2011 Nissan 370Z Touring

By: Bill Zervakos

The Nissan Z-car has a long and storied history of building exciting performance sports cars and the latest iteration is no exception. The test car was powered by the 332 horsepower V6 mated to a six-speed manual transmission which made for a lot of driving fun.

The 2011 370Z design remains unchanged from the updated in 2009 and shares several mechanicals from the Infiniti G Coupe including the potent 332 horsepower CVTCS engine. My only squawk with the power plant was the fact that it is a pretty high revving engine ergo a bit noisy under heavy load. A minor problem to be sure, but for an old big torque dinosaur like me, noticeable.

The lines -of the new Z-car are very sleek and muscular with hefty haunches that add to the aggressive stance. Once inside you know you’re in a sports car as the seats are deep and pretty comfortable. Touring models look even more high-class thanks to their leather upholstery and upgraded faux suede door inserts. The ergonomics are easy to figure out, but I have to admit that the seat controls being squished between my right thigh and the console leaves a little to be desired.

Driving the 370Z is definitely a thrill. The ride while taut is not overly harsh and if you’re not a fan of a firm riding vehicle, you’re probably looking at the wrong car. The 332 horsepower engine is very responsive and the car handles well and when zipping into turns. If you have to stop in a hurry, no worries, the available 4-piston front calipers haul the Z-car to a swift and secure stop in just over 100 feet from 60 miles per hour.

Bottom line, with the base price on the 370Z Touring starting at just over $36,000, the 370Z a great buy. It’s sexy looking relatively comfortable even for big boys. It performs very well, numbers range from 5.1 to 5.5 seconds getting from 0-60, and does so while getting an EPA rating of 19/26 with a combined average of 23 mpg with the standard transmission. If you haven’t driven a Z-car lately, maybe you should check out the 2011 370Z Touring Coupe. I think you’ll like it as much as I did.

2011 Infiniti G37 Coupe Journey

By Bill Zervakos

I have to start out by saying that I have no idea where the Journey moniker came from, it doesn't seem to fit the G-Coupe but there you have it, my tester was the Journey. That out of the way, the 2011 Infiniti G-Coupe receives a new front fascia design, and the exterior body kit includes more aggressive front and rear fascias, sculpted side sills, a rear spoiler and chrome exhaust outlets. It is without a doubt a very aggressive looking car and actually looks a lot like the Z-Car on steroids.

The G37 Journey comes with Nissan's Premium, Sport and Navigation packages. Standard equipment includes leather upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control, 8-way power-adjustable front sport seats, keyless entry and starting, Bose audio system with 9.3-gigabyte Music Box hard drive, XM satellite radio, USB port, automatic bi-xenon headlights, sunroof, navigation system, rear-view camera, Bluetooth cell phone connectivity, universal garage door opener, limited-slip differential, performance brakes, fog lights and P225/45R19 front and P245/40R19 tires on unique alloy wheels. All which brought the price on the tester to a cool $46,975.00 including destination charges.

Inside the cockpit you'll find form fitting seats that seem to wrap around you as you settle in, they're well bolstered and supportive although just a tad tight for my aged derriere. The leather wrapped steering wheel is perfect for giving the driver a sense of control and the overall appearance is one of sporty luxury. Aluminum trim sets off the dashboard's look and the ergonomics are well thought out and easy to use.

Driving the G37 Coupe certainly highlights a rather large fun quotient, I actually took a run to California from Phoenix in my tester and was surprisingly comfortable on the five and a half hour drive. It was very solid on the road and while it may be splitting hairs, I feel the G-Coupe is more agile than nimble, but either way, it is fun to drive.

Bottom line, while coupes are not for everyone, they should offer performance and a bit of elan and  the Infinity G-Coupe offers a pretty fair amount of both with adequate room for adults up front and youngsters in the back without breaking the bank. So if you're in the market for something with a bit of an edge, you should check out the Infinity G37 Coupe, it may fit the bill perfectly.