The Nissan 370Z Nismo is a cool, nippy sports car at 350 horsepower and 276 pound-feet of torque. Drop the hammer and it will reward you with fast-enough acceleration and precise handling. Do that on the track and you'll be able to sweep the asphalt with a lot of famous and more expensive cars.

But despite its abilities, I always thought the 370Z lacked the looks most enthusiasts are expecting to find on a sports car->ke506 of this caliber. Its face is just too clean and polished, without any of the sharp cues that make you scream in agony as you're being chased by one.

Fortunately, that has come to an end today when Nissan->ke62 took the wraps off the facelifted 370Z Nismo. The Japanese-built sports car->ke506 has finally received its much-need rhinoplasty, one that throws the boring look to the dumpster and puts a new, "eat my dust" face on the hot coupe->ke141.

Of course, the 2015 370Z Nismo is not only about a new, evil grin. The folks over at Nismo have been working hands deep to upgrade the chassis and the suspension system, while developing brand new sports seats with Recaro, the industry's main provider of high-performance shells.

I was a bit surprised to discover Nissan chose to keep output figures unchanged, but aside from that, it had done a great job to bring the 370Z back in the spotlight.

Updated 06/15/2016: Nissan announced prices for the 370Z Nismo which is on sale now at Nissan dealers nationwide. As no surprise, prices remain unchanged over the 2016 model year.

Continue reading to learn more about the Nissan 370Z Nismo.

2015 - 2017 Nissan 370Z Nismo

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2015 - 2017 Nissan 370Z Nismo
  • Engine/Motor: V6
  • Horsepower: 350
  • Torque: 276
  • Transmission: 6-speed manual
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

Sexy is the the best word that can describe the 370Z's brand-new face. If the previous model was far from being a beauty contest winner, the visual updates Nissan had penned for the 2015 model finally do the sports car justice. The most noticeable changes occurred up front, where the GT-R-inspired body kit is most present and brings a solid touch of aggressiveness.

The polished, bland front end is now sharper and plain menacing, thanks to a considerably larger grille that's flanked by LED daytime running lights and blade-like air vents that provide better cooling for the front brakes. The protruding splitter mounted under the bumper has morphed into a sexy, three-piece element, with the lateral sections that connect to the lower side of the grille gaining red, contrasting inserts.

Viewed from the side, the 370Z Nismo hasn't changed much, but the red accents inserted into the side skirts and the black mirrors, as well as the redesigned, 19-inch Nismo wheels are refreshing enough. Around back there's a redesigned bumper that includes larger vents, a slightly reworked diffuser and, more importantly, an all-new spoiler. The aerodynamic piece has been downsized and integrated into the hatch, sitting lower than the one seen on the outgoing model.

Revised rear bumper

Somewhat of a let down is the fact that the 2015 370Z Nismo will be sold in just four exterior colors, with customers left to choose between Solid Red, Magnetic Black, Brilliant Silver and Pearl White. That's right, no Solar Orange or Daytona Blue...

2015 Nissan 370Z Nismo - Exterior Dimensions

Wheelbase

100.4 inches

Length

170.5 inches

Width

72.6 inches

Height

51.8 inches

Min. ground clearance

4.7 inches


2015 Vs. 2014 Model

Interior

The good news continues in the cabin, where a pair of Recaro seats exclusively designed for the 370Z Nismo have been mounted to the floor. Wrapped in black and red leather with Alcantara accents and adorned by red stitching and Nismo logos, the new seats will provide better lateral support during cornering and promise to "maximize the harmony between the driver and the machine." The sports steering wheel is also enveloped in Alcantara-appointed leather for firmer grip and an upscale feel.

Customers looking for a techier 370Z Nismo can now opt for a Tech package that adds a navigation system with 7-inch touch display, RearView Monitor, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, auto-dimming rearview mirror and HomeLink. The bundle also includes a Bose audio system that's powerful enough to cover the engine's grunt.

2015 Nissan 370Z Nismo - Interior Dimensions

Headroom

38.2 inches

Legroom

42.9 inches

Hip room

54.6 inches

Shoulder room

54.4 inches


Drivetrain

Although we were hoping for a minor bump in power, Nissan has opted not to meddle with the 3.7-liter V-6 powerplant, leaving it's 350 horsepower and 276 pound-feet of torque untouched. The good news, however, is that Nissan has finally added an automatic transmission on the options list. The auto trans is an updated version of the company's seven-speed unit that features Downshift Rev Matching (DRM), Adaptive Shift Control and comes with a pair of paddle shifters behind the steering wheel. The familiar close-ratio, six-speed manual gearbox with SynchroRev Match remains standard on the Nismo-badged sports car.

Performance figure aren't available yet, but I'm guessing we're looking at the same five-second sprint from 0 to 60 mph, while top speed should remain at 155 mph.

2015 Nissan 370Z Nismo - Drivetrain/Specifications

Engine

3.7-liter DOHC 24-valve V6 with Variable Valve Event and Lift (VVEL), rated at 350 horsepower and 276 lb-ft torque

Bore x Stroke (mm)

95.5 x 86

Compression Ratio (:1)

11.0

Maximum Engine Speed

7,500 rpm

Exhaust

NISMO-tuned dual exhaust with H-pipe configuration and polished tips

Transmission

Close-ratio 6-speed manual with SynchroRev Match® or 7-speed automatic with Downshift Rev Matching (DRM), Adaptive Shift Control and manual shift mode with paddle shifters

Final drive ratio

6-speed manual 3.916 (versus 3.692 standard 370Z)
7-speed automatic 3.692 (versus 3.357 standard 370Z)


Suspension and Brakes

Changes continue in the suspension department with a reworked strut-tower brace and new high-performance dampers. These help enhance body rigidity and minimize road-induced vibrations. The Nismo-tuned suspension also features special springs and stabilizer bars, performance brakes, and a Viscous Limited-Slip Differential with a shorter final drive ratio. All of the above are included as standard equipment.

