2011 Nissan 370Z Roadster Press Kit: Overview

For 2011, the seductively styled Z® Roadster returns with an added RearView monitor to once again offer everything the hardtop Z® Coupe does – and more. As in more classic open-air sports car driving excitement. More sun, moon and stars. And more refinement than any Z® convertible that has ever come before – including a standard automatic latching power top and Nissan Intelligent Key®. Also offered are an array of technology and convenience features, including the Z® Roadster standard heating and cooling ventilated net seats, Bluetooth™ Hands-free Phone System, satellite radio and available advanced Nissan Navigation System. The 2011 370Z Roadster is scheduled to go on sale at Nissan retailers nationwide in the fall of 2010.

“As always, the 370Z Roadster delivers an exhilarating connection to the air, wind and environment on top of the new Z® Coupe’s exceptional levels of performance,” said Mark McDade, Director, Marketing, Nissan Canada Inc. “But perhaps unexpected for a car this sporty is its greatly enhanced refinement and quality – as seen in features such as its one-touch, auto-locking convertible top, beautifully crafted interior and its new available RearView Monitor.”

A Truly Authentic Roadster

The 370Z Roadster’s most obvious departure from the 370Z Coupe is its convertible top. The soft-top roof was designed with an emphasis on three key areas: to provide a sleek silhouette matching the new Z®’s stunning styling with the top up or down, to offer easy single-action open-close operation, and to provide an enjoyable top-down experience with reduced wind turbulence and all-climate driver/passenger comfort.

With convertible top in the closed position, the design provides a sophisticated sloped-back appearance, the perfect balance between the soft top and the Z® body design. The shortened windshield and aerodynamically rounded rear deck enhance the Z®’s kinetic and dynamic character lines. When in the down position, the convertible top is concealed beneath a full body-colour hard tonneau cover, which extends forward to help create the Z® Roadster’s classic “double cockpit” style interior.

The standard black cloth convertible top features a fabric inner liner, which provides a quality appearance and helps reduce noise intrusion into the cabin, along with an enlarged (versus the previous generation Z® Roadster) glass rear window with an integrated electric rear window defroster. The top operation takes approximately 20 seconds start-to-finish and is controlled by either a center console-mounted switch or by a button located on the doors. The automatic latch system secures the top to – or releases it from – the windshield header without driver intervention. The shape and position of the glass wind deflector, located between the fixed headrest bars, has been optimized to reduce turbulence into the cabin.

Like the 370Z Coupe, the Z® Roadster’s exterior is more aggressive in appearance and lighter and tighter in structure than the previous generation. The wheelbase is nearly 4” / 10.16 cm shorter (100.4” / 255 cm versus 104.3” / 264.9 cm) and overall length is reduced by 2.6” / 6.6 cm (167.2” / 424.6 cm versus 169.8” 431.3 cm ). The 2011 Z® Roadster features an aluminum hood, door panels and trunk for reduced weight. At the same time, the body structure was extensively revised, improving rigidity and stability. The 370Z Roadster includes additional structural reinforcement (over the 370Z Coupe), including in the A-pillars and side sills.

The Z® Roadster’s exterior design incorporates the look and feel of the Z® Coupe, including its signature long nose/short cockpit proportions, vertical door handles and distinctive new headlight/taillight treatment, which features a fierce “boomerang” shape. High Intensity Discharge (HID) bi-functional xenon headlights with auto on/off feature are standard.

The 370Z Roadster is offered in seven exterior colours: Solid Red, Magnetic Black, Airstream, Gun Metallic, Hakone White, Prussian Blue and Black Rose. Inside the stunning exterior, true to its sports car heritage, the Z® Roadster’s interior is completely driver-centric, with its three-layer design grouping items by how a driver sees information, operates the controls and is held in place – so drivers feel completely connected and engaged whenever and wherever they drive, top up or down.

The Z® Roadster features unique leather-appointed “net” seats with 4-way power/4-way manual operation on the driver’s seat (4-way power on the passenger’s seat). These second-generation net seats are exclusive to the Z® Roadster and have integrated heating and cooling functions – ideal for open air driving no matter what the outside temperature. Adjustable front seat Active Head Restraints are also standard.

