Last Auto Reviews Blog: First Drive: 2009 Nissan 370Z

First Drive: 2009 Nissan 370Z

Filed under: Coupes, Sports/GTs, Nissan, First Drive

Click above for high-res gallery of the 2009 Nissan 370Z

Stand on any corner in any city, close your eyes and open your ears. Eventually you'll hear the telltale swell of an engine as someone blips the throttle while braking before the bend. This secret auditory handshake among gearheads signals the arrival of a driver schooled in the art of heel-and-toe. And when the 2009 Nissan 370Z goes on sale in January, you won't be able to tell an aspiring Schumacher from Joe the... shoemaker. Nissan's simple yet brilliant "SyncroRev Match" will relegate the artistry of rev-matching to the annals of motoring history. Other automakers compelled to offer manual gearboxes for the dedicated few will doubtlessly adopt the system, and those of us who care - who've unconsciously conditioned ourselves to crane our heads to catch a glimpse of what's coming - will cease to do so. Progress is a double-edged sword and rarely balanced, but don't fret. The 370Z's overly hyped rev-matching system isn't the end of the world, and it's hardly the best part of Nissan's new Z. Follow the jump to find out what is.