Ace of Base: Nissan 370Z Coupe

Matthew Guy
by Matthew Guy

There’s not much new in the 2017 Nissan 370Z, and it has largely been that way since Nissan introduced it way back in, uh, wow, 2009.

Sure, an equivalently priced Mustang or Camaro is arguably more modern with better technology, but you’ll never find one of those models in this series. Why? Because, in your author’s humble opinion, buying either of those cars with the base engine is as pointless as an ashtray on a motorcycle.

The Z, though? That’s a different story.

There’s no shame in signing the note for a base Z, where $29,990 nets buyers a slick-looking rear-wheel drive coupe with double-wishbone suspension and a 3,300-pound curb weight. Nissan’s ubiquitous 3.7-liter DOHC V6 makes 332 horsepower in this application and the aftermarket support for go-fast goodies is vast. The snick-snick six-speed manual doesn’t have Synchro Rev Match at this price but hey, you know how to heel-and-toe, right?

The fast cut of the Z’s roofline recalls the same styling flourish in the mighty GT-R. While certain dusty corners of the internet have grumbled that Godzilla is getting a bit long in the tooth, no one can argue the benefits of a familial resemblance to a vehicle capable of achieving sub-3.0 second 0-60 times.

A next-generation Z is rumored to be in the works, but it may not immediately follow the path of this model. It’s very unlikely the V6 will return, being supplanted by a polar-bear friendly, downsized turbo-four. Appreciate this naturally aspirated Z while you can.

Refreshingly, Nissan sees fit not to charge extra for seven of the eight shades offered on the Z palette. The new-for-2017 Chicane Yellow is my color of choice because I am an obnoxious extrovert. Its $0 Deep Blue Pearl is also acceptable. American customers can option a delicious Black Cherry hue not offered north of the border.

But for those Canucks, the deal is even better. Nissan’s Zed in base trim is priced only eight dollars higher than an equal American version, equating to (at today’s exchange rate) a few shades over $23,000. Now that’s an Ace of Base.

Not every base model has aced it. The ones which have? They help make the automotive landscape a whole lot better. What do you think of this choice, B&B? Let us know in the comments. Naturally, feel free to eviscerate our selection.

The model above is shown with American options and is priced in Freedom Dollars. As always, your dealer may sell for less.

Matthew Guy
Matthew Guy

Matthew buys, sells, fixes, & races cars. As a human index of auto & auction knowledge, he is fond of making money and offering loud opinions.

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  • RRocket RRocket on Sep 07, 2016

    Since the Canada angle was brought up....a Mustang GT costs $5K more here than a 370Z. And the 370z is an impressive performer. I remember a few comparos where it was as quick as a Cayman around a track. No small feat.

  • Jagboi Jagboi on Sep 07, 2016

    By "doesn’t have Synchro Rev Match" does that mean the tranmission doesn't have syncromesh? I thought that disappeared in car transmissions in the 60's, if not earlier? I've driven a non syncro transmission and double clutching each change isn't a lot of fun in city driving. The straight cut gear whine of first gear in a 3.8 Jaguar E Type is a great noise though...

    • See 1 previous
    • JMII JMII on Sep 08, 2016

      @rpn453 The system just rev matches, basically it does the heel-toe for you. It adjusts RPM based on the vehicles speed and your gear selection. It can handle gear skips too, IE: downshifts from 5th to 3rd for engine braking while coming to a stop on the street (not recommended on track). I assume double clutching has no effect on it, as mentioned its a throttle-by wire computer trick. I think it would be a fun feature. I can heel-toe in traffic in my Z, but can't manage it on track. I think its due to not having racing seats with a harness. As is I can't pivot the ball of my foot and roll onto the gas with my heel because all my weight is on my foot as I fight to keep myself in the seat. Its no biggie as I'm not looking for ultimate lap time and thus no trail braking or doing any mid-corner downshifts as these upset the balance of the car. I don't have the talent to recover is such situations.

  • CanadaCraig You can just imagine how quickly the tires are going to wear out on a 5,800 lbs AWD 2024 Dodge Charger.
  • Luke42 I tried FSD for a month in December 2022 on my Model Y and wasn’t impressed.The building-blocks were amazing but sum of the all of those amazing parts was about as useful as Honda Sensing in terms of reducing the driver’s workload.I have a list of fixes I need to see in Autopilot before I blow another $200 renting FSD. But I will try it for free for a month.I would love it if FSD v12 lived up to the hype and my mind were changed. But I have no reason to believe I might be wrong at this point, based on the reviews I’ve read so far. [shrug]. I’m sure I’ll have more to say about it once I get to test it.
  • FormerFF We bought three new and one used car last year, so we won't be visiting any showrooms this year unless a meteor hits one of them. Sorry to hear that Mini has terminated the manual transmission, a Mini could be a fun car to drive with a stick.It appears that 2025 is going to see a significant decrease in the number of models that can be had with a stick. The used car we bought is a Mk 7 GTI with a six speed manual, and my younger daughter and I are enjoying it quite a lot. We'll be hanging on to it for many years.
  • Oberkanone Where is the value here? Magna is assembling the vehicles. The IP is not novel. Just buy the IP at bankruptcy stage for next to nothing.
  • Jalop1991 what, no Turbo trim?
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