Face-off: Nissan's 350Z vs. the 370Z

On November 19, Nissan North America announced pricing for the 2010 370Z Coupe, but used 350Zs in New York and elsewhere might offer comparable performance for a fraction of the price.

Nissan's 2010 roadster is available in two trim levels: the 370Z and the 370Z Touring. Both will cost Japanese car enthusiasts over $30,000 and are available in a new color, Black Cherry. The 370 is available with either a six-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed automatic, the latter adding $1,470 worth of heft to the roadster's sticker price at both trim levels. The 370Z has four-wheel independent suspension and a 3.7-liter V6 that produces more than 330 horsepower.

Z-line cars trace their heritage so far back their hoods used to wear Datsun badges. Production of the Datsun 240Z began in 1969 and two versions were manufactured - one for the U.S. market and another for Nissan's own in Japan. Over the last 40 years, the Z has been redesigned five times.

The 370 is the 350's successor and their similarities are recognizable at first glance. The cars' front wheels are pushed all the way forward and their rear wheels are pushed all the way back. However, the 350's wheelbase is almost four inches longer, according to Edmunds.com. But the roadsters share a similar stance because the 350 is also more than two inches longer than the 370.

In terms of performance, it looks like the 370Z has the 287-horsepower 350 beat by about 45 ponies. Combine that with the weight reduction of roughly 140 pounds that was partly achieved by shortening the car, and it seems the 370Z is going to be faster off the line.

Car and Driver says the 2007 350Z will reach 60 MPH in 5.2 seconds, and complete the quartermile in 13.7 seconds at 104 MPH. Motor Trend says the 370Z gets to 60 in 4.7 seconds and does the quartermile in 13.3 seconds at 105.6 MPH, so it seems the specs make sense.

There is one last factor that some car buyers may want to take into consideration before they decide which Nissan roadster they would prefer to purchase. Edmunds says that a 2007 350Z can sell for as little as $16,500, while Nissan will get $29,990 for its least expensive 370. The average car is driven approximately 12,000 miles per year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, which means the odometer of a 2007 350Z will probably read about 36,000.

Although the 370Z is faster, smaller and lighter than its predecessor, a 2007 350Z costs about half as much. Cars today will put six digits on the clock without a problem, so 36,000 miles isn't necessarily a lot. Whether car shoppers choose to buy a new 370 or a used 350 in New York, it seems they will be getting their money's worth because Nissan has been perfecting its Z-line cars for several decades now. After all, Jay Leno has a Nissan in his garage and it's parked near his Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren.