My Impressions of the NISMO 370Z VS Touring
 

I broke 1500 miles in my Nismo yesterday. I think I have had enough time to feel her out and give a good comparison between it and my old Touring 7AT.

First the bad news. As I mentioned before, the trucker who delivered my Nismo to the dealer lowered the ramp on to the front fascia and completely wrecked it. The dealer promised me a new one ASAP. Now Nissan USA says that the fascia is currently out of production and they have no idea when it will go back in to production. This means I am indefinitely stuck with a brand new car with a front bumper held on by zip ties and prayers. Grrr! :mad:

Now the good news. I whole heartedly disagree with just about the entirety of Edmunds comparison between the two models.

Suspension is the obvious place to start quantifying differences between the two models, because its is the most noticeable. The Touring 7AT is setup for a novice driver with a noticeable predilection for understeer. The NISMO is setup for an intermediate to experienced driver with balanced power-on handling and a bit of oversteer power-off. That being said watch out! In the 7AT I could easily feel when I was approaching the grip limit. The Nismo still gives a warning but is more subtle and requires a much faster reaction. The chassis is noticeably stiffer all around and body roll is almost dialed out. However, I think the Nismo 370 could still benefit from a stiffer front anti-roll bar. Keep in mind that I had 285 Rear and 245 front on my 7AT, the same as on the Nismo.

Drivetrain is about the same, as the componentry is only slightly different. The 6MT vs 7AT is still not a debate I can make a ruling on. The 7AT is a great transmission with powerful precise shifts and great gear selection. The 6MT is also fantastic, but it has had some problems reported by other users. It really comes down to personal preference (unless you go Nismo then the choice is made). The stock viscous LSD on the Nismo may not be the best track setup, but on the road it stands head and shoulders above the open diff of my 7AT. The only mods I could justify on my Nismo are a light-weight flywheel and clutch combo (I don't like the engagement of the stock clutch, because of its unnecessarily long stroke) and 2-piece rotors with higher performance pads. This motor wants to rev and it's heavy flywheel is a hinderance.

The Engine/exhaust has a noticeable deeper growl. :tup: Nissan claims that +18HP is derived via exhaust and engine tune. I would like to get a 6MT non-nismo on a dyno the same time as my nismo, because I think the power-band is different. It feels as though bottom end torque has suffered, but 5500-7000 is beastly and pulls much harder than it did in my last 370. The exhaust note from 5500-7000, under load, is art. :driving:

I won't comment on style changes, as they are all personal preference, except to say that I love the lines of this car and the red stitching.
My one and only gripe is the stereo. Which is garbage, but easily fixed.

Just 4 the sake of precision and understanding...
You are comparing a touring "WITHOUT" Sport package 7A/T to the NISMO correct?

Wow - good read - but you should really compare it to a sport package Z... im pretty sure the chassis rigidity is identical

Shouldn't be.

Road & Track Magazine - 2010 Nismo 370Z (4/2009)
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The car's handling has been improved, too, via stiffer suspension. Compared to the standard setup, front spring rates have been dialed up 15 percent, and rear spring rates increased 10 percent. There are also fatter anti-roll bars at both ends. Overall, roll stiffness has been increased by 15 percent, says Nissan, and the front and rear damping factors have been increased by 40 percent and 140 percent respectively. Although the ride quality will be harsher, the Nismo Z will undoubtedly take corners better and be faster around a racetrack.
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Umm its compared to the "standard" setup - me thinks thats talking about non sport... I do agree the coils are different w/ the nismo but thats about it...

Comparing Touring (non-sport) 7AT to Nismo. Hope that clarifies any questions.

In addition to the coils are the front and rear body dampers. As well as the addition of positive downforce as apposed to negative in non-sport, and neutral in sport configuration. I had almost 23K miles on my first 370 (suspensions are the same on sport and non-sport 370Zs only the wheels, tires(both of the former i have addressed), brakes, and differential differ. Say what you will about the Nismo, but I'll bet my bottom dollar that in the hands of an unbiased professional driver (read as "the stig") the Nismo will be measurably faster than both the base and sport 370Z.

Good write up but very predictable in the sense that a basic Z (touring option) is more like a 2 seat touring car. (Not by amenities package but by function) compared to the sport pkg that bumps it up to true sports n nismo bumps it up to track.
A sport/nismo comparo would really hav more of an impact as far as a significant comparison.

