Nissan's Readies 350Z Roadster for Summer

Hot on the heels of the modern day 'Zed' coupe, the 350Z Roadster will arrive in Australia in October 2003 – just in time for summer.

Having already tested the Nissan 350Z, we know that it goes, stops and turns with gusto - click here for Feann's complete review of the coupe - but what of the ragtop?

Will it echo BMW's recent M3 convertible, with dulled down response and performance in lieu of a more aesthetically pleasing figure?

It's inevitable really, because from the get-go, the 350Z Roadster is some 85kg heavier than its tin-topped cousin, which won't help improve it's 0-100km/h times or overtaking abilities.

That's not to say it'll be slow, but the hard-edge of the 350Z will probably give way to a more supple, easygoing ride.

Much of the extra weight of the 350Z Roadster can be attributed to the additional reinforcements that strengthen the Roadster's unibody and prevent scuttle shake often found in convertible vehicles.

These structural reinforcements include a centre floor V-shaped cross bar connecting the side sills and a front A-shaped cross bar reinforcing the front end.

Additional reinforcement has been applied to the door openings and a triple-member was added to the seating area connecting the sides to the floor structure, to provide enhanced rigidity.

Interestingly (though not surprisingly), Australia is one of the first markets in the world to receive the stunning new soft-top, largely thanks to 1154 coupe sales so far – an impressive result for just seven months on the market, and given that the vehicle's annual target was initially set at 800 vehicles.

Visually, the Roadster differs little from the 350Z coupe - apart from the obvious folding roof - and according to John Yukawa, chief product specialist guru for the 350Z programme, the Roadster shared the same basic design ideals as the coupe, but with the additional goal of offering increased attractiveness as a soft-top.

"We aimed to design the best looking convertible in the class – centering on the soft top storage unit - with the added benefit of ease of the open/close operation."

Yukawa ain't half wrong either, as unlike any other convertible in its class, the 350Z Roadster's fully automatic roof stows compactly under a lightweight composite cover, completely hiding the top when down.

According to Nissan reps, activation of the foldaway roof is a simple process. It is released from or secured to the windscreen header with a unique three-lock, single latch located directly above the centre of the windscreen.

The three-lock, single latch system was created to give a more secure seal, and to reduce wind noise and buffeting while also making the closing process easier.

Once the top is released, you simply push the brake and hold the roof button down and the top opens and closes within 20 seconds.

For cold weather driving, a heated glass rear window helps provide clear visibility and practical de-misting features.

Boasting the same tractable 3.5-litre V6 engine as the 350Z, the Roadster will be available in one variant available from $69,990 in manual transmission, or $72,790 with an optional automatic transmission.

A revised, more sophisticated suspension developed in Europe has been adopted for use on the 350Z Roadster and, although the basic layout and geometry remain unchanged from the 350Z coupe, revisions to the dampers ensure ride comfort is enhanced over diverse and irregular surfaces (read: it's a cruiser, not a bruiser).

Inside, the 350Z Roadster includes all the appointments of the coupe, with the addition of a seatbelt service arm, driver and passenger knee pads, revised in-dash upper box lid, padded centre console, new automatic transmission shift knob, additional power socket and optional heated sports net seats.

The 350Z Roadster is powered by the same 3.5-litre V6 24-valve, dual overhead camshaft engine found in the acclaimed sports coupe, generating 206kW of power @ 6200rpm and 363Nm of torque at 4800rpm.

Standard features of the 350Z Roadster include carbon-fibre composite drive shaft, traction control system, viscous limited slip rear differential, electronic drive-by-wire throttle and dual outlet exhaust. Two transmissions are available; either a close-ratio 6-speed manual or optional 5-speed automatic (with manual mode) transmission.

Hauling the 3.5-litre bent six drop-top in from speed are power-assisted 296mm ventilated front discs and 292mm ventilated rear discs with four-wheel anti-lock braking with brake assist and electronic brake force distribution fitted as standard.

As far as footwear goes, the 350Z Roadster gets slightly larger wheels than the entry-level coupe, shod with 18-inch 6-spoke aluminium-alloy wheels and 225/45R18 front and slightly wider 245/45R18 rear high performance compound tyres.

Standard equipment includes heated leather sports seats, automatic climate control air-conditioning, 3-bay gauge cluster for oil pressure, voltmeter and trip computer, 240 watt Bose AM/FM radio cassette, 6 stack in-dash CD changer with 7 speakers including a subwoofer, power windows, door locks and mirrors and drilled aluminium pedals.

The Nissan 350Z Roadster is available with a black soft-top roof on all exterior colours – Platinum, Black Obsidian, Burning Red, Le Mans Sunset, Daytona Blue and Pewter - or the choice of a navy blue roof with Platinum or Daytona Blue.

Nissan Australia's big chief, Leon Daphne, confirmed that the Nissan 350Z was the halo car of the Nissan Motor Company world-wide and was designed to represent the "heart, soul and passion" of the automotive manufacturer. So much for the upcoming twin-turbo R35 Skyline GTR, then...

"The addition of the 350Z Roadster to the Australian Nissan line-up represents our commitment to offering bold, exciting and affordable performance vehicles," Mr Daphne said.

Combining plenty of eye candy with a refined, yet purposeful six-cylinder engine, the new 350Z Roadster is likely to make quite a splash on the Australian convertible market, priced at $69,990 in manual transmission, or $72,790 with an auto slusher.

And, if it performs anything like its hard-topped stable mate, the $10,000 premium over the entry-level coupe will be more than worth it, and hopefully make for one very satisfying drive, while giving Porsche's Boxster and BMW's Z4 something to think about. Stay tuned to the Road Test section: Full review to come.