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Nissan 350Z



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CUSTOMER REVIEWS

A terrific Grand Tourer for the $$$

by onehappydogstl from Saint Louis, Missouri (5/27/08)
Pros: solid chassis for a convertible, greatly revised VQ motor = more horses
Cons: seats dont recline too much, but overall nothing major

this is my second 350Z roadster, my first one was a 2004 when they first came out but traded it after a year sadly because i no longer had a garage to park it in, i decided on my newer 2008 because after doing my homework and negotiating a great deal, i could not be happier, overall an awesome touring car for the money with some nice improvements from the original, most notably the engine and transmission seem to work better together this time around a wonderful combination, also the interior has a few nicer touches, i know the new full redesign for 2009 is just around the corner, but i got a great deal and love the original body shape, i have had faster more horsepowered cars, but this car has an incredible GT and i love hearing the exhaust note with the top down

Most sports car for the money, by far.

by J. Bowers from Birmingham, Al. (4/14/08)
Pros: long wheelbase makes ride excellent for its tight suspension, feels solid.
Cons: Cannot think of a ligitimate complaint.

Great looks, performance is as expected, shifts smoothly. I'm 6'1'' and have great leg room. The power driver seat is excellent and the location of the control is very convenient. There is so much leg room that I move the seat up in traffic to more easily reach the clutch and back on the open highway. Surges from 60 to 80 mph in 6th gear.

this is what you wanted to hear...

by raffy from All over the US, mostly CA, NV, NY, IL, FL and NC (4/07/08)
Pros: 60 to 100 in no time, fits everywhere, responds super quickly to every move, great stereo system
Cons: makes you want to flip cops and start a chase

I travel for a living and I get to test pretty much any car you see out there for under 100k; from jags to coupe caddies, vettes, etc... and this is "THE ONE"... I get it (rent) every time I can and as other comments have said, it's very low to the ground so you will feel the bumps (not a good thing if you have a bad back), it may even give you a "sea sickness" feel after a few days if you ride it hard all the time because of the constant "pulling" feel, it's the only car I've gotten to do three full doughnuts on a regular street crossing, the other ones tend to lose control or go all over the place after half turn (and I stopped because i coulnd't see because of the tire smoke)
Gas mileage is way good for what you get in return; head turning? I won't say so but not too many people out there will not respect you. Girls love it, specially the convertible kind which seems to have a better engine sound because of the structure of the car.
Not too much trunk space, enough for a carry on and a backpack, if you're picking somebody up at the airport, make sure to ask if they have more than 2 pieces of luggage... or they will have to carry it on their lap...
Sound system is very good, I won't change it unless I wanted it to last forever. Engine noise it's not as loud as a Lambo, but it's a great sound when you turn it on and you know what the car is capable of. Controls are user friendly, etc, etc, etc.
If you are looking to dress it up: some smoke lens covers, window tinting, and maybe a classy spoiler will do the trick. Plenty of places to get accesories for this. I could go on and on about it but you won't know what any of us is talking about until you get in one... don't worry when you step on it the first time and the car tries to do something not expected, this is probably because you have never ridden a bullet...
CONS: if you have a bad back you will feel the pain, as other people mentioned, watch your speed!!! wait, it's that a con? getting in and out of it: you have to get the hand of it, doors are fine, I don'tknow why people complain about that... talking to the passanger: you don't want that, you just want to ride... if you're the passanger: shut up and hold on to the leather... don't go for a hard ride after eating... don't ride it hard all the time or you will feel motion sickness to the point where you won't want to go anywhere... if you don't believe this one I implore you to try it for about 3 to 4 days... you'll remember being warned... Not the car for very long drives (more than 12 straight hours) but still very comfy for anything else, cannot be turned into a weekend car :o)
cannot be used to impress your girlfriend's mom... but definetly her dad's... The guys who have wrote bad reviews because they rented one for 3 or 4 days don't know what they're talking about... I have rented probably about 30 of this babies for periods of up to a month at the time and based on the way I beat them up (pretty bad, 100% of the time) I consider this kind of car the strongest and most durable one I have ridden.