Well, we kno edmunds sucks... but C&D hav some serious drivers. They always pull the highest times than the rest of the mags. They pulled 5.2 n 13.5 in a 1500 mile car.
They expecting after a few months of break in. Maybe 4.8 13.3
Which is still .02 seconds slower than 7at spt pkg. I mean no big deal of difference but...
The extra stuff does give a handling advantage in the nismo. More downforce, etc... but the nismo also adds like 67lbs in junk n the 18hp doesn't even give it any edge.
Don't get me wrong. I'm sure it has some impressive attributes. But for 6k I can make it a 1.02 g handler myself which would be .03 more than nismo n remove 80 lbs more n see me doin it 4.3/12.7

I see no mention of chassis-rigidity in that blurb. Care to point it out?

As shabarivas mentioned, chassis-rigidity is identical among the entire 370Z Coupe lineup, regardless of trim-level or packages.

Nothing personal but..That's still just the age old tale of comparing a modded car with a stock one. Prices aside.. I always say, for it to be fair. Both cars would have to have the same amount of "extra modifications" . So the Nismo with an 80lb diet and a 6k expense account?

So how would both cars compare now? ;)

First, the handling between Sport and non-Sport is negligible as the only thing done that could affect it is the wheels and tires. And they don't make much of a difference.

Second, the Nismo body dampers very well could change the overall chassis rigidity. And of course the springs are much stiffer so the Nismo having a better handling feel should come as no surprise at all.

So he thinks the handling of the Nismo is a bit better. Well good, it should be. No reason to be butt hurt over it.

I have driven a Nismo recently and I must say I am not that excited about it. It's definitely stiffer and anybody who plans to only take their car to the track and back home should definitely go with Nismo. Since I own a Touring Sport 7AT I can tell with complete certainty that it's better than nismo if you plan to drive it any significant amount on the road. It will still do good on track, possibly faster but not better.

Also, sport does get the vlsd as well.

Aren't fatter anti-roll bars used to stiffen the chassis? :confused:

Yea but any serious Z will upgrade sways ... and coils ... which puts me leagues ahead of the nismo... what differentiated the old nismo was the seam welded-ness

Nismo's front and rear springs and sway bars are different. Body dampers designed to control body roll and the front strut bar is stiffened. These things will make the car and body stiffer. Only thing I wish is that it was seam welded like the 350 Nismo. Two weeks until track day(road course)!!!!!!!!!!

im sure the front and rear body dampers will be available anyways, at a steep price.

90% track / 10% road -- get the Nismo
10% track / 90% road -- get the Touring with SP

The rear suspension of the Nismo is incredibly stiff and might be too punishing for some. Furthermore, I noticed the leather on the steering wheel of the Nismo is much smoother to the touch vs the standard Z, I find this strange since it's less "grippy" than the standard wheel.

No.

OK, how about "has a similar effect as a stiffer chassis" as in less body lean during cornering, etc, better?

Chassis-stiffness != suspension-stiffness.

I think everyone's taking this too technical. The thing is stiffer. No, it is not seam welded and the chassis is actually the same. But everything else has been changed to stiffen up the car as much as possible. Who cares anyway? If you want the Nismo get it. If you're upset because you didn't hold out stop crying. It doesn't matter.

Ha ha this is not a pissing match CB... And the reasons forums exist is to devle into whatever technical limits we can...

And yes - chassis stiffness is ENTIRELY different than suspension stiffness... one affects the compression rebound body roll while the other affects lateral torque and front / back flexing of the body of the car...

I'm just upset that I'm still driving a 2006 350Z. :(


:D

Wow! A lot to address. Body Dampers, of which in total there are six, do make a difference in chassis rigidity.

the 90-10 comparison is completely subjective. I drive 99 Road and >1% track. The Nismo is simply more fun to drive, better to look at, and all around a better sports car. If you are scared of a few more bumps, don't buy one. I enjoy them because I see both sides of the compromise.

Personally, I like my sports cars to over-steer just a bit rather than plow like both the base and sport 370s do. I also addressed that the only performance difference between my base touring and a sport were the differential and the brakes (I had 285s r and 245s f). The brakes, as we all know, will certainly make the car stop shorter, but also act detrimentally to the handling of the car.

No offense to Edmund's or Car&Driver, but I had 22K miles on my first Z a 350 and 22K on my first 370. As well as countless thousands behind the wheel of the following: C6 'Vette, C6 ZO6, Turbo IS300, and Mazdaspeed 6. No one can tell me that I am not qualified to judge if one car is superior to another.