The Z® Roadster’s 2-seat layout includes a deeply scooped instrument panel with a full-length centre console separating the driver and passenger’s seat. The instrument panel retains the traditional Z® 3-pod cluster with oil temperature, voltmeter and clock, while the speedometer and tachometer now include an “initial sweep” function, coming alive when the car is first started.

The sporty steering wheel is a new “oval” 3-spoke design, which offers baseball-style stitching, improved thumb grips and palm rest areas for improved feel on long drives. The surface of the leather-wrapped wheel is “shaved” to provide a more kidney-like shape to better fit in the hand. The manual transmission shifter is specially padded to improve the accuracy of diagonal shifts and to feel softer in the hand for forward and backward motions.

Standard interior comfort and convenience features include Nissan Intelligent Key™with Push Button Ignition, power windows with one-touch auto up/down feature, power door locks with auto-lock feature and a centre console box with a non-intrusive cover design.

Other features include automatic climate control, two 12-volt power outlets, three beverage holders (two in door panels, one in centre console.)

The Touring model features a 6CD Bose™ audio system with illuminated steering wheel-mounted controls, eight speakers (includes dual subwoofer)MP3/WMA playback, XM™ Satellite Radio (XM™ subscription required, sold separately), Bluetooth™ Hands-free Phone System, HomeLink™ Universal Transceiver and aluminum-trimmed pedals. This is the first time Bluetooth? and satellite radio have been available on a Z® convertible.

The optional Navigation Package includes a new RearView Monitor, the touch-screen Nissan Hard Drive Navigation System , 9.3GB Music Box hard drive for digital music storage and playback and a USB fort for iPod™ connectivity.

The 370Z Touring Roadster model has a choice of Grey, Black or Wine leather-appointed net seating.

Open Air, Open Roads – An Unbeatable Combination

Roadster or Coupe, the new Z?s share one of the most advanced drivetrains available for affordable sports cars today. The Z® Roadster’s long list of cutting edge performance-focused technologies includes a standard 332-horsepower 3.7-litre DOHC V6 engine with Variable Valve Event and Lift Control (VVEL), choice of 7-speed automatic transmission or close-ratio 6-speed manual with available “SynchroRev Match” (the world’s first synchronized downshift rev matching manual transmission), refined 4-wheel independent suspension and 4-wheel vented disc brakes (with available Nissan Sport Brakes).

“The new 370Z Roadster lives in the same sweet spot of performance, style and value that the Z® Coupe does,” said McDade. “Open air driving just begs for open roads and the 370Z Convertible is the perfect companion.”

For 2011, the Z Roadster enjoys the benefits of its 2010 upgrades, which gave it 26 more horsepower and 2 lb-ft more torque (332 horsepower @ 7,000 rpm and 270 lb-ft of torque @ 5,200 rpm, compared with the previous 3.5-litre V6’s 306 horsepower @ 6,800 rpm and 268 lb-ft of toque @ 4,800 rpm).

Along with its larger displacement, the 3.7-litre engine gives better power delivery all the way to the 7,500 rpm redline, improved low-end power and more high-end torque, creating an entirely new driving experience. Key to the enhanced performance is the VVEL system, which is able to optimize intake valve open/close movements, allowing the needed air to be sent promptly to the combustion chamber at the precisely optimized time. Since the VVEL system can adjust to open the valves slightly, it improves fuel efficiency by reducing camshaft friction and fuel waste. It also provides cleaner emissions by allowing for quicker warm-up of the catalyst and by stabilizing combustion when the engine is cool.

The 2011 Z®Roadster is offered with a choice of two advanced transmissions – a close-ratio 6-speed manual or 7-speed automatic. The 6-speed manual is available with SynchroRev Match™ (included in the optional Sport Package), which allows drivers of any skill level to experience professional-like gear shift performance. The SynchroRev Match™ function automatically controls and adjusts engine speed when shifting to the exact speed of the next gear position, essentially “blipping” the throttle to smooth out any up/down shifts. This not only allows the driver to focus more on braking and steering, it improves vehicle balance and smoothness by reducing the typical “shock” when the clutch is engaged. The system can be deactivated with a button next to the shifter for drivers who prefer less vehicle intervention.

