Without doubt, one of man's greatest delights is to experience firsthand the stereo staccato of an exhaust system trumpeting the sound of a high performance engine being controlled by an expert touch on a mountain road. Sadly, the same engine, exhaust and expert touch become highly anti-social in urban confines, so German tuning company Cobra has come up with the perfect invention for socially-responsible petrolheads – a remote-control exhaust system. At the push of a button, one can engage an electronically controlled flap on the twin 120mm tailpipes, changing the noise from subdued and refined sportiness through to unrestrained and joyful F1-madness … and back again.
German tuning company Cobra Technology & Lifestyle has a range of accessories to make the open top Nissan 370Z Roadster look prettier, though automotive beauty is very much in the eye of the beholder and cosmetics accessories are ridiculously commonplace these days anyway. What really caught our eye with the COBRA N+ Sports Kit was an optional twin 120mm tailpipe exhaust with an electronically controlled flap.
It allows the selection of an exhaust note for the V6 engine ranging from discrete sportiness to pure racing sound at the push of the button on the radio remote. You can hear one example of the contrast here.
The full press release reads as follows:
The COBRA N+ Sports Kit for the Nissan 370Z Roadster
Exclusive accessories for the Nissan 370Z Roadster: Cobra Technology & Lifestyle (Alleestrasse 15-19, D-33818 Leopoldshöhe, Telefon +49 / (0) 52 02 / 99 92 60, Telefax +49 / (0) 52 02 / 99 92 50, Internet www.cobra-sor.com ) now introduces the COBRA N+ sports kit which offers exclusive options for upgrading the new open two-seater. All COBRA N+ options are also available for the 370Z coupe.
The COBRA N+ designers developed sportily styled carbon-fiber-look body components for the Japanese sports car: The COBRA N+ front spoiler precisely fits the opening of the air inlet of the production front apron, and lends the two 370Z models a more striking face.
Its aerodynamic counterpart in the rear is the COBRA N+ diffuser insert for the production apron. It was custom developed and features a centrally located reflector as well as custom cutouts for the two large tailpipes of the COBRA N+ sport exhaust system.
The standard rear apron is upgraded visually with the COBRA N+ rear diffuser. The aerodynamic component features a centrally mounted reflector and custom-tailored cutouts on either side for the large tailpipes of the COBRA N+ sport exhaust system.
The COBRA N+ 370Z body program also features carbon-fiber-look covers for the outside rearview mirrors.
For even more agile handling of the open Nissan sportscar the COBRA N+ engineers have developed a custom-tailored 19-inch tire/wheel combination which can be rounded off with sporty yet comfortably tuned lowering springs and sport suspensions. To reduce unsprung weight as much as possible the product range also contains the extremely lightweight COBRA N+ CN22 wheels with six double spokes. In sizes 9Jx19 with size 255/40 ZR 19 high-performance tires in front and 10Jx19 in back with size 285/35 ZR 19 tires they make perfect use of the available space beneath the wheel arches. At the same time these wheels and tires widen the vehicle’s track, further increasing maximum possible cornering speeds.
Customers can also choose between COBRA N+ sport springs for a ride-height lowering of the roadster by some 30 millimeters and two height-adjustable COBRA N+ coil-over sport suspensions. The suspensions are made from stainless steel and come with either adjustable rebound or with adjustable bound and rebound. Both versions lower the ride height of coupe and roadster by between 20 and 40 millimeters on front and rear axle.
Sporty sound, optimized power yield, an even more striking rear appearance and top-notch quality are the hallmarks of the two COBRA N+ stainless-steel sport rear mufflers. The conventional COBRA N+ sports exhaust features one 115 x 90 mm tailpipe of either side.
Alternatively available is a version with an electronically controlled flap and two round 120-mm tailpipes. It allows selecting an exhaust note for the V6 engine ranging from discrete sportiness to pure racing sound at the push of the button on the radio remote.
The cockpit of the two-seater car can be upgraded with special carbon-fiber-look scuff plates with integrated Z logo.
A 2-year warranty with unlimited miles documents the high quality of COBRA N+ components and parts.
On full throttle, the muffler would slide backwards and expose the exhaust to the slots under the u-clamp, giving mucho noise and less back pressure.
A tap of the brakes and the muffler would slip forward again, closing off the slots and reverting to \"quiet mode\".
Neat, but the town policemen didn\'t like it. I had to tighten the u-clamp for a while or use less \'right boot\' in town.
*Don\'t laugh! It was the GT racing version, lowered suspension etc., and went like stink.