The Nissan 350Z was controversial to me when it first came out, I was a big big fan of the 300ZX Fairlady and wondered what Nissan were doing when they brought this car out.

“No Twin Turbo!” I thought, “only a V6!” what a shame.

However the car grew on me and when Epic went to Nissan to test-drive it, I fell in love with the Z range all over again.

Since its launch the 350Z has undergone a few subtle changes and a more powerful car was made in 2007.

Jumping into the car you are amazed by the interior, charcoal or grey seats as standard or Alezan Orange Leather with Black inserts as an extra with Steering Wheel and Gear Leaver to match.  Nice Z kick plates (door sills) and a rear strut brace remind you that this is a day to day car as well as a fine tuned sports car.

The wrap around dash and instrument panel looks like that of a fighter jet.  Massive Dials greet you as you peer through the steering wheel with the rev counter taking centre position.

The instruments and buttons on the centre console are large and user friendly with Satellite Navigation dominating and a 240 watt BOSE system as an optional extra in the GT pack.  Above housed in 3 gauge pods are for voltage and oil pressure, the third is a programmable display, which allows the driver to scroll through an air temperature, rev limiter settings, stop clock and speed – the latter of which is far clearer than the

orange-highlighted analogue speedometer.

The 350Z is a two seats only so no need to worry about rear seat space.  The drive position is very low and for those of you with issues of getting in and out this may not be the car for you.  The seats are snug for me but they don’t dig in they way some Recaro’s do.  The driver seat is electronically adjustable and both are with the GT specification.  The car comes with electric windows and Climate Control as standard.

Most cars come with bi-xenon headlights, LED rear lights, RAYS lightweight alloys and Bluetooth capability.  The GT pack adds on upgraded BOSE audio and Nissan’s Birdview 3D satellite navigation.

The 2007 model comes with 309bhp and the limiter bounces at 7500rpm.  It’s 0-100kmh time is shorter than before at 5.7 seconds and topping out at 155mph (limited)

There is only one gearbox on offer with the new 350Z, a 6 speed manual.  The clutch feels almost like a semi-race clutch and assists with quicker pull away manoeuvres without a hint of stalling.

A unique feature in today’s is the introduction of a shift light which reminds you when to change gear before peak power run’s out.  I preferred the RX7 version which gave an audible beep when it was time to change gear meaning you didn’t have to take your eye’s off the road when giving it a bit of shoe (acceleration).

The V6 engine sounds absolutely amazing under heavy throttle.  The deep rumble roar and rasp makes you melt.  Although this isn’t for everyone, I think the type of person who would buy a car like this would appreciate such things.

The 350Z is perfectly balanced on the road.  The strut braces found around the car keep the chassis perfectly rigid under any conditions.  It corners flat and for driving enthusiasts the electronic stability control systems allow the rear to swing out slightly before intervening.  This traction control type system can be shut off at the flick of a switch leaving the driver to recover if needed.  The suspension is fairly hard but doesn’t ruin the ride over harsh surfaces.

One issue with the 350Z is the boot space.

The boot is reasonable at 235litres, but only small luggage can really be fitted due to the hindrance of the strut brace.  In Nissans infinite wisdom they have included a strut brace right across the centre of the boot.  Two sets of Golf Clubs can be fitted in according to Nissan, but good luck I say.

Every 350Z comes with ABS, Front, Side and Pillar airbags and Brembo 4 piston brakes, remote central locking and an immobiliser.

Japanese sports cars are just about the most reliable you can buy. It might be a low-volume car by Nissan's standards, but it's built with the same solidity as the rest of its range. Used buyers should take particular care to look for crash damage.
Don’t see the 350Z depreciating that much over the years if well maintained.  The car is expensive to run and the fuel economy is not the best, but why buy a car like this if you are worried about your carbon footprint??

The 350Z is every boy racer / street racer or modifyers dream.  With about as much gear to but for the 350Z as there is available for a Honda Civic, you can certainly change them to be as individual as you.