The available 7-speed automatic includes Downshift Rev Matching (DRM) and Adaptive Shift Control (ASC) and is designed to offer quick, manual-like shifting when operated in manual mode.

Drivers can use the standard paddle shifters or the shift lever. The 7-speed’s wide gear ratios offer improved fuel efficiency, while the Adaptive Shift Control is designed to adjust to the driver’s driving style.

Estimated fuel economy is 11.9 L/100km City and 8.1 L/100km Highway for the Manual transmission and 11.6 L/100km City and 8.0 L/100km Highway for the Automatic transmission.

The Z® Roadster also utilizes the Z® Coupe’s advanced 4-wheel independent suspension. The double-wishbone front suspension (which replaces the lower multi-link setup in the 350Z) uses lighter forged aluminum arms and a lightweight rigid aluminum-alloy cradle, along with a lighter stabilizer bar with a 35 percent improved lever ratio. The 4-link rear suspension is also stiffer and lighter, with the rear cradle entirely integrated into a single part. “High response” shock absorbers are utilized on each corner for improved ride comfort.

The standard 370Z Roadster wheel and tire package features 18x8.0-inch front/18x9.0-inch lightweight aluminum-alloy wheels with P225/50R18 front/P245/45R18 rear Bridgestone Potenza RE050A summer tires. Available as part of the optional Sport Package are 19-inch RAYS forged lightweight aluminum-alloy wheels with Bridgestone Potenza RE050A P245/40R19 front/P275/35R19 tires.

The Z®’s standard 4-wheel vented disc brake system includes Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA). The optional Sport Package includes Nissan Sport Brakes with large diameter 14.0-inch front and 13.8-inch rear rotors (versus 12.6-inch front/rear standard rotors) with 4-piston front and 2-piston rear aluminum calipers.

Steering is provided by a vehicle-speed-sensitive power-assisted rack-and-pinion design. Unwanted steering kickback and vibrations are reduced with the addition of a solenoid valve that acts like a damper when there is a harsh impact load. A Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system is standard.

The Nissan 370Z Roadster’s list of standard safety features includes the Nissan Advanced Air Bag System (AABS) with dual-stage supplemental front air bags with seat belt and occupant classification sensors; front seat-mounted side impact supplemental air bags; door-mounted curtain air bags; and seat belts with pretensioners and load limiters.

Other standard equipment includes Active Head Restraints, Zone Body Construction with front and rear crumple zones, Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System, Vehicle Security System and Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).

Well-Equipped Model

The new 370Z Touring Roadster includes the heated and cooling leather-appointed power net seats, HomeLink™ Universal Transceiver, Bluetooth™ Hands-free Phone System, 8-speaker Bose™ audio system, XM™ Satellite Radio (XM™subscription, sold separately) and aluminum-trimmed pedals.

Two option packages are offered on the Touring model: the Sport Package, with 19-inch RAYS forged wheels and Bridgestone Potenza tires, Nissan Sport Brakes, SynchroRev Match (6-speed manual transmission only) and the Navigation Package, with new RearView Monitor, Hard Drive-based Nissan Navigation System, 9.3GB Music Box Hard Drive and USB connectivity.

 

# # #

2011 Nissan 370Z Roadster Specifications

Mechanical

Engine
Name VQ37VHR
Cam design DOHC
Orientation Longitudinal
Cylinders / configuration V6
Block / head composition Aluminum / Aluminum
Displacement (litres) 3.7
Horsepower 332 @ 7,000 RPM
Torque (lb-ft) 270 @ 5,200 RPM
Bore & stroke (mm) 95.5 x 86.0
Compression Ratio 11:1
Maximum engine speed 7,500 rpm
Induction system Sequential multi-port electronic fuel injection
Valvetrain 4 valves per cylinder; Continuously Variable Valve Event and Lift Control System (VVEL)
Engine mounts Side: 2 solid; rear: 1 liquid-filled; front: 1 electronically controlled liquid-filled
Recommended fuel Premium unleaded
Emissions system Closed loop feedback system w/ 3-way catalyst
Emissions certification level 50 state: LEV2-ULEV (Cal), Tier2 (B5)(Fed)
Exhaust Single muffler with Y-type dual exhaust outlets (w/ finishers)



