2010 Nissan 370Z - Amuse Body Kit

In the Sept. '09 issue of Modified, we took a look at probably the most special car that Power House Amuse has ever created: the Z33 380RS Superleggera, which was Tanabe-san's last creation before his unfortunate death in late 2008. He took a great Japanese car and made it even better by refining every aspect of the Z-from the engine to the suspension-and topping it off with a beautifully sculpted, forward-thinking design. And now that 2010 is here, Amuse is back with an equally stunning creation based on the new Z34 370Z. Following in the footsteps of the great man himself, the guys at Amuse-with the guidance of Mrs. Tanabe, who's now in charge of the business-have come up with a full bodykit for this new Z car. Its official debut was at the Tokyo Auto Salon, but we were able to get up close and personal with both of these cars before the show over at Amuse headquarters in Kisarazu, Japan.

Getting to the Amuse shop from central Tokyo takes an hour; the premises are strategically situated close to the exit of the Aqua Line underwater tunnel that connects the capital to the golf-club-infested countryside of Chiba-ken. Upon our arrival we were greeted by both new Z34 demo cars, the 6-speed manual white car and the more street-oriented automatic 370Z in yellow, which in Japan continues to wear the Fairlady Z nameplate. Like all of the cars that have come from Amuse in the past, the Z34 will serve as the company's canvas to show its tuning capabilities. The project is in its first phase, which has seen the development of a full titanium exhaust system and Hi Tech-Rom ECU to get a fractional increase in power and torque from the VQ37HR. As always, Amuse takes great care in designing its exhausts, ensuring that they sound great and also look amazing, thanks to impossibly smooth and clean welds and the company's signature blue heat-treatment.

The setup on the demo car begins with the R1 titanium front pipe that's said to give a noticeable difference in mid-range torque and response between 3000-5000 rpm. The twin R1 Sports-Cat catalysts allow for increased flow but keep emissions within Japanese standards. The R1 Titan Extra STTI takes care of creating that unmistakable Amuse burble at idle, which progressively mutates into a full on wail as rpm rises. A quieter but slightly more expensive version of this exhaust system is also available-perfect for those who have unforgiving neighbors!

Exterior Amuse Vestito front bumper, side skirts, rear bumper, rear wing and carbon gurney flap

Exterior Amuse Vestito front bumper, side skirts, rear bumper, rear wing and carbon gurney

The first stage of engine tuning has been complemented with an upgraded suspension package, again an Amuse deigned and developed product, the H-Tech Damper kit. The dampers are height adjustable and in the front feature a pillow upper mount to allow for more aggressive levels of negative camber. These are paired with stiffer springs, 12 kg/mm up front and firmer 14 kg/mm coils in the rear. This will help any Z34 shave off considerable time around a track, but at the same time stay compliant around town by soaking up surface imperfections just like the stock suspension. Above all, this preliminary stage of modifications has greatly impacted the aesthetics of the 370Z, thanks to the brand-new Vestito ("suit" in Italian) bodykit.