While most people know Nissan as a maker of family-focused automobiles, the Japanese automaker gained a foothold in the U.S. with the help of its sports car, fondly known as the Z-Car. Largely because that long-lived Nissan Z was reworked for the 2009 model year, gaining a bigger engine and a shortened body, revisions for 2013 again are relatively modest. They consist mostly of appearance enhancements, since sports-car aficionados don’t necessarily expect dramatic annual alterations. The 2013 Nissan 370Z makes its debut at the Chicago Auto Show.
Updates for the 2013 season include a refreshed front fascia with vertical LED daytime running lights. A red reflector has been added to the rear fascia. Models equipped with the available Sport Package get revised 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, red-finished brake calipers, and Euro-tuned shock absorbers. New 18-inch wheels are mounted on Nissan 370Z coupes. Inside, new dark-finish fuel gauge trim has been added, and two body colors are new for 2013: Magma Red and Midnight Blue.
Stepping up to the top-performance end of the Z-car spectrum, the NISMO 370Z adds a new Bose Premium Audio Package with two additional speakers and two subwoofers. Also new for NISMO coupes are premium gun metallic dark-finish 19-inch wheels. New high-rigidity brake hoses and performance brake fluid are similar to components used for the high-end Nissan GT-R sports car. NISMO models do not get the new front fascia/rear reflector, or Euro-tuned shocks.
Ever since the original Z-Car was introduced as a 1970 model, “our goal has always been to keep the design moving forward,” says Nissan vice-president/general manager Al Castignetti. Though subtle, the 2013 revisions “go a long way in enhancing its dynamic appearance inside and out.”
As before, Nissan 370Z Coupe and 370Z Touring Coupe models are powered by a 332-horsepower, 3.7-liter dual-overhead-cam engine, driving either a six-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed automatic transmission. Roadster and Touring Roadster models use the same engine, but only the Touring edition can be equipped with a manual transmission.
Again aimed at the tuner crowd, the Nissan NISMO 370Z features a “racing-inspired” exterior and interior styling, a specially tuned suspension, and super-lightweight forged alloy wheels. The NISMO’s 3.0-liter V-6 engine exhales through an exclusive H-configured exhaust system, while developing 350 horsepower and 276 pound-feet of torque. Sole transmission for the NISMO is a close-ratio six-speed manual gearbox with SynchroRev Match, which allows rev-matched downshifting–comparable to the heel-toe action employed by race drivers.
2013 Nissan 370Z models arrive at dealerships in June. Read our review of the current-generation Nissan 370Z.
2012 Chicago Auto Show Debuts Photo Gallery