Pros
Nissan's 2008 350Z manages to capture all the excitement of the original Z car. The 350Z is one of the few affordable sports cars that is still offered as either a coupe or convertible. The car's styling is notable, handling is taut, and power is ample, and the coupe starts at $28,605 including destination charge. Few other cars on the market can make such claims, while still being an honest-to-goodness sports car.

Model Highlights
Datsun forever changed the world of affordable sports cars when they launched their sleekly styled, six-cylinder missile, the Datsun 240Z, in 1971. Five years after the Z car's reintroduction to the U.S. market, the 2008 Nissan 350Z happily stays true to the 240Z's successful blend of performance, style, and reasonable price. The 350Z shares its platform with the Infiniti G35 sedan and G37 coupe. These cars all use Nissan's FM (front midengine) platform that places the engine behind the front axle line for optimal weight distribution, resulting in excellent handling. The 350Z uses the fourth-generation 3.5L, 24-valve DOHC V6 which in this application, makes 306 horsepower and 268 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual and a five?speed automatic transmission with down-shift rev matching are available, and both a coupe and a roadster are on offer. Inside, the Z is obviously a pure driver's car. The tachometer is large and directly ahead of the driver. When you release the tilt lever the whole instrument pod goes up and down with the steering wheel. It's a thoughtful detail that ensures a great view of the instruments at all times. The three small round gauges atop the center of the dashboard echo back to the original Z car, and a large storage compartment opens right below it. This is where the GPS system resides if you choose this option. Everything in the cockpit is pointedly styled, and just flat out works. Even better than the interior is the driving. Nissan obviously went to a lot of trouble to make the Z chassis an exceptionally stiff one. Under the hood a brace connects the two shock towers. There is also a larger cross member that takes up a significant amount of rear cargo area. The Z's power is magnificent. The stiff chassis makes for a firm ride, but it also elevates the handling prowess of the Z beyond some high-buck sports cars. The ABS-equipped four-wheel disc brakes are absolutely fantastic. The 350Z has a number of trims, including Enthusiast, Touring, and Grand Touring. The Enthusiast adds a limited slip differential, traction control, cruise control, aluminum pedals, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and a HomeLink universal garage door opener. The Touring gets heated leather seats, Bluetooth, XM satellite radio, and a Bose audio system. The Grand Touring adds Brembo brakes, super lightweight 18-inch wheels, vehicle dynamic control and front and rear spoilers. Side air bags for both the body and head are optional, as is a DVD-based navigation system, and satellite radio. A limited number of NISMO coupes will be built for 2008. These special edition vehicles have a more rigid body (as much as 60% stiffer in many areas), a rear diffuser, a front spoiler, lighter wheels, large Brembo brakes, and a suspension with high spring rates and a bigger rear stabilizer bar.

Model News
The 2008 Nissan 350Z continues on with no significant changes from the previous year. One new color is available: Nogaro Red. The limited edition 350Z NISMO that was released for 2007 continues on for the 2008 model year. Available as a coupe only, the NISMO is billed as the best handling Z ever, and is equipped with all manner of performance enhancements, including an aerodynamic kit, tuned exhaust, lightweight wheels, Brembo brakes, and a stiffer body.

Value Writeup
Performance; aggressive style; comfort (for a sports car); reliable.
Awards & Reviews

Z®'s VQ Engine Receives 2007 Ward's 10 Best Engines Award
In the words of the writers and editors of Ward's, the "sublime 3.5L 'VQ' V-6 needs no introduction, being that it's won a 10 Best Engines award each and every year since the competition's inception in 1995. That the VQ has cemented itself as the dominant V-6 benchmark is without question…."1

2008 Z® Received Highest Side Impact Safety Rating
The Z® has received the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) highest rating - 5 stars - for side-impact crash safety.2

 "... best sports car under $30,000...Great performance car! Stiff and quick. Brakes are excellent. This is a true sports coupe."

