Not that the new Nissan 350Z Coupe needs any help - it got to be Canada's Car of the Year and the best-selling sports car in North America all on its own- but it's getting a big boost anyway in the form of the much-anticipated 2004 350Z Roadster.
The 350Z Roadster joins the Coupe in the 2004 350Z stable and is widely is expected to help the Z® hang on to the top spot in its category.
The Z, which was named Car of the Year and Best New Design by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), has a whopping 35-percent share of the sports-car segment in Canada and represents 25 percent of the market in the United States (through August, 2003).
As well as having all the style, performance, power and handling of the Coupe, the Roadster features a full-power top, a heated glass rear window and a hard storage cover for the convertible top, creating a very clean and finished appearance.
"The 350Z Roadster is a world-class sports car with all the performance features to compete with the very best the world has to offer," says Ian Forsyth, Nissan Canada director of marketing.
The Z Roadster, which went on sale in the summer of 2003, is designed to transform itself from top-up to top-down in about 20 seconds. Its heated glass rear window helps provide clear visibility in adverse weather conditions. And, unlike some convertibles, the top stows compactly under a lightweight powered tonneau cover, completely hidden when down.
Highlights of the 2004 Nissan 350Z Roadster include:
Body:
- Power-operated soft top with glass rear window and defroster
- Lightweight powered tonneau cover that completely hides soft top when down
- Unique three-lock, single centre latch system securely fastens top when up
- Long wheelbase (2,649 millimetres or104.3 inches), short overhangs and wide stance
- Additional body structure incorporated into Z Roadster design
- Incorporated seat bars behind seats
Engine and Driveline
- 3.5-litre, 24-valve DOHC V6 producing 287 horsepower and 274 ft-lbs of torque
- Continuously Variable Valve Timing Control System (CVTCS)
- Electronically controlled five-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode or six-speed close-ratio manual transmission
- Small pitch, silent cam chain
- Front engine/rear-wheel drive
- Dual outlet exhaust
- Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) driveshaft
Suspension, Steering and Braking
- Four-wheel independent multi-link suspension with use of lightweight aluminum components
- Large diameter front and rear stabilizer bars
- Rack-and-pinion engine speed-sensitive power steering
- Traction Control System (TCS)
- Power-assisted vented front and rear disc brakes, four-wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Brake Assist (BA)
- Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD)
- 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels and high-performance tires
Interior Features
- Driver-oriented interior environment
- Tempered glass rear wind deflector
- Burnt Orange ventilated leather-trimmed net seats with heater
- Automatic Temperature Control
- Lockable rear luggage box behind passenger seat
- Combination of classic and cutting-edge sports car interior design with metal and leather-appointed materials
- Three-bay gauge pods - similar to original 240Z design
- Centre console with solid aluminum look
- Available Nissan navigation system with power centre console box
Safety and Security
- Dual-stage front supplemental air bags
- Three-point ALR/ELR seatbelts (driver's seatbelt ELR only)
- Front seatbelts with pretensioners and load limiters
- Zone Body construction with front and rear crushable zones
- Energy-absorbing steering column
- Driver and passenger side-impact supplemental air bags
- Standard vehicle security system and immobilizer
Models
- Offered in one model: 350Z Roadster