By the Racers, for the Racers

Nissan Motor Company has got 'game', in the popular meaning of the word. The long road back from a struggling, moribund car company to a revitalized, profitable enterprise is nearly complete. The crown jewel in this dramatic metamorphosis is the car they call, simply, the Z. The new 350Z (all Z cars have been named after the displacement of their engines- this car uses a 3.5 liter motor, hence- 350Z) embraces new technology, but is primarily a driver's car. As one who started saving for this car three years ago when it was in the design stages and only recently took delivery, there are many aspects to examine.

Styling
Many will say that the 350Z resembles other turn-of-the century cars, such as the Audi TT Coupe or the Lexus SC430. Certain styling cues, such as a high beltline and sweeping the head and taillights into the curves of the body itself, are representative of modern design philosophy. But the 350Z combines these with proven elements from its? own design heritage- like a long hood and triangular shaped cabin- to make a unique statement. I would echo the August 2002 review by Car and Driver magazine, which sums up: "You will draw your own conclusions about the 350Z's styling, but the editorial eye likes it very much. The lines are distinctive, muscular and clean."

Engine Performance
The engine in the 350Z is labeled internally as the VQ35DE, in reference to its' double-overhead cams and 24-valve configuration. Producing 287 brake horsepower and 274 pound-feet of torque, it is a beauty. I must mention that an earlier version of this motor (a 3.0 liter VQ engine), in my wife's 1995 Nissan Maxima, has served us faithfully and continues to offer great performance. The motor in my 350Z Track model is still quite new (600 miles, as of October 2002) and is being broken in carefully. It is identical to the motors in all the other 350Z models and promises excellent acceleration in the future. On a recent highway run, mileage was outstanding at between 27 to 30 MPG!

Drivetrain
The new six-speed manual transmission in this car is a joy to use. The gearshift is short, simple and quite direct- the feel of a precision racing tranny. Engaging reverse requires the driver to consciously push the gearshift lever down and move it to the far right and down. Although some have criticized this as difficult, I beg to differ: accidentally engaging reverse when looking for sixth gear could really do some damage! Speaking of the higher gears, fifth is a 1:1 gear ratio and sixth is a good-sized overdrive gear, thus contributing to performance and economy. The 350Z drives the rear wheels and offers a viscous limited slip differential on most models. Early reports indicate that the unit may not lock up early enough or aggressively transfer the power in racetrack situations. In normal street driving, this is not something particularly noticeable and a limited slip is especially helpful during slippery conditions such as rain or snow.

Interior
The cabin to the 350Z shines in the way that only a sportscar can. I was particularly impressed how each of the controls falls readily to hand and how the feedback from the steering wheel, brake, clutch and throttle is each a delight to the senses. Nissan engineers obviously spent a lot of time honing the ergonomics of the cabin and the adjustable seats are another example of this. Full instrumentation with the tachometer sitting directly in front (speedo to the right and fuel and engine temps to the left) are combined with three other gauges directed at the driver. One of the three is computer readout and offers a lot of information without complicated movements. The rear hatch area has a large structural brace, which bisects the area and connects the rear shock towers. The materials in my Redline track model are of excellent quality, but are obviously geared towards function and not luxury.

Chassis and Handling
The so-called FM chassis (for front-midship engine placement) puts a majority of the engine and drivetrain behind the front wheel centerlines. This offers a better balance of weight for turning, braking and acceleration. The lightweight aluminum suspension pieces, combined with an ultra rigid chassis (you didn't think that rear brace was there for looks, did you?) makes the 350Z an easy car to drive. The ride is firm, but I didn't feel beat up after several hours of cruising. The one concern I have is that Nissan may have biased the handing too far towards understeer for serious track use. Understeer is usually safer for most drivers to use as it gives a clear indication that the car is losing front grip. Most drivers lift off the throttle and the car usually slows down enough to regain that grip. Experienced drivers will have a more difficult time at dedicated road racing tracks and may have to look for ways to modify this tendency.

Brakes and Safety Features
The 350Z offers most modern safety features, including standard dual-stage front and optional side airbags. The brakes are powerful four-wheel disc and have ABS with wide tires and wheels. I opted for the track package which offers Italian-made Brembo brakes (with an inch larger discs all 'round) and Rays Engineering forged alloy wheels. This pricey combination ($7810 over the base model) will offer better resistance to brake fade, a bigger (contact patch) on the road and an overall better chance to avoid accidents! The track model also offers TCS (traction control system) and VDC (vehicle dynamic control) as state-of-the-art features. Both TCS and VDC use different sensors to help the car's computer to sense when the car might spin or lose control. The computer might help by directing the brakes or cutting back on engine power to allow the driver the opportunity to regain control. I would emphasize the word 'opportunity' because a powerful rear-drive car like the 350Z, driven carelessly, can get into crash situations that no amount of electronic intervention will be able to avoid. Both TCS and VDC can be deactivated by the expert drivers for better use of all the cars abilities at the track.

Bottom Line
The 350Z offers a rare combination of performance and economy together with practicality and style. Be aware that many dealers will try to sell them at a premium. Hold to buying one at (or perhaps as production spools up later in 2003 and beyond), or below MSRP. At about $27K to start and almost $35K for examples like my track model, it remains a bargain for those who can afford it. One final note on the track package and why it became my choice. In my experience as a road-racing driver, there are few truths evident in life. One of them states you can never be too rich, too good looking or have too much brake or (tire) contact patch on the roads of life!

2007 Update
Well, it's been almost five years since my purchase of this car and I can honestly say that I love it as much as the day I took delivery! Sure, I've done a few mild mods (springs, shocks and swaybars) that made the 350Z more neutral in handling. Outside of that, it has been a great, fast and reliable ride. My comments about the track model option also stands true: the Brembo brakes have more than paid for themselves and the track package was well worth the added expense during the original purchase. What about updates to the 350Z model? I had the opportunity to test a '07 NISMO 350Z model and I admit to being impressed. But I still couldn't bring myself to trade-in my original Redline pre-order 350Z. Every one of the nearly 60K miles have been both memorable and pleasant. I know we have many more miles to share together and I look forward to every one of them!