Meet Nissan’s 370Z Nismo Roadster

Nismo has been busy of late. Yet among its stable of GT-R, 370Z Coupe, and Juke special editions, there is a conspicuous absence: the car above.

It's the [deep breath] Nissan 370Z Nismo Roadster, and it's just made its debut at the Chicago Motor Show. Nissan reckons it caters to an otherwise left-out group of performance enthusiasts, the open-air sports car lover.

So, lovers of open air sports cars, here is a list of pleasant things the 370Z Nismo Roadster features. The engine - that big-hearted 3.7-litre V6 - is a little more powerful, here featuring 350bhp and 276lb ft of torque. It features a tweaked ECU and a new exhaust system.

It's matched with a seven-speed automatic gearbox with Nissan's ‘rev-matching' feature, because most standard 370Z Roadster buyers prefer a self-shifter. Though we'd expect any production 370Z Nismo Roadster to at least offer a six-speed manual...

That power is naturally sent to the rear wheels for much hoonery, and there's a brace of chassis mods to help stabilise it. There's a brace under the bonnet, special springs and stabiliser bars, bigger brakes and a limited-slip diff with a shorter drive ratio, for better acceleration.

Then there are are some 19-inch lightweight Nismo/RAYS alloy wheels, GT-R inspired aero bits, LED daytime running lights, red Nismo accents and emblems, and of course, the automatic fabric roof. Inside, there's a set of Recaro sports seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, better audio, a seven-inch touchscreen display and red rev counter.

"While it's only a design study at this point," says Nissan's Pierre Loing, "we think the 370Z Nismo Roadster concept would be a tremendous addition to the long and distinguished history of Z sports cars."

Are you in agreement, Internet?

A secret glimpse into Nismo's HQ