In 2008, Nissan unveiled the 370Z at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
But it took another two years until the Nismo version was unveiled. But it was a different car.

The 370Z was nothing more than a re-engineered 350Z with a better design. The purists blamed it for being heavier, but the regular customers needed a safer and more comfortable car. And the 370Z ticked those boxes. The Nismo was the version that transformed the comfortable coupe into a track-ready sports car.

The car featured a fully integrated aerodynamic package, including a new front design. The canard design at each corner, with small wings, offered more downforce for the car at high speeds. On the side, there were special sills that channeled the airstream along with the bodywork that helped control airflow under the vehicle. In the back, a big wing was installed at the bottom of the rear windscreen, on top of the trunk lid.

Inside, the 370Z Nismo offered just two seats. The rear ones in the regular 370Z were only for insurance decrease purposes. The deeply scooped instrument cluster with a full-length center console separated the driver and the passenger. In the back, there was an open cargo area ready to receive a roll-cage. The car was a tuner’s dream. A CD-radio-aux system with 4 speakers was installed.

Underneath the similarly shaped bodywork, there was a different beast. The engine was pumped out with more power than the regular 370Z model, and the red-line was moved 400 RPMs up. The front spring rate has been increased by 15 percent, rear by 10, front stabilizer rate was up 15 percent, rear 50, and the front damping factor was up 40 percent with the rear up a considerable 140 percent. Overall, the car’s stiffness was increased by 15 percent.