Nissan 370Z Nismo Roadster is ready to rock

Unveiled in Chicago as part of a focus on Nissan‘s Nismo performance products, the Nissan 370Z Nismo Roadster Concept rolled into the limelight giving every indication that it will become the next model to find its way into the lineup.

"The idea of adding Nismo levels of look, feel and performance to a Nissan 370Z Roadster is one that we’ve been considering for a long time," noted Pierre Loing, vice president of product planning for Nissan North America. "While it is only a design study at this point, we think the 370Z NISMO Roaster Concept would be a tremendous addition to the long and distinguished history of Z sports cars."

Opening new possibilities 

Finished in Pearl White with signature Nismo red accents, this fully-engineered show car borrows extensively from the current Nissan 370Z Nismo Coupe and shares the same aero bodywork inspired by the Nissan GT-R. Up front, its revamped fascia features a deeper splitter and Hyper LED running lights while the recast rear gets a similar tweaking that includes an integrated carbon fiber Nismo decklid spoiler and a functional diffuser framed by dual polished exhaust outlets. Further popping the profile are custom side sills and wider wheel arches set off by staggered-width 19-inch RAYS superlight forged alloy wheels wrapped in 245/40 Bridgestone Potenza S001 high-performance tires up front and 285/35 rubber at the rear. Like the 370Z Roadster, this Nismo-spec Concept features a fully-lined power cloth top that retracts beneath a steel tonneau cover along with a fixed wind deflector and headrest hoops.   

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Mechanical changes to the 370Z Nismo Roadster Concept also parallel the production Coupe, starting with a freer-breathing version of Nissan’s 3.7-liter naturally aspirated V6 tuned to make 350 horsepower and 276 lb-ft of peak torque. Here, it’s mated to a paddle-shift 7-speed automatic transmission with Downshift Rev Matching and Adaptive Shift Control. Motive force is transferred via a carbon fiber driveshaft to the rear wheels. A viscous limited-slip differential with a deeper final ratio to quickens off-the-line acceleration. As in the Coupe, the Roadster Concept features a full Nismo chassis makeover that includes tauter springs/anti-roll bars, a front strut tower brace and upgraded Nissan Sport Brakes with red calipers and high-rigidity hoses. 

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Sport-oriented interior

Save for matching its black leather-covered Recaro sport buckets with stain-resistant off-white Ultrasuede inserts, the cabin of the Nismo Roadster Concept mirrors the Coupe’s pretty much feature for feature. From the red accents, Nismo 3-spoke sport steering wheel, bespoke gauge graphics, aluminum sport pedals and red stitching to a Nissan Navigation system with 7.0-inch screen, Bose Premium audio system, Intelligent Key with Push Button Ignition and RearView Monitor. 

Loing feels confident that consumer response to the Nissan 370Z Nismo Roadster Concept will be nothing short of "outstanding." Should that prove to be the case, it is likely there will be a production version at the Los Angeles Auto Show next fall. 

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