We see a lot of funny commercials now and again, but rarely does one make us sit back in our chairs and let out a loud guffaw. Ladies and Gentleman, meet Pepe, a Mexican chicken ready to start its battle with the popular Nissan 370Z. There will be no eye-gouging or scratching, but there will be plenty of laughs and speed.
The marketing geniuses that came up with this idea have summed it up as follows: "A Mexican chicken? Up against the meat-eating Nissan 370Z? The things we do to prove a point. By the way, those of a nervous disposition, look away now."
This is the point where we have to clear up some things for the boneheads out there. Do NOT try this at home. A chicken is an innocent animal that should not do battle against anything, let alone a 332 HP sports car.
By the way, the Nissan 370Z is powered by a 3.7 liter V6 engine with an output of 332 HP at 7,000 rpm and 270 lb-ft of torque at 5,200 rpm. The engine is mated to either a 6-speed manual transmission or a 7-speed automatic transmission.
The snow has melted in most parts of the world, so customers are gearing up for what will be a hot Spring and an even hotter Summer. And if you just so happen to be an owner of a 2008-2010Nissan 370Z Roadster, then you’ll want to pay attention. Schmidt Revolution has prepared a tuning package for the roadster that offers a new set of wheels, a new coilover suspension and a stainless steel exhaust system to get the car ready for those long, top down rides.
Starting from the bottom up, Schmidt Revolution will have two sets of wheels for customers to choose from. Variant 1 includes a new set of three-part C-Line wheels, size 9.5x20-inch front and 12x20-inch rear, with 245/30-20 and 305/25-20 Hankook tires for a price of $7,200. The next version, Variant 2, will include wheels, size 21", with 245/30-21 and 295/25-21 tires. This set goes for $8,600. Both sets come with Radinox-coated rims that are washable and suitable for everyday use.
Further customization for the Nissan 370Z Roadster comes from a new H&R coilover system that allows the 370Z to hug the ground a little tighter and a new stainless steel exhaust system along with dampers for a more appropriate engine sound. The coilover system can be had for $1,600, while the exhaust system pushes the envelope further at $6,500.
No changes were made to boost performance for the 370Z Roadster, so the customer will have to make due with the 3.7 Liter DOHC V6 engine already situated under its hood. This engine will produce 332 HP, up 26 HP from the old VQ35 engine thanks to the new Variable Valve Event and Lift control (VVEL) which manipulate the motor’s breathing too ensure optimum respiration and allow for the car’s redline to be raised by 1000 revs all the way up to 7500 RPM. The engine is mated to either a seven speed automatic with Downshift Rev Matching or a close ratio six speed manual with throttle blipping SynchroRev Match.
Now that the 2011 Geneva Motor Show has come and gone, it goes without saying that the event was arguably the biggest and most successful auto show since the 2009 IAAs in Frankfurt, Germany.
Some might contend that, but as far as we’re concerned, its been a while since we had an auto show that has been as widely attended by almost all automakers in the world quite like what we saw in Geneva.
And while we may have been introduced to a lot of the cars that were launched in Geneva beforehand, there were still some models, mostly of the concept variety, that took us by surprise.
Most of these models weren’t previewed before the event so when the Geneva Motor Show opened its doors, just about everybody in attendance and those keeping tabs over the Web didn’t see these cars coming.
But now that they’re here, we can take a look at the models that made the 2011 Geneva Motor Show that much more interesting.
Fifth Gear mainstays Tiff Needell and Jason Plato found a good way to get some burn on a Porsche Boxster S, an Audi TT-RS, and a Nissan 370Z. The problem was, there were three sports cars ready to be tested, but only two drivers to drive them.
Fortunately for the two, they found another man to become the third driver. You might recognize his name, too: Ben Collins.
All together, Tiff, JP, and Ben took some time on the track to test the three aforementioned sports cars in a series of three tests – an agility test, a drift test, and a hot lap - to determine which car would run supreme over the others. Being the most senior of the trio, Tiff scored first dibs, picking the TT-RS for his ride. Picking next was JP, who opted for the Boxster S, leaving the man formerly known as the Stig to ‘settle’ for the 370Z.
Before we even begin to go into the second episode of Top Gear USA, we have to admit that we had to set an alarm to remind ourselves to watch it. That doesn’t exactly say much about the show’s first episode, but we actually did see some sort of improvement with this one.
This episode was a little different than the first one as Adam Ferrara kind of took a back seat to Rutledge Wood and Tanner Foust. That wasn’t exactly a bad thing considering that the actor/comedian was bland and uninspiring during the first episode. The chemistry was better between the three, but the music still sucked.
Enough about all that, let’s move on to the actual meat and potatoes of the show. In this episode we got to see Wood take on the Aston Martin V12 Vantage, Tanner Foust put two skiers to the test while driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, and all three men learn a little something about drifting in a Nissan 370Z. Yes, Tanner Foust is a drift champion, but that may or may not help him during this challenge. Oh yeah, and some British guy takes on the Suzuki SX4.
Hit the jump to check out the details of Top Gear USA, Episode Two.
After seemingly countless delays, GT5 will finally be released on November 24th – just in time for Christmas. What’s even more exciting is that Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (SCEA) and Polyphony Digital Inc., in partnership with Nissan North America, have announced the opportunity of a lifetime for GT gaming and racing enthusiasts. They are about to make thumb bandits’ dreams come true by giving gamers the opportunity to experience a proper professional racing experience. Similar to the setup in 2008, the GT Academy 2010 will be launched on December 1st in North America and will serve as a platform for fans of GT5 to see if their Playstation skills match up to their real world racing ability. The GT Academy will challenge gamers and racing fans alike across the U.S. to compete in a series of predetermined online time trials. The cars will obviously be various Nissan models that will built up from road going versions through to hardcore race-spec machines.
