Nissan’s Z car has always been an icon for a lot of people. Originally introduced in 1970 as the Datsun 240Z, the Z has come a long way. There was even a time when it was killed off, only to be revived in 2003 as the 350Z.

Now, Nissan has an all-new Z car, the 370 Z. The Z, also known as the Fairlady in Japan, is a front engine rear-wheel drive two-door sports car. Styling updates include the new L-shaped headlamps and tail lamps, a fastback type sloping roofline, and new bulging fenders. The rear overhang has been kept at a minimum in a bid to improve handling.

Inside, the 370Z gets better materials and a better fit and finish than the 350Z. The 370Z also gets a conventional glove box, something that the previous car did not have.

The biggest improvement though seems to be in the weight department. Nissan’s engineers say they have been able to chop off about 100 pounds from the slightly porky 350Z.

Enthusiasts from all over the world will surely appreciate the effort that Nissan and its engineers have put into making a better Z car. Here’s hoping that the 370Z lives up to its reputation.

The Mazda 3 has always been a bright spot in the compact car segment. It was young and vibrant. Even after five years on the market, its design still looked fresh specially when compared to most of its competitors.

It drives well too. Its handling is more sport-biased than say a Corolla, which makes it a whole lot more fun to drive around. Mazda also put in good engines and a good transmission to make sure that the car not only looked fast but was actually really fast.

All good things must come to an end though, and the Mazda 3’s lifecycle is now over. The good thing about this is that there is already an all-new Mazda 3.

The new second-generation Mazda 3 was unveiled at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show. The exterior of the 3 borrows many design cues from the new Mazda 6, which is a good thing as the new 6 is a stunner. The front is dominated by a new grille that seems as if it’s smiling when looked at directly.

The overall shape and profile of the new car evokes images of the previous generation which means that the 3 still looks like its moving fast even while just standing still.

The new Mazda 3 remains true to the original’s core values: good looks, sporty handling, all in a not-so-expensive package.

When the previous generation BMW 7-series first came out several years ago, a lot of people, critics, motorists, and journalists alike were stunned. That’s not to say that they were impressed with the car because they were more shocked than anything at how the car looked like. It had a mixture of concave and convex surfaces, with homogeneous lines all over. And it had the biggest backside this side of J.Lo. Chris Bangle, BMW’s design chief, called it “flame surfacing”. A lot of critics called it ugly. Not that it affected sales, as the said 7-series actually became the best-selling iteration of the car ever.

Now though, BMW have a new 7, and thankfully, the flame surfacing has been kept to a minimum. Introduced in October, the new 7-series features new engines, a new chassis, and more importantly, new sheet metal.

The new 7, as is the case with any flagship, is loaded with all of the latest high-tech gizmos any CEO will ever need. BMW has also refined its iDrive system, making it easier to use (so people can actually use it now).

In all, the new 7-series again ups the ante in its segment. Whether it will sell as well as the previous generation remains to be seen.

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