Less than a year after the successful introduction of the new, more sport-oriented 370Z coupe, Nissan, maker of the Fairlady Z, as it is known at home in Japan, decided to go topless by offering the 370Z Roadster for 2010.

Is this merely a chop shop job or one that has the refinement to place itself squarely into competition with cars like the Audi TT, Mazda MX-5 Miata, the Lexus IS C, BMW Z4, and its own cousin, the Infiniti G37 convertible?

In Silicon Valley, California, the home of Apple, Yahoo, Google and the like, it’s hardly a surprise to see everything from Tesla Roadsters to vintage Ferraris and even the occasional Koenigsegg CCX. Financed by wallets of the survivors from the halcyon days of the dot com era, glitz, glamor and opulence are still en vogue here.

Yet as a topless figure walking the streets would command the attention of passersby, so too does the new Z-Roadster. Pedestrians, as well as drivers of cars far hotter than the 370Z would cast longer than passing glances along the flanks of the two-seater as we waited for traffic lights.

If you are a fan of the 370Z coupe, you will love the Roadster. Sharing most of the same components as the enclosed cabin model, it goes further and refines the interior with taller backed and ventilated seats, rollover bars, and the like. But in lopping off the roof, some other cars would lose some of their hardtop mojo.

Not so the Z.

Something’s fishy
The catfish grille is still here, and so too, the front clip. From the rear of the doors to the taillights of the rear fascia, you’ll notice all new sheetmetal, but none of the strengthening that exists underneath to prevent torsioning of the unibody. We were impressed with the tightness of the overall package, even though our examples were pre-production models. By the numbers, the torsional stiffness to the front and rear has been increased by 40 percent, and 45 percent respectively. Overall, the entire weight of the 370Z is 150 pounds lighter than the outgoing 350Z roadster, but 200 pounds heavier than the 370Z Coupe.

To our eyes, the new Z has improved on an already handsome look. Twin spyder-style bulges on the rear deck blend into the trunk lid that has been reshaped to account for a lack of fastback as seen on the Coupe. Under the bulges lie the canvas convertible roof, which opens and stows in 19 seconds. Available in black or dark red Bordeaux (only available with wine interior) it is a flowing roof that is more successful than roofs with buttresses like the Saturn Sky and BMW 6-Series.

The coupe’s oomph
As in the Coupe version, the 332-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 engine is back for a curtain call. With its 270 lb-ft. of torque and its Variable Valve Event and Lift control, it offers a 26-horsepower increase over the 3.5-liter engine that it replaced in the previous roadster. The longitudinally mounted V6 is mated to a rev-matching six-speed manual transmission. Giving a brief blip to the throttle, it helps to make downshifting smoother without a loss in throttle response when exiting a turn. For weight savings, power is transmitted to the rear differential by a carbon fiber composite driveshaft.

The handling kit on the 370Z roadster unibody is comprised of a double wishbone aluminum suspension setup with twin tube shock absorbers and a stabilizer bar in front. At the rear, is an independent multi-link aluminum suspension, again with twin tube shocks, and a standard stabilizer bar. Our Touring trim model included sport brakes with four pot calipers squeezing the 14-inch ventilated rotors in front. The rear clamps were of the two-pot sort, for the 13.8-inch rear rotors. Also part of the package: a quad of Rays 19-inch wheels shod with summer season Bridgestone Potenzas.

By the numbers, the Roadster tips in the scales with a curb weight of 3497-pounds for a manual transmission-equipped Touring model. The EPA has rated the roadster, with both the manual and automatic transmissions at 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.

Upside open: What’s inside
Peel back the cloth lid and there’s a lot that’s familiar. The control pod, comprised of the gauge binnacle that swivels up and down when the steering wheel is adjusted, returns in the Roadster. So, too, the digital driver information screen on the left side of the tachometer. A “squared-off’ steering wheel features Bluetooth, audio and cruise controls, all in familiar places. A center stack with three dash-mounted gauges are perched atop the center stack which, in the case of our non-navigation test model, had a large storage compartment above the Bose audio system. Climate controls lie below, and lead through a sweeping center console to the short throw shifter. Behind that are the all-essential (depending on your climate) seat ventilation controls.

The supportive high-back seats offer good bolstering and help the 370Z Roadster result in a refreshed driver at the end of the day. Small storage shelves located directly behind the seats are big enough for cameras, a purse or even an overnight duffel. Anything larger will take up space in the trunk, which Nissan claims, with some finesse, will accommodate a full size golf bag. A glass baffle with the “Z” logo is placed between the roll bars in an effort to combat wind buffeting that would otherwise ruin an enjoyable ride.

Coupe-like performance
The twisty roads around San Jose are a driver’s dream come true and, for the most part, we found the 370Z a willing companion.

The well-bolstered seats kept us in place, but we wish the seating position was a bit lower. At the end of the day – or the beginning, depending on where you’re headed – the sun’s rays poked right over the top of the windshield and directly into our line of sight. A baseball cap and some stylin’ Blue Blockers would really have come in handy since the sun’s rays weren’t dampened by the windshield.

Despite our cautious driving – we know the California Highweay Patrol is on a revenue kick to refill that depleted state coffer in Sacramento – the 370Z nonetheless surprised us with its tight build quality and a surefootedness that begged us not to go easy.

Why you would buy it:
The 370Z, Nissan’s best and truest Z since the original, doesn’t offer a sunroof for sun worshippers.

Why you wouldn’t:
You’re saving your shekels for big brother GT-R

Leftlane’s bottom line
Nissan continues to impress us with its fresh designs and innovative thinking. The new 370Z Roadster is the second part of a left-right (or should it be a one-two combination?) combination of solid hits to show this company is on a roll.

2010 Nissan 370Z Roadster Touring base price, $41,240. As tested, $44,040.
Sport package, $2,800

Words and photos by Mark Elias.

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