Hit the jump for details on the competition and how to enter.
The Nismo 370Z is still a child in terms of lifespan with the first model coming into the picture in 2009, so the idea of the 370Z strolling into the 2011MY with an abundance of additions is pretty naive. Instead, and not unexpected, the Nismo 370Z comes back with next to nothing altered. It still carries the same 350 HP V6 engine, racing-inspired exterior and interior styling, a specially tuned suspension, and unique super-lightweight forged alloy wheels. However, Nissan is offering one new exterior color: Gun Metallic.
As we have already mentioned, the 2011 Nissan Nismo 370Z will have a 3.7-liter VQ-series V6 engine that delivers a total of 350hp at 7,400 rpm with 276 lbs of torque at 5,200 rpm. This allows the Nismo Z to hit a top speed of 155mph (electronically limited). The engine is mated to a close-ratio 6-speed manual with Nissan’s “SynchroRev Match” synchronized downshift rev matching system.
The look of the Nismo will stay the same with its extended front nose, integrated chin spoiler, special side sills, unique rear bumper, and functional rear spoiler. The interior includes Nismo logo seats with black and red fabric and red stitching, a Nismo tachometer, steering wheel with smooth leather and red parallel stitching, smooth leather wrapped shift knob and aluminum trimmed pedals. There is also a serialized plaque of authenticity.
The new generation Nissan Z Roadster entered the market a year later than its coupe brother, so with such a short history, the 370Z Roadster enters the 2011 model year with no major updates. Changes for 2011 are limited to the addition of RearView Monitor to the optional Navigation Package and one new exterior color, Gun Metallic. The Roadster model is offered in two versions: 370Z Roadster priced at $37,520 and 370Z Touring Roadster priced at $41,070.
Like the coupe version, the 370Z Roadster is powered by a 3.7 liter V6 engine with an output of 332 HP @ 7,000 rpm and 270 lb-ft of torque @ 5,200 rpm. The engine is mated to either a 6-speed manual transmission or a 7-speed automatic transmission. The roadster sprints from 0 to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds and can hit a top speed of 155 mph (limited).
Compared to the coupe version, the roadster gets exclusive high back seats, added structural body reinforcements, and a convertible top. The 370Z Roadster’s roof was designed with an emphasis on three key areas: to provide a sleek silhouette matching the Z’s stunning styling with the top up or down, to offer easy single-action open-close operation, and to provide an enjoyable top-down experience with reduced wind turbulence and all-climate driver/passenger comfort.
Updated 04/01/2011: Nissan Europe has unveiled today a new gallery of images featuring the 2011 370Z Roadster. And may we add it looks great in white? Enjoy!
The Nissan Z Coupe received a major redesign in 2009, so we didn’t expect anything crazy to come on board when the 2011 model came around. And, as everyone predicted, the 2011 Z Coupe strolled right in with no major updates.
Well, saying that there were no updates is a little unfair. Nissan is offering the addition of a RearView Monitor to the optional Navigation Package and one new exterior color, Gun Metallic. The 2011 Z Coupe will be available in two versions: the 370Z priced at $30,610 and the 370Z Touring priced at $35,280.
Under the hood there is the same 3.7 liter V6 engine with an output of 332 HP @ 7,000 rpm and 270 lb-ft of torque @ 5,200 rpm. The engine is mated to either a 6-speed manual transmission or a 7-speed automatic transmission.
The design for the Nissan takes some lessons right out of the 240Z style book with its sleek aerodynamic shape, a "dynamic motion" feel with a dramatic cantilevered roof, and a "low visual gravity." The interior offers Nissan Hard Drive Navigation System with 7-inch VGA touch-sensitive display, 9.3GB HDD Music Box, USB connectivity and iPod connection, XM NavTraffic with Real-Time Traffic Information, RearView Monitor, automatic phonebook download (select phones) and Bluetooth Streaming Audio, Bluetooth Hands-free Phone System, and standard Nissan Intelligent Key.
Senner Tuning just might have a thing for white cars. Last year they came out with a vehicle which they are now famous for called the Whitelady Z and they also introduced the "White Power" RS6, which wasn’t exactly a treat for the eyes. Both were tuned by Senner and both were sparkling white. Now, Senner Tuning is bringing on yet another white model packaged up in a Nissan 370Z. It’s called the Asphalt Surfer and is capable of producing an impressive 365 HP.
The tuning package includes an ECU-remapping, a sport air filter with Cold Air Intake, and a sport exhaust made from stainless steel with a catalytic converter. These components brings the engine’s output up to 365 HP and 400 NM of torque for a bargain price of 3430 euro.
The package also includes 20 inch Barracuda-alloy Tzunamee Racing wheels painted in a white or matte black polish wrapped in 9 x 20 with 245/35/R20 tires at the front and 10 x 20 with 275/30/R20 tires at the rear. There is also a KW coilover suspension and, for the interior, a new speedometer cover, extra control panels, the B-pillar trim made from carbon, and carbon inserts on the mirror caps and cooling plate. Senner Tuning will also remove the speed limiter upon request.
The package is actually rather similar to the Whitelady, which really isn’t surprising considering the great feedback Senner received for that package. The Nissan 370Z Asphalt Surfer does not receive the same exact exterior modifications as did the Whitelady, but they did receive some extra horsepower for the exchange.