That being said I don't doubt at all that a base 370Z 7AT could marginally win against me in my Nismo at a drag strip. If you buy any Z to drag you bought the wrong car.

The last time I was in NC, the roads were smooth as babys bottom so nismo might be ok for you. Just trying going to one of your neighboring states, with it, VA or SC.

Good question. :)
I just don't see how an 8 extra inches help the car.
Don't really care about 20 NISMO MONIKERS.
And that extra .01G comes from wider tired only judging by mod specs!
The 18hp is good but wat does it translate in rwhp.
7400rpm reflash is ok but how is it aiding in better track times?
See the NISMO is not quite stock. Its facory mod. Which is a middle ground.
It can be challeged by mildly modded vehicles as well as stock.
The nismo has alotta cool stuff but just doesn't seem to be projecting superiority over the sport package.
What NISMO COULDA USED.
Stiffened chassis
More weight reduction. Should be 50lbs lighter not 80 heavier.
Headers shoulda been in the package

Truth is. Nismo doesn't have a competitor at 35 to 45k
So it gets its respect in the general auto market.
BUT IN HOUSE. Z AGAINST Z.
It doesn't prove itself a worthy contender at 6 to 7 more grand.
I DO BELIEVE BY 2011 OR 2012 IT WILL BE. WHAT IT SHOULD BE NOW THOUGH!
I have faith in Nissan to improve its flaws. They always do though its never as fast as we like it 2 b. Lol
I think the 370z is better than the 350. But I think the 350 NISMO WAS A MUCH MORE SERIOUS TRACK CAR.

Lol... a lil over emotional bro.
Look, in the end if u r happy in ya Nismo is all that matters.
I don't ride the drag strip. I just used it as an example.
N uwith very similar power.
Your only chance of winning a race is pure skill. Not that yours is a nismo n the other guy has a sport. I use to illegal race for a long time. I seen some miracle wins in my day.
Vettes gettin blown out by modded integras. 5.0 stangs blowin porsches.
It all translated really to skill. Cuz once the horspower is at the wheels. Its all on u to handle it properly. I got 90k miles in a fully modded 93 rx7 n 60k in a mildly modded g35.
Not to mention grand nationals, silvias, corvette. Protoge fully modded n a few other cars I had the pleasure of driving. Both fwd n rwd.
N really all I'm saying is I expect a base 370 to be inferior. It better be with $10k between base n nismo. Remember. The touring doesn't mean nothing. Its just interior amenities that u opted to pay for n has nothing to do with performance.

It's not clear that the NISMO is heavier. In fact, it may be lighter than the Base MT + Sport, or Touring MT + Sport. According to this article a Touring MT + Sport is at 3,373 lbs (3,278 + 95). This would make the sport package about 95 lbs. If so, a Base MT + SP would weigh 3,327 (3,232 +95). The NISMO is listed by Nissan at 3,300 lbs.

I have and I drive 110 miles a day on some of Virginias worst. The ride is no problem unless your a pussy. :D

great review-thanks!

ok, now I can reread...hehehe:tup:

I was at the auction yesterday, and there was a Nismo 350Z there with 22k miles, so I took it to the test track at the auction, and I was very VERY impressed at the handling. To tell you the truth, I thought it handled a lot better than my 370Z/SP...I don't care much for the looks of neither of the Nismos because they look too spaceship-py. However, it's one of those cars, that I think I will fall in love with the looks due to it's handling, ya know what I mean? hehehe..

The test track is a short strip that you can take any car and test it out before you bid, and I took that N-350 and gunned it and made a sharp 360 turn, and I was very impressed by how well it held ground when I did that at high speed

I had a New 2013 Touring 6mt Sport Z and changed out the tires and rims Volk TE37 SL 295 rear and 245 front. Track the car 6 times and I can tell you she was very soft but much better with the new Wheel set up. It road like a Sport Touring Car . The seats were very un comfortable ; I am 6 feet 210lbs. The tyranny was noisy but I was told that was normal. I now own a 2015 Nismo. The Nismo is a stiffer ride but I like that as the Z corners better and feels like a race Car. The tyranny is 6mt and is quite and the shifts are better and the 3.96 gears make the car more quicker in the 4-5 rpm range. The Recaro seats are much more comfortable and hold you in place. Over all I like the feel and ride of the Nismo and especially the look. I did replace the wheels and tires with the exact package on the 2013 with Volk TE37 SL.