2015 Nissan 370Z Nismo - Suspension/Wheels/Brakes

Suspension

NISMO-tuned; independent double-wishbone with stabilizer bar front, independent multi-link with stabilizer bar rear; NISMO-tuned shock absorbers front and rear; NISMO-branded front strut tower brace; vibration dampers

Brakes

Nissan Sport Brakes with red calipers; 14.0x1.3-inch vented disc/4-piston opposed caliper front, 13.8x0.8- inch vented disc/opposed 2-psiton caliper rear; highly rigid brake hoses and R35 Special II Fluid brake fluid

Steering

Vehicle-speed variable-assist rack-and-pinion

Wheels

19-inch NISMO super-lightweight forged aluminum-alloy wheels by RAYS – 19x9.5-inch front, 19x10.5-inch rear

Tires

Bridgestone Potenza S001 Y-rated performance tires – 245/40R19 front, 285/35R19 rear


Prices

The sticker for the Nissan 370Z Nismo was set at $41,990 for the 2015 model year and it hasn't changed for 2016 and 2017. The base model is offered with a six-speed manual transmission, while the seven-speed automatic model starts from $43,290. Opt for the Nismo Tech trim and prices jump to $45,490 with the manual and $46,790 with the automatic gearbox.

2015-2017 Nissan 370Z Nismo - Price

Model

Price

370Z Coupe NISMO 6MT

$41,990

370Z Coupe NISMO 7AT

$43,290

370Z Coupe NISMO Tech 6MT

$45,490

370Z Coupe NISMO Tech 7AT

$46,790


Competition

Porsche Cayman GTS

Now that the Cayman GTS is ready to populate Porsche dealerships and U.S. roads, the Germans can finally brag about being able to leave the 370Z Nismo behind in a cloud of dust after the entry-level model failed at it. Rated at 340 horsepower, the Cayman GTS may have less ponies under the belt, but its no less than 0.7 seconds quicker than the Nissan on the 0-to-60 mph sprint.

The proven 3.4-liter, six-cylinder engine plays a big role in that achievement, but so does Porsche's ability to tune the Cayman like its owners are engaging into professional racing each time they go to work or drive at the market for some milk and cookies. Not to mention that the Cayman features a far more exquisite interior, with plenty of Alcantara attached to the dashboard, the center console and the seats.

The main downside of the Cayman GTS though is its price, which stands at $76,195 before any options. That's about three grand more than what Nissan will charge for the 2015 370Z Nismo and some might find it's a bit too much despite the Porsche badge and the hard-earned heritage it comes with.

Read our Porsche Cayman GTS review here.

Audi TTS

The Audi TTS is going through a thorough redesign as we speak, but the third-generation model won't arrive Stateside until next year. But when it does, the German machine will bring 310 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque along with it. That might seem a bit less for the Nismo's 350 horses, but the TTS is no slouch with a 0-to-60 mph acceleration time of about 4.7 seconds.

The oomph is squeezed out of a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder TFSI engine linked to a turbocharger and travels to the wheels through a six-speed S Tronic automatic connected to a quattro all-wheel drive system. And that's a whole lot more than the 265 horsepower the current TTS comes with.

Pricing for the third-generation model is not available at the time of this writing, but with the current model priced from $48,700, we're not expecting for the new TTS to be cheaper than the 2015 370Z Nismo. You can say what you want, the latter is now hotter than the German-engineered sports car.

Read our Audi TTS review here.

Conclusion

The 2015 370Z Nismo packs a lot of upgrades for a refresh and I can't praise Nissan enough for redesigning that dull front end. Sure, it's not a hot as the Jaguar F-Type, but that redesigned bumper is bad-ass enough to make you feel uncomfortable once you see it in the rearview mirror. The lack of additional power is a let down, but we shouldn't underestimate the re-tuned chassis and suspension before some track performance verdicts start showing up. I'm also disappointed for the lack of proper body colors. It looks cool in white and it should be appealing enough in red, but a couple of flashy colors would've added to the car's aggressive nature.

Updated History

Updated 06/03/2016: June 3 for most of us its just another day in the calendar. Well, but if you are a fan, then you may know that June 3 is also National Donut Day. To honor the event, Formula Drift icon Chris Forsberg took to a production set in Southern California to put a unique spin on making donuts. And he used a Nissan 370Z Nismo to do it. Hit "play" to see what happened in the end!

Updated 04/09/2015: Nissan announced prices for the 2016 370Z Nismo, which continue unchanged from the previous year. The model is now on sale at Nissan dealers nationwide at a starting price of $41,990. The only upgrade for the 2016 model year is a new Bose audio system incorporating Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Active Sound Enhancement (ASE).

Updated 05/19/2014: Nissan unveiled a new set of images and a video taken during the car's official debut at the annual ZDayZ gathering in North Carolina. Check the picture gallery to see all the new pictures.

Updated 08/08/2014: Nissan announced prices for the 370Z Nismo which is on sale now at Nissan dealers nationwide. Prices will start from $41,990 for the base 370Z Coupe Nismo 6MT and will go up to $46,790 for the 370Z Coupe Nismo Tech 7AT version. Details after the jump.