Nissan slashes 370Z price and adds hot Nismo model for 2013

Nissan has given the 370Z a shot in the arm for its fourth year on sale, cutting the price of the entry-level model by £3,005, and adding a new range-topper: the upgraded 370Z Nismo.

You can get a base-spec coupe for £26,995, which comes with the facelifted front end (new bumper and LED running lights) plus new 18in alloys. That puts the base model right in Toyota GT86/Subaru BRZ price territory, but with over over 100bhp more on offer. The higher-spec GT model gets sat-nav, 19in wheels and an upgraded stereo, but the price is cranked up too: to £31,995.

Fettled by the same in-house tuners who worked wonders with the fast Juke CAR drove recently, the 370Z Nismo adds an extra 16bhp to the standard car's output, taking the 3.7-litre V6 up to 339bhp and 276lb ft. The 370Z Nismo is rear-wheel drive, and gets a six-speed manual gearbox only: the seven-speed auto itsn't even a cost option. The stick-shift does perform automatic throttle blipping when downshifting though, for perfect gearchanges if you're not a heel-and-toe master. Inside the Nismo's cabin, you get a rev counter and suede-wrapped steering wheel. The car rides on 19in forged alloys wearing sticky Bridgestone Potenza rubber.

Like the Juke Nismo, the 'Nissan Motorsport' 370Z also packs stiffened suspension, tougher brakes, and an unmissable bodykit akin to a Fast and Furious movie stunt car. Given how well the Juke took to its Nismo tweaks, the ultimate 370Z could be quite an enticing prospect – it's a handy £10,000 cheaper than a 320bhp Porsche Cayman S.

Question is, would you rather opt for a far less powerful but possibly more entertaining Toyota GT86, score two extra seats and save another £10k? Let us know your thoughts on the tweaked Nissan 370Z range in the article comments below...

By Ollie Kew