Road & Track, December 2006



A forum member over at Fresh Alloy has posted scanned pics of the coming Nissan 370Z from a Japanese magazine, and it looks like things are going to get a lot curvier. It appears that the hood-to-fender dip on the current car remains on the new Z. However, at the front of those fenders appears a set of LED headlights unlike anything else on the road. And in one inset photo -- though we have no idea if it represents anything more substantial than fancy -- a redone front features a smaller center scoop flanked by much more aggressive fender vents.

There are some fuzzier interior shots as well, and the three gauges atop the center console look to be placed in much deeper cowls than the current car. According to Alloy moderator Jawad, the car will come with the same 3.7L V6 that debuted in the Infiniti G37 with the same horsepower and be announced in November, which probably means an LA Auto Show unveil is in the works. Thanks for the tip, Lester and Kn1ves!

Winding Road's man from Japan, Peter Nunn, supposedly has it on good authority that Nissan's new Z-car is headed to Los Angeles this November for its official unveiling. According to Nunn's source, the 370Z looks "fantastic," despite it being a more evolutionary design.

The really interesting tidbit from Nunn is that the new Z will be shorter than the outgoing model by around four inches. That might curtail speculation that the spy shots we've seen of a chopped 350Z was a new rear-wheel-drive model that could resurrect the Silvia nameplate. Too bad. But the 370Z will be sporting the 3.7-liter V6 found in the Infiniti G37 coupe, a slightly wider track and, hopefully, will shed a few pounds from the outgoing model.

Speculation is circulating around the automotive media that Nissan is preparing a revised version of the Z-car. According to reports, the 350Z will turn into the 370Z when Nissan updates the sportscar with the 3.7-liter V6 in its recently-revised sibling, the Infiniti G37 coupe. Whether the Japanese automaker will use this opportunity to facelift the model altogether as anticipated remains to be seen.

The reports suggest that the 370Z will be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show, home turf to Nissan's sister-company Renault, this coming October. That's still months away, so stay tuned for more information.

[Source: Autocar magazine via Winding Road]

Autoblog reader Sei tipped us off to an article over at the GT Channel that purports to have the inside scoop on the development of a prototype retractable hardtop that can be fitted to the 350Z. Autech, an arm of Nissan whose focus is on specialty vehicle conversions, has developed a system that is likely to be equipped on the next Z car - if it's deemed cost effective and can fit within the Z's pricing structure.

If certain rumblings are to be believed, the next Z could debut as early as this year's Tokyo Motor Show in October, likely a refresh rather than an outright redesign. The coupe would be shown in concept form, with sales likely to begin in 2009, and that's when we'd expect this rumor to be confirmed.

New & Future Cars: 2009 Nissan 370Z

The new Z will be a rocket. 
By Sam Mitani  •  Photo-Illustration by Larson 

June 2008

While all the buzz at Nissan has recently centered on the GT-R, the Tokyo-based company has quietly been working on the next-generation Z. We knew months ago that the 350Z would undergo a significant makeover, but now our friends at Mag X, Japan's leading car spy magazine, uncovered key elements in the upcoming Z's styling along with providing vital information. 

The first thing you notice when looking at the new Z is the headlights. They're an odd "V" shape, which creates a "squinting" effect. But the face is now more distinctive than before. Also adding spice to the new-look Z are "fangs." These body-colored dividers are incorporated inside the grille to separate the air going to the radiator and the brake vents.

The overall shape and profile of the new Z will remain relatively unchanged. However, it will be slightly smaller than the current car, measuring roughly 163 in. from bumper to bumper, about 6.5 in. shorter than today's 350Z. Interior space will stay the same, but the car will weigh some 200 lb. less, tipping the scales at about 3010 lb. 

What this means is the new Z will be a rocket. A reliable source in Japan has told us it will be powered by a 3.7-liter V-6, the same engine used in the Infiniti G37 coupe, with output bumped to 350 bhp at 6500 rpm and torque to about 280 lb.-ft. at 4500. This new power-to-weight ratio for the "370Z" will allow the car to reach 60 mph in less than 5.0 seconds, and should give the Porsche Cayman S a run for its money around any racetrack. 

Oh, and speaking of money, there are rumors that the price tag will also increase, probably north of the $35,000 mark. The 370Z will make its world debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show this November and go on sale in the U.S. in early 2009.