2018 Nissan 370Z

Nissan 370Z

Nissan’s 370Z is one of those cars you spot on the N1 and can’t help but respect. In South Africa, it’s a rare breed — a proper rear-driven, naturally-aspirated coupe that doesn’t apologise for being a little old-school. This isn’t a school-run special or a Sandton park-and-pose machine. It’s for the enthusiast who actually wants to drive, not just be seen. On paper at least, it’s up against the Toyota GR86 and Porsche 718 Cayman, but with just two cars listed nationally — one manual at R369,995 and one automatic at R405,500 — you’re not browsing, you’re hunting. And if you’re looking here, chances are you already know exactly what you’re after. Both cars are standard 370Z Coupes from 2011 to 2018, each with a shade over 102,000 km on the clock. That’s not wild for a car that was never meant to live its life stuck in traffic on Rivonia Road. What you get for your money is the kind of big-hearted 3.7-litre V6 that just doesn’t exist anymore, singing through a proper exhaust with the sort of character a 2.4-litre four could only dream of. It’s what the 370Z should have been from the start: honest, loud, and a little bit scarce. Used-only means you’ll need patience, and that scarcity keeps prices surprisingly firm — which, for some, only adds to the appeal.