2011 Nissan 370Z GT

While everyone’s attention at Nissan’s stand in Geneva was aimed at their new Esflow concept, the 370Z GT Edition sitting idly by almost passed by unnoticed. It’s a little unnerving, but it’s a good thing it didn’t escape altogether because it is a very cool car. The model was created as a special celebration of Nissan’s huge success in GT racing all over the world and as part of the celebration the special edition gets subtle suspension revisions, special racing strips, new wheels, and three special body color choices. The V6 engine remains unchanged.

"The 370Z is an iconic sports car and the GT Edition underlines its appeal to enthusiasts everywhere," said Pierre Loing, Vice President Product Planning, Nissan International SA. "The combination of outstanding performance and the dramatic looks of this very special 370Z more than lives up to the heritage of its illustrious forebear while its strong links to the race track shows its true pedigree."

UPDATE 05/18/2011: The Nissan 370Z GT will be going on sale in the UK on June 1, 2011, for a starting price of £35,000 - or about $57,000 at the current exchange rates. The model will be distinguished by three special body color choices, side stripes, and darkened 19” alloy wheels.

UPDATE 06/07/11: Auto Express has come out with a review for the Nissan 370Z GT. We don’t want to spoil anything because we want those guys to let you in on what they think themselves. Check out the video after the jump.

Exterior and Interior

The new Nissan 370Z GT Edition will be distinguished by gray ’GT’ stripes running along the flanks of the car and standard 19" RAYS forged alloy wheels, which are finished in a dramatic anthracite color. Customers can choose between three exterior colors: metallic black, pearl white, and Black Rose (exclusive to the GT Edition).

Some stripes and wheels are fine, but the real changes were made with some significant suspension and equipment improvements, including a retuning of the dampers to provide the ideal balance between ride comfort and high-speed handling.

The list of standard equipment will include: a rear view parking camera as part of the Nissan Premium Connect satellite navigation option and the standard fitment of a tire pressure monitoring system.

Engine

Lift the hood of the Nissan 370Z GT Edition and you’ll find the same 3.7-liter VQ37VHR engine with VVEL (Variable Valve Event and Lift) rated at 332 HP at 7,000 rpm and 270 lb-ft of torque at 5,200 rpm. The engine can be combined with a seven-speed automatic transmission that offers a special snow mode which, when applied, sets the car off in second gear and controls engine revs to prevent wheel spin on ice or snow. Refinement is enhanced by revisions to underbody insulation to reduce road noise.

Prices

The new Nissan GT Edition will be produced in limited numbers. The Nissan 370Z GT will be going on sale in the UK on June 1, 2011, for a starting price of £35,000 - or about $57,000 at the current exchange rates.

Competition

With the new GT edition, Nissan will once again provide some competition for models such as the Porsche Cayman and the Audi TT.

The Cayman, a model that was declared "enemy number one" for the 370Z by the company itself, is powered by a 2.9-liter flat-six boxer engine that delivers 265 hp. The Cayman S gets a 3.4-liter power unit that delivers 320 hp. The Audi TT gets a 2.0 TFSI engine that delivers 211 HP and 258 lb-ft of torque and is mated to a six-speed S tronic transmission.

It’s easy to see that the Nissan 370Z GT is more powerful than the other two models, but the votes for the Nissan don’t end there. There are also a few other aspects where the Nissan model is better than competitors. For one, it’s cheaper - the TT is priced from $38,300 and the Cayman from $51,400 - plus some may even go as far as saying that it is better looking than both of the other models. The GT also boasts of a faster 0-60mph sprint than the Audi as the 370Z gets 5.3 seconds, compared to Audi’s 5.7 seconds.