"When I get hot, I go topless." So sayeth the license plate frame of many a convertible. Though it's typically employed as a double entendre, the cheeky adage actually describes the new 2010 Nissan 370Z Roadster quite well. The new Z Roadster is making its world debut on the eve of the 2009 New York auto show alongside the 2009 Nismo 370Z.
We already know the 370Z is hot. In our first test, it hit 60 mph in 4.7 sec and wiped out the quarter mile in 13.3 sec at 105.7 mph. It's likely we'll see similar performance from the new the Z Roadster, but it has packed on some pounds over the base car, so expect the numbers to climb a tick or two.
Of course, creating a roadster takes more than a hack saw. Nissan stiffened up the A-pillars and doorsills to keep the Z's chassis firm without the roof, and it added some weight. Nissan says the base 370Z Roadster weighs in at 3426 lb with a six-speed manual and 3449 lb with the seven-speed auto box. Upgrade to the posh Touring model, and it'll ring in at 3497 lb with the manual transmission and 3489 lb with the auto. Any way you slice it, the roadster is heavier than the hardtop coupe we tested, which tipped the scales at just 3355 lb.
2009 Nissan 370Z Roadster Top View
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 370Z Roadster interior |  Driver's seat |  Ventilated seat fabric |  Easy-down top |
 Tiny trunk |  Anyone for golf? |  Z engine |  RAYS wheel |
In taking that weight penalty, though, you get some pretty nice returns. The star of the Roadster's feature list is the folding softtop, which raises or lowers in 20 sec and features an automatic-locking mechanism at the windshield. This means no more fighting with latches and such; just push the button and watch it work. The button in question is in the center console just ahead of the armrest and nestled between the seat heater/cooler controls, if you have them. Alternatively, you can use the Nissan Intelligent Key system and hit the button next to the door handle as you enter the car to drop the top as you're getting settled in.
Nissan boasts that the 370Z Roadster's glass rear window is larger than the one on the outgoing 350Z convertible, which should help with rear sightlines when you have to have to raise the top. While you're looking back, though, you'll see something far more interesting than the rear defroster. Like most convertibles, the 370Z Roadster comes with a wind deflector between the seats. But unlike most other deflector setups, Nissan has permanently mounted it in the car and fashioned it out of glass with a "Z" logo etched into it -- a classy touch.
The slick wind deflector isn't the only standard feature you'll appreciate on the Z Roadster. The base model comes standard with keyless entry, push-button starter, one-touch power windows, power door locks, automatic climate control, a manually adjusted eight-way driver seat, a manually adjust four-way passenger seat and a four-speaker stereo with CD player and Auxiliary connection.
