Nissan 370ZApril 2009

This is the Nissan 370Z, an aggressive and muscular two-seat sports car with a grunty V6 engine and masses of driver appeal.

It's a 'super evolution' of the much-loved 350Z - the car it replaces - which is why the design may look familiar. But the 370 is actually shorter, with a tighter wheelbase to make it look squat and mean. It's also wider and lower, aiding handling and stability.

Everything that was good about the 350Z (and there was plenty) is still here, but it's all been pumped up by about twenty percent. So the V6 engine's capacity has been increased from 3.5- to 3.7-litres: it's now got 326bhp at 7000rpm, and 269lb ft torque at 5000rpm, so there's more urge in the mid-range.

The weight, though, has been reduced by 30kg meaning the 370Z is significantly faster than its predecessor. It can sprint from 0-62mph in 5.3 seconds and on to a top speed of 155mph.

But what's great about the 370Z is that it feels meaty to drive. The controls - steering, brakes, clutch and gearbox - are well-weighted but on the heavy side so when you hustle the Z down the road, it feels like a compact muscle car.

The engine doesn't zip up to the redline either, instead lumbering up as the power builds. This is a totally different experience from driving agile and accurate rivals like the Porsche Cayman - and we like it very much.

What's not so great is that it's as absorbing to drive as a Porsche Cayman and has a propensity to understeer more than we'd like from a sports car. There's more traction from the rear than before, but the Z car's habit of sliding about easily with the traction control off is still as addictive as ever.

Nissan admits the 350Z's cabin was a weak point, so it's focussed on improving the 370's interior. It is much more upmarket and luxurious, with touches like a knee pad on the centre console to cushion its occupant's legs during hard cornering. But it's still not class leading in terms of button ergonomics and overall quality.

The 370Z gets some innovative technology too, notably the ingenious Synchro Rev system that blips the throttle for you during manual downshifts, replicating heel and toe braking. It means you get the perfect downshifts every time and helps to stabilise the car during hard stops. A seven speed automatic gearbox also locks up impressively well and lends itself nicely to the nature of this car's engine.