Nissan: Not your everyday weapon

Nissan's done a fantastic job at chopping off the top of the 370Z, but it's not the car for your daily commute. Photo / Jacqui Madelin

Sometimes you have to wonder why companies make a perfectly good car, then chop the roof off. All that design and engineering work to maximise stiffness without compromising weight, and it's wasted. For slicing the lid makes a body bendy, and bracing adds heft, which cuts speed. No wonder few convertibles are truly dynamic; that they largely rely on good looks to sell.

The notable exceptions - Porsche's Boxster and Mazda's MX-5 - were designed from scratch as cabrios.

So Nissan's 370Z didn't seem a natural for the roof chop treatment. It's a back-to-basics sports car, with rear-wheel drive and muscular performance from a big engine. But it's also a sharp-looker; clearly Nissan couldn't resist.

Like the coupe, this cabrio is shorter than its predecessor, with a reduced wheelbase. It's wider, too, accentuated by those flaring wheel arches. Despite 61kg of bracing and the electronic mechanism to fold the lightweight fabric lid, this car's just 49kg heavier than the coupe.

The 3.7-litre naturally aspirated V6 shrugs that off with ease, firing its plentiful poke to the rear wheels via a seven-speed auto that in manual mode automatically blips the throttle on downshifts to match revs.

The aural aggression is matched by the handling. The cabrio's barely less capable than the hard-top car, it's as well-balanced, much stiffer than its predecessor and capable of a grippy point-and-go delivery that's intoxicating. It's a bit of a blunt weapon, but that suits its forceful character.

On the right road, the cabrio's arguably more fun than its coupe sibling - if nothing else because the rushing air and joyous engine roar connects you more closely with the world around you.

Trouble is, how often do you drive like this? Most of us rarely do, our cars used daily for far more mundane tasks.

Which is where the compromises start to annoy.

That letterbox rear window doesn't offer much of a rear view; around-town manoeuvres - or lane changes - are almost a matter of blind faith.

The boot is tiny; at 139 litres it's smaller than the MX-5's. And it's no better with the roof up - for the lid folds into its own compartment, part of the car's bracing. That roof compartment isolates you from the rear wheels, but the car's still noisy. Which is fine when you're fanging it, but not on your daily commute when you'll also notice the harsh ride that befits its performance focus.

Nissan's put some thought into offsetting the compromises - the moulded handbag shelf behind each front seat is a nice touch; that the passenger's seat is wider than the driver's more focused possie should offset some marital complaints.

But I'd still choose the cheaper coupe over this $81,000 convertible. I might then be less aware of the engine's siren song, but I'd arguably get a slightly more committed drive, alongside a better balance with my everyday needs.

Nissan 370Z cabrio

We like
Hooligan nature, mighty engine, as much fun to drive as the coupe

We don't like
Noisy, very poor rear vision

Powertrain
3.7-litre direct injection V6, 245kW at 7000rpm, 363Nm at 5200rpm, seven-speed auto drives rear wheels

Performance
0-100, 10.9l/100km (claim)

Safety
Stability and traction control, ABS brakes, six airbags,

What it's got
climate control air, cruise control, power-adjust heated sports leather seats, Bluetooth hands-free, keyless entry and start, auto lights, glass wind deflector

Vital stats
4250mm long, 139-litre boot, 72-litre tank