Fun sports coupés come in all shapes and sizes. From classic MGs to newer members of the club such as the Mazda MX5 or Toyota MR2; no matter your preference, your choice is wide. If you fancy something slightly more upmarket and powerful but don’t want to unduly damage your bank balance, we explore a relative newcomer to the scene, the Nissan 350Z.
PACKAGING
Two seats, fixed head or electrically operated droptop roof, front engine and rear-wheel drive make for a classic sportscar layout. The coupé arrived first and CAR tested one in 2004, followed a year later by the roadster. The coupé is 118 kg lighter than the open-top version but the body strength was well sorted to compensate. Instrumentation used the slightly odd combination of orange lettering with yellow backlighting that now has an almost nostalgic feel and can certainly be appreciated for being different to the norm. In late 2009, the revised 370Z took over with a larger engine. The boot is tiny at 112 litres so be prepared to battle with the shopping.
POWERTRAIN
The brawny Nissan V6, here in 3,5-litre format, produced 206 kW with 363 N.m of torque. Mounted as far back as possible, the car’s weight distribution is an impressive 54:47 split. At that stage of engine development, naturally aspirated engines still did duty in most cars, so the torque peak was way up at 4 800 r/min. It still manages good mid-range pull though thanks to variable cam timing. It took a while to get on the boil but delivered the goods and returned a sprightly acceleration time that many of the time would be proud of.
Power in late 2006 was bumped up to 216 kW but maximum torque dropped slightly. The only criticism of the powertrain is it feels a bit harsh, especially evident through gear-lever vibration. This aside, the six-speed shift action is short and quick and the engine sound, an important aspect of such cars, does not disappoint.
SUSPENSION AND STEERING
Brembo brakes with gold callipers recorded a best stopping time of 2,86 seconds which was outstanding for the time. Both front and rear suspension use multi-link with coil springs. Steering is hydraulically assisted and has a good feel with heavy weighting. A limited-slip diff along with stability control helps car handling. Note that the rear tyres are 245 section but the front 225. Some modifiers will increase the section sizes and fit 19-inch wheels. Do some homework before considering modifying your Z.
WHICH ONE TO GET
Whether to choose a coupé or roadster is, of course, a matter of personal preference. When the roof in question is a fabric one, safety is a valid concern and some may prefer the vandal-proof hardtop version instead. Solid Japanese engineering eases the issue of maintenance costs.
Look out for exhaust leaks, oil consumption due to infrequent oil changes (every 15 000 km) and remember, sportscar clutches do not last as long as everyday runabouts. A clutch replacement is not expensive, though. The front bumper picks up stone chips in no time at all so protecting the paintwork with a vinyl coating will be well worth the money.
AVAILABILITY AND PRICES
A fair few are offered in the classifieds and some with low mileages, so this makes a lot of sense for a quality used sportscar. The fuel consumption of the big V6 lump is on the high side but efficiency is greatly improved with regular maintenance on the engine. Prices fall between R130 000 and R200 000, not a lot for well cared for vehicles with mileages near or below 175 000 km.
INTERESTING FACTS
In Japan, the car was known as the Fairlady Z from previous Nissan sportscars. The “Z” follows the lineage of cars such as the Datsun 240Z, 280Z and 300Z. South Africa got the performance package as standard although this was optional overseas. This included the Brembos, stability control and 18-inch alloys. Overseas, the car has become popular for heavy modifying, even without rolling off the production line with an easily tweakable turbo.
PARTS AND INFO WEBSITES
