- Doors and Seats
2 doors, 2 seats
- Engine
3.5i, 6 cyl.
- Engine Power
230kW, 358Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 11.8L/100KM
- Manufacturer
RWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Living up to the mark
Nissan has grabbed the heart strings of its Zed-car faithful with the new 350Z. The good news is that that new Zed easily lives up to the badge.
Pigeonhole: Nissan's Toyota Celica.
Philosophy: Fill a void in Nissan's model range -- and add instant street-cred to the brand by putting a historical, race-bred badge on a thoroughly modern car.
Trivia: No wonder it looks so good: the Nissan 350Z was designed on three continents -- in Japan, the US and Germany.
Who's buying it: Nissan says it had more than 200 orders for the car after it displayed the new model at last year's Sydney Motor Show -- six months before it went on sale. Devotees who've waited almost 10 years for the new Zed car -- and those in the $60,000 price bracket looking for a fresh alternative for their next coupe -- are at the head of the queues.
Why you'd buy it: The styling, the Zed badge, the whole package.
Why you wouldn't: You don't want to attract attention in traffic.
Standard equipment: The lot: leather seats with electric adjustment and heating (for winter mornings), power this and that, air-conditioning, cruise control, remote entry, six-CD player in the dash. You name it.
Safety: Dual, side and head-protection air bags (six in total), anti-lock brakes and a strong body. No independent crash data yet but it's expected to perform well.
Cabin: A few nice retro touches -- the gauges, clever door levers and badging on the door sill and rear compartment -- add to the grin factor.
Seating: For two only. The leather sports seats have adequate lateral support and excellent comfort.
Engine: The 3.5-litre V6 engine is a bit coarse but buyers of this type of car probably like to hear it at work. There is a good spread of power across the rev range but the test car didn't feel like it had 206 kilowatts. Owners of Nissan's about-to-be-discontinued turbocharged 200SX coupe will be pleased to know their vehicle is still the quicker of the two.
Transmission: The six-speed manual has an incredibly short arcade-game-style shifter. The test car crunched second and third gears a few times as the syncros appeared not to keep up with the rest of the car. This could have stemmed from previous abuse -- or it could be a trait. A five-speed auto is optional.
Steering: Sharp, direct and well-weighted. A highlight. Unique among the latest Japanese coupes, the Nissan 350Z is rear-drive which means the front wheels need only steer and, therefore, are not burdened with the extra task of delivering power to the ground.
Ride: The compromise for sharp handling is a very c-h-o-p-p-y ride. Those with bad backs need not apply.
Brakes: Four-wheel discs with anti-lock brakes work well. Good, responsive pedal feel. The more expensive Track model has race-ready Brembo brakes.
Build: A few blots on an otherwise impressive report card. The dashboard has a cleverly concealed cubby above the radio and the plastic door which covers it opens smoothly and elegantly but is awkward and clumsy to close. The central-locking switch locked the passenger's door but not the driver's. And the passenger's seatbelt buckle rattled against the plastic pillar when not in use.
Warranty: Three years/100,000 kilometres, the industry average.
Security: Engine immobiliser.
Audio: Above-average sound from Bose system.
Cost: There are two models: the $59,990 Nissan 350Z Touring, tested (the automatic version is $62,790), and the sportier $65,990 Track with bigger brakes and wheels. Nissan says it has sold all its stock to dealers so buyers may not be able to be fussy with colour and trim combinations. The Zed is sold out until May.
Verdict: A retro car that finally lives up to the legend.
Prices correct at publication date.