Electrical
Ignition system Electronic, Nissan Direct Ignition System (NDIS)
Starter 1.6KW reduction
Alternator 150 Amp.
Battery 62Ah@20h capacity



Transmission and Drive System 370Z Touring
Drive configuration Mid-mounted front-engine / rear-wheel drive
Transmission type 6-speed manual S
7-speed auto w/ manual mode and paddle shifters O
Gear Ratio M/T A/T
    1st 3.794 4.923
    2nd 2.324 3.193
    3rd 1.624 2.042
    4th 1.271 1.411
    5th 1.000 1.000
    6th 0.794 0.862
    7th 0.771  

     Reverse

3.446 3.972
Final drive ratio 3.357
Drive shaft Carbon Fibre Composite
Downshift Rev Matching (DRM) S (7A/T)
SynchroRev Match (SRM) - O (6M/T)
Viscous Limited-Slip Differential (VLSD) S S



Brakes

Front
   Vented disc
   Rotor size diameter and thickness -
          (in.) 12.6 x 1.10

S

Rear
    Vented disc
    Rotor size diameter and thickness -
           (in.) 12.16 x 0.63

S

Front
    Vented disc
    Rotor size diameter and thickness -
           (in.) 14.0 x 1.23

O

Rear
    Vented disc
    Rotor size diameter and thickness -
           (in.) 13.8 x 0.8

O
Caliper type / material

S
Floating / cast iron

O
Fixed 4-piston front, 2-piston rear / aluminum

Brake Assist (BA) S
Brake control Power-assisted (vacuum)

Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)
     Number of wheels
     Number of channels
     Number of sensors

S
4
4
4

Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) S



Steering
Type Power rack-and-pinion
Vehicle speed variable assist S
Fixed ratio 13.5:1(18-inch), 13:7:1(19-inch)
Turns (lock-to-lock) 2.7 (18-inch wheels)/2.6 (19-inch wheels)
Turning diametre (ft.) (curb-to-curb) 32.8 (18-inch wheels)/34.1 (19-inch wheels)
Steering wheel 3-spoke leather-wrapped w/ air bag, manual tilt
Steering wheel controls Cruise control; audio
Steering wheel controls -Bluetooth® S



Suspension

Front
     Subframe construction
     Stabilizer bar
     Shock absorbers

Double wishbone aluminum suspension
High vacuum diecast aluminum alloy
S
Twin tube

Rear
     Subframe construction
     Stabilizer bar
     Shock absorbers

Independent multi-link aluminum suspension
Steel
S
Twin tube



Body / Chassis
Type Unibody
Materials (primary) Corrosion-resistant high-strength steel
Hood, doors, trunk lid Aluminum

 

Exterior

 

Convertible Top
Cloth power-folding roof with fabric inner liner S
Single action operation with automatic roof lock S
Glass rear window w/electric rear window defroster S
Wind deflector (fixed glass) S
Top operation via Nissan Intelligent Key™ (pushing button on door
handle) or center console-mounted switch
S



Lights
Headlights bi-functional S
xenon HID
Height adjustment (manual) S
Automatic on/off S
Taillights LED S



Wheels & Tires 370Z Touring
Wheels

Aluminum-alloy
     F: 18x8 inches R: 18x9 inches

S

RAYS light weight forged alloy
     F: 19x9 inches R: 19x10 inches

O
Tires

Bridgestone Potenza RE050A
     F: P225/50R18, R: P245/45R18

S

Bridgestone Potenza RE050A
     F: P245/40R19, R: P275/35R19

O

Spare wheel/tire
     Steel, T145/80D17

 
S



Interior

 

Seating
Capacity 2 passengers
Heated and cooling ventilated leather-appointed S
Seat Type Sport bucket S
Height-adjustable head restraints S
Driver Seat 8-way (manual) -
8-way (4 power, 4 manual) S

