German Car Zone

Dare To Compare


What comes after Z?, we wondered when Nissan let the stage go black in 1996 and officially bid farewell to the Z-car at an event at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. Sales of the twin-turbo 300ZX had been declining as fast as applications for library cards, so Nissan simply stopped selling the car in the U.S. It made us wonder where the Z fit in Nissan's future.

The answer came in 2002, when the Nissan 350Z appeared, a serious sports car that seemed to measure itself against the Corvette in both speed and style. It brought people back to Nissan, but lots of the young enthusiasts didn't know what an icon the Z had been for the company since its inception in 1970.

With the 2009 Nissan 370Z, all that changes. As a Z should be, the 370Z is a statement of purpose, not just another car on the showroom floor. With this second-generation version of the revitalized Z, the car has moved on from affordable performance to something that brings new descriptions into play — not only like quick, fast, strong and powerful, but also gorgeous, luxurious, nimble, graceful, delicate and smooth.

This is a car so good that it makes you wonder what kind of car it is: a sports car, a sport coupe or a muscle-bound pony car? And that's where the 2008 BMW 135i comes in, a pocket-size BMW M3 with an affordable price tag to match.

The Not-So-Secret Weapon
The 2009 Nissan 370Z is priced like a pony car, with an MSRP for the base model that will start a whisker below $30,000 (final pricing has yet to be announced before the car's official on-sale date in January). Our Z arrived with the Sport package ($3,500 est.) and a still-wet paint job in nail-polish red ($500 estimated) for an estimated total of $34,625.

During the Z-car's development, Nissan targeted the Porsche Cayman as the new Z-car's dynamic goal. But the 2009 Cayman makes only 265 horsepower from its new 2.9-liter flat-6 engine, and you'll have to up the ante by almost $10,000 for a 2009 Cayman S with 320 hp to come within reach of the Z's 332-hp 3.7-liter V6. Suddenly, you're looking at a price tag far above $50,000, and the Porsche Cayman at any price seems one-dimensional compared to the Z-car.

We found the answer in our long-term test fleet and our very own 2008 BMW 135i, with its already legendary twin-turbo 300-hp inline-6 and a $35,725 base price. (Our particular test car also includes $2,045 in options, but those are mostly dress upgrades.)

Unlike the Z-car, the BMW has a backseat, but it also has the same sense of being fully equipped with both performance and convenience equipment as the Z-car. In this it's like a baby M3, combining sports car performance with sport coupe practicality. And this is what the 2009 Nissan 370Z is after, we think.


Full Story & Video: Edmunds Inside Line - Comparison Test: 2009 Nissan 370Z vs. 2008 BMW 135i


M

I've always been a fan of Nissan Z. I was actually thinking of buying 350Z instead of my babybimmer. But I needed a backseat and practicality so the Nissan couldnt fullfill my needs. No doubt the 370Z is a sportier car than a 1-series however if you need space and practicality then 135i is a better choice.
Hopefully later on there will be a Z4 Coupé to compete with the Nissan.

Honestly, I think it's kind of pointless to compare these two because as my friend puts it, who owns a Z, "If I wanted a a back seat, I would've looked elsewhere." He wanted the Z because he didn't need the back seat. I know they kind of point to that in this article, but that's a big factor for anyone considering a car. "Do I need the room or not." If yes, then you won't be looking at the Z and if you don't want a back seat, you won't be looking at the 1er or equivalent.

Thanks for proving my point Just_Me.

What I found impressive is that a "regular" BMW can hang with a dedicated sports car in all but a few categories.

M

^^Well, there is a huge difference in hang with and actually beat. A Supersnake can hang with with a ferrari and a lambo, that doesn't mean it can beat them. Also, with the Z, you're getting a cayman fighter not a 1er competitor. That's the main difference there.

I think we all can agree if there will be Z4 Coupé, first then we have a proper sportscar to the 370Z.

Wonder what is this extra dimension that 370Z has that cayman doesn't have - making people puke with its ugliness?

I liked 350Z a lot. But this new one is an over designed mess.

First time in a long time that I'm going to disagree with you.

I think this new Z is one of the most original, distinctively styled sports cars on the market. It's concentrated Z car DNA - a fitting testament to an illustrious lineage.

Just_me is right; it's true competitor is a forthcoming Z4 Coupe with a muscular, torque-rich engine a la N54. The Cayman S, disregarding even its premium pricing, isn't a true competitor from a size and engineering perspective.

I swear, if I had the dosh, I'd buy one of these to keep in the garage for weekends. It's just such a mouth-watering prospect for fans of driver's cars...

The 370Z is just unbeatable for it's value as a sports car compared to it's price.

As for the styling , it has grown on me and i find it way more attractive than BMW's miniature coupe.

I've only just noticed this now:



Even on a manual-equipped model, there's a current gear indicator. That's very unusual for a pukka manual and a very nice touch for the sporting enthusiast...