Come on, we’ve all done it. We have all at some point, made a mistake – deliberately or not - in terms of lane selection in big cities. Standard protocol is to make a very slightly cheeky manoeuvre to avoid being sucked into a one-way system.
In any other Nissan the majority of drivers will signal you in, knowing that they have been in your situation. But in a bright orange 350 Z all drivers assume you are arrogant and flash. So they block you, hit their horn or if you out-smart them and get in, tailgate you.
Of course, you don’t care, because this car is so much fun. This car has the same spirit as the Honda Integra. It is, for me, the definition of a driver’s car.
The noise it makes when it starts up actually makes the sun come out and sends the rain packing. You hear the aggressive metallic clunk of the fuel pump, then there is a whoosh and a growl. Everyone looks at you and you feel like you have just starred in your first Lynx deodorant advert. Grrr.
The clutch is not ‘heavy’ like a diesel on the way to the scrap yard. But it is heavy like a racing car. When at lights, you put it in neutral to stop your ankle falling off. But that’s a good thing. Trust me. This car accelerates like a bullet, stops like a dead weight. As every gear change slickly clicks into place you are reminded what a good picker of cars you are. Provided you have the confidence to wait to turn in, because for a road car it is rightly ‘pointy,’ this car will flow confidently through sweeping high speed bends even on surfaces that lead much to be desired.
I am a pretty disciplined driver, but I inevitably found myself doing about 10 mph more than I intended every time I accelerated away from a junction or roundabout. I think it was the engine note that egged me on. Or the feel of the gear change. It didn’t help that the rev counter is the main dial you can see with the Speedo set off to the right. Revs are also measured in ’000s of rpm rather than ’00s, which means the needle is only ever pointing at nominal single digit figures and my conscious mind just can’t worry about numbers that small. Had I been stopped by a member of one constabulary or another, I would have simply explained, “You can’t think I was speeding, I was only doing 3!”
What’s astonishing about the car is that it is a really comfortable cruiser. The growling at low revs calms down to a nice hum along the motorways. The cabin, from the driver’s perspective is spacious and my 6’ 3’’ frame fitted easily. A great improvement on the Toyota Celicas and Honda Preludes of my motoring past. The steering wheel leather feels smooth and expensive. The seats are the most comfortable sports seats I have ever been in. The Satellite navigation takes a little getting used to but is very pretty. The Bose stereo is made by… Bose, the people who make headphones that seal around your ears. So it produces a superior sound. The steering wheel controls are actually useful and all the dials look cool.
Don’t look over your shoulder though because it ruins this love affair. If you do you see what looks like a plastic version of your grandfather’s desk bureau followed by a panel van load area. Too small to be a Transit, it looks like the back of the Corsa van. This really annoyed me when I first saw it. But then I drove the car and realised I didn’t care. Infact, sorry for mentioning it. Did I tell you about the acceleration? The handling?
There is only one real problem with the 350 Z, and I for one am totally prepared to live with it. Whether you admit it or not, after you have spent a large five figure sum on your car (and committed to a small four figure petrol bill), you want people to know that it’s a good car. It’s why 3-Series coupes sell like hot cakes. When you have exhausted the football small talk at a party someone will ask what you drive. You say ‘3-Series Coupe.’ They think ‘fair enough.’ You feel like it was money well spent.
But if you answer 350 Z, too many people assume you are talking about a Primera or an Almera Tino. They get totally the wrong idea about you. Personally, I don’t mind. On balance, the Nissan brand has come a long way; no one did the ‘it’s only a Datsun’ joke all week.
Summary
As a new car, this is worth the money. As a used car, it is a gift. It is rude not to go and buy one. The reliability is good. There a re loads of specialists out there to help you look after it. You won’t get anyone selling for nothing because the car is in demand, but it is so cheap for what it is.
Road test car details:
0-60: 5.5 SECS
MPG: 24.1
OTR: FROM £29,295
Words: Matthew Tumbridge