2009 Nissan Z34 370Z Roadster: First Look

Here it is folks, our first-ever glimpse of Nissan's upcoming 370Z drop-top. Included as part of Nissan's submission to the European Trademark Office, these plans confirm that, yes, the topless 370Z will look just as weird as every Z convertible that precedes it.

The 370Z coupe's smoothly sloping rear hatch has been chopped in favour of a severely truncated boot, and the Z's shapely roofline is no more. All is not lost however, as Nissan appears to have learned a few lessons from the last-gen 350Z Roadster

The 370Z Roadster's beltline rises up smoothly to merge with the top of the boot, accentuating the Z's commodious rump and - unlike the droopy-arsed 350Z Roadster - the 370Z convertible looks far more pleasing in profile.

The rear deck is a smidge higher than the bonnet and the much sharper drop-off at the rear of the car works well here. Call me crazy, but there even seems to be a Ferrari California-esque flavour to it.

Will it look quite so hot in the flesh? You'll have to wait until April, when the 370Z Roadster is expected to make its debut at the New York Auto Show. Specs and prices will also be announced there, but aside from a little more weight and a few more dollars added to its pricetag (not to mention that fabric roof), the 370Z Roadster should be pretty similar to its tin-topped brother.