Passenger Seat

4-way (manual) -
  4-way power S



Audio/Navi
Head unit and speakers  
Bose® audio with 6CD in-dash/ AM/FM/CD, 6 speakers + 2 subwoofers, MP3 capability, Radio Data System (RDS), XM® Satellite Radio S
HDD navigation system  and 9.3GB Music Box Hard Drive, USB connectivity O
Steering-wheel audio controls with illumination S
Auxiliary audio input jack S
Auxiliary audio/video input jacks O
Bluetooth® Hands-free Phone System S
Voice Recognition (VR) O
RearView Monitor O



Instrumentation

Metres/Gauges
     Speedometer
     Tachometer
     Coolant temperature
     Fuel level
     LCD dual trip odometer
     LCD drive computer

S
3-pod gauges (digital clock, engine oil
temperature, voltmetrer)
S

Indicators
     Clock
     Low Tire Pressure
     M/T shift up timing indicator (light)
     A/T indicator
     Cruise Control
     VDC off

 
S
S
When equipped with 6MT
When equipped with 7AT
S
S
Full-colour LCD 7-inch monitor O



Convenience Features

Cruise control (ASCD)
Power windows – driver and passenger one-
   touch up/down
Power door locks with auto locking feature
Nissan Intelligent Key™
Beverage holders – 3
12-volt outlets – 2
Passenger assist grip
Sunvisors w/ vanity mirrors
Lockable glove compartment
Storage box behind passenger seat
Inside rear view mirror – auto-dimming
HomeLink™ Universal Transceiver (UGDO)
Aluminum-trimmed pedals

S
S

S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S

 

Safety and Security

 

Safety and Security Systems                    

Nissan Advanced Air Bag System (AABS)

Driver and front passenger air bags with dual-stage inflation, seat belt sensors and occupant classification sensor
Driver and front passenger side-impact and roof-mounted curtain side-impact airbags S
Active Head Restraints S
Outboard seat belts, front 3-point (ALR/ELR for passenger, ELR for driver)
Seatbelts with pre-tensioners and load limiters S
Power window lockout button S
Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) S
Traction Control System (TCS) S
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) S



Impact Safety

Zone Body Construction with front and rear crumple zones
Energy-absorbing steering column
Slide away brake pedal
Break away rear engine mount
Hood buckling creases and safety stops
Aluminum side-door guard beams

S

 

Dimensions

 

Exterior (inches/millimeters)
Wheelbase 100.4/2550
Overall length 167.2/4246.1
Overall width 72.6/1845
Overall height 51.8/1315
Coefficient of drag (Cd) (front) 0.33, 0.34 w/Sport Pkg.
Track width

Front (18-inch wheels)

61.0/60.6 1550/1540

Rear (18-inch wheels) 62.8/61.6  1595/1565



Interior (inches)
Head room 38.2/970.0
Leg room

42.9/1090.3

Hip room 54.6/1387.6
Shoulder room 54.4/1382.8



Weights
Curb kg (lbs)

MT

3,497/1586.2

AT 3,489/1582.6
Weight distribution (%) Front/Rear
(static w/o passengers)
54/46
GVWR 4,112/1865.2



Capacities
Fuel tank (gallons/litres) 19.0/71.9
Engine oil (quarts/litres) 5.2/4.9
Engine coolant w/ reservoir (quarts/litres) 9.1 /8.6 MT   9.0/8.5 AT 



Volume (cubic feet/litres)
Passenger compartment 52.3/1480
Cargo 4.2/118
Total 56.5/1598



ESTIMATED EPA Fuel Economy
(Actual mileage may vary)

City MT/AT 24/25   11.6/11.4
Highway MT/AT 37/37  7.7/7.6
Classification Passenger Car



Options
Hard Drive-Based Nissan Navigation System: Touch screen navigation system , 9.3GB Music Box Hard Drive and USB connectivity; RearView Monitor O
Sport Package: 19-inch RAYS forged wheels with 19-inch tires, Nissan Sport Brakes, SynchroRev Match (MT only) O

S – Standard
O – Optional
P - Package

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