The standard 370Z rolls on 18x8 (front) and 19x9 (rear) five-spoke aluminum wheels wrapped in Yokohama Advan Sport summer rubber-sized 225/50 in front and 245/45 in the rear. The Sport package rolling stock is comprised of 19-inch forged aluminum Rays wheels coated in Bridgestone Potenza RE050As, coming in at 245/40 in front and 275/35 at the rear. Hiding behind the new front rollers on Sport package-equipped models are a set of 14-inch rotors clamped by four-piston calipers with 13.8-inch rear rotors squeezed by two-piston calipers. Standard models are fitted with 12.6-inch front rotors and 12.1-inch rear discs, and all models benefit from a new variable ratio brake pedal, ABS, vehicle dynamic control, electronic brake-force distribution, and brake assist.
Nissan decided to simplify the 370Z's lineup for 2009, offering two trim levels: base and touring. The standard model is equipped with an eight-way manually adjustable driver seat, automatic climate control, push-button ignition, and four-speaker stereo with redundant controls on the steering wheel, while the Touring model benefits from power-adjustable leather seats, a Bose audio system, and Bluetooth integration; iPod hookups, navigation, and the Sport package can be added onto each model.
The 370Z's styling, particularly the new L-shaped headlamps and taillights, have garnered their fair share of praise and criticism, but one thing that can't be denied is the interior. Nissan finally realized that buying a sports car doesn't mean the driver should be surrounded by Playschool-grade plastics. Soft-touch materials line the doors and dash, while the seats blend suppleness and support. The new gauges peering from behind the three-spoke steering wheel have grown by 15 percent and house a multifunction display to the left of the tachometer, along with LEDs that keep tabs on fuel levels and coolant temps. The dash-mounted oil temperature, voltmeter, and clock carry over to the '09 model, while the beefy rear strut brace has finally been removed and replaced with a new bar that ties into the B-pillars.
By the time you read this, the new Z should be hitting dealer lots, with prices starting under $30,000.
'09 Nissan Cube
Let the xB-beatings commence.
The fourth-generation Nissan Cube has finally arrived, and for the first time since its 1998 introduction in Japan the funky little runabout will be available in the States. The sultans of Scion should be afraid.
The '09 Cube picks up where the second-gen xB gave up the ghost, combining the same kind of polarizing styling and undeniable practicality with a lightweight package and miniscule footprint. From nose to tail, the Cube spans 156.7 inches (10 inches longer than the outgoing model), with a 4-inch-longer wheelbase. For comparison, the xB is 10 inches longer and significantly fatter.
The majority of the styling that made the Cube a cult favorite in Japan for both twentysomethings and working stiffs alike carries over for the USDM model, including the asymmetrical, wraparound rear window treatments, beveled edges, and a front end that Nissan wants you to associate with-God help us-a "bulldog in sunglasses."
Inside, Nissan is doing its best to court the hip, urban wannabe in each of us, with a curvaceous dash, circular controls, blue and white gauges, and odd-yet-intriguing concentric ripples that surround the dome light on the headliner. The front bench of the JDM model has been eschewed for a set of buckets, while a range of customizable options, including "Magic Rubber Bands" (think multicolored straps), hold maps, photos, and all the other assorted detritus that college co-eds amass between trips to class and an evening of beer bongs.