wouldn't like it; other times, I would.

The new Z looks good from every angle. The roadster looks even better with the top down.

There's a more compact feel to the exterior. Nissan tightened the car's wheelbase by 4 inches and cut its overall length by 2 inches.

The cockpit of this roadster is luxurious. My touring model included heated and cooled leather seats, aluminum pedals, two 12-volt power outlets (one to charge the phone, the other for the radar detector), and a host of other features.

The three optional gauges on the top of the dash, canted slightly toward the driver, demonstrating how everything is driver centric.

The eight-speaker Bose stereo allows the passenger to join in some of the fun, but really this car caters to the driver.

While the drop top eats up a lot of trunk space, like most roadsters, this car was made for driving, not carrying stuff.

That's been the motto for the Z ever since it arrived in North America. It rewards drivers who relish winding roads and open highways. This Z is no exception.