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SAN JOSE, CA -- I just got back from a delightful drive of Nissan’s 2010 370Z Roadster. We were on Hwy 84 to LaHonda, it was a two-lane road, with tight twisting turns and in places the trees acted like a canopy so we were darting in and out of daylight.
 We had the six-speed manual Z Roadster (a seven speed automatic is also available). Shifting was smooth and downshifting, aided a by synchronized downshift rev which matched the transmission speed, made the experience seamless. And when the sun warmed us too much, we just turned on the cooled seats.
The roadster was powered by the same 332 horsepower V6 that is under the hood of the Z coupe. It made 270 pounds-feet of torque. What’s more, the Z Roadster is the third component of the Z Family. Nissan also brought the 350 horsepower Nismo Z that was tuned and geared for a race track but I’ll talk about that car at some other time.
The new Z Roadster in a word is refined; it’s meant for an older driver who may be married and has earned the right to treat him or herself nicely. Nissan actually sees the drop top as the third car in the household.
It is chock full of equipment. The top is cloth rather than vinyl for a better look. It is fully automatic and will fully retract or deploy in 20-seconds. And with a base price of $37,660, the Z Roadster is within reach of lots car buyers.
 Although the test roads twisted a lot, the Z Roadster didn’t. Front and rear body torsion and front and rear body lateral bending have all been strengthened by as much as 60 percent. That sort of thing makes a difference when pushing a car through tight turns on uneven roads.
The hood, doors and truck lid and front suspension cradle were made of aluminum. The car weighs 150 lbs less that the Z Roadster that it replaces and 200 lbs more than its stable mate coupe.
Standard tires are 18-inch but 19-inch rubber is available. Also bigger sport brakes are optional. The top is now operated hydraulically rather than electrically. It opened and closed smoothly. And even when open, there was enough room in the trunk for more than a roller bag or a set of golf clubs.
Steering was dead on and the Z Roadster accelerated smartly. We didn’t know the roads and we weren’t sure whether the authorities had posted squad cars to greet us. In others words, we didn’t drive wild and crazy.
 We drove the Nismo Z out to lunch and drove the Roadster back to the hotel. With the one-way trip, we didn’t get the chance to ride in the roadster with the top up. But at highway speeds, with the windows up and the fixed glass wind deflector the cockpit was pretty tame in terms of wind.
The car tracked well, braked really well and the suspension was stiff but not harsh. Our test vehicle had high backed woven carbon seats, an ovoid steering wheel which gave me a better grip and while I was in the passenger seat I noticed that the synthetic sued covered door panel and arm rest really felt good.
We didn’t do any city driving so I don’t know how the Roadster will handle stop and go traffic or how well I could see in terms of traffic and site lines. Still, I think the Z Roadster can be driven every day, if you choose to do so.
There is also plenty to choose from. Exclusive to the Z Roadster are a navigation system with traffic, weather and DVD playback capability, Bluetooth streaming video, a 9.3 GB hard drive, an interface for an iPod and an intelligent key with push button start and stop. Nissan officials told us that this equipment would eventually make its way though Nissan’s produce line.
 And with all that, the 2010 Nissan Z Roadster looked really good. Good enough that passersby stopped to have their photo taken standing beside a model of the car that Nissan had parked in front of the hotel. That’s an indication that the 370Z Roadster is yet another winner for Nissan.
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