Nissan 350Z
The automotive Terminator |
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By Richard J. Newman
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Nits: Premium fuel required.
G-forces: Hold on to your hat. And your shirt. The Z is powered by a 287-horsepower V-6 engine that ought to require special training–you can do damage in this car if you're not careful. But it is a thrilling ride. The manual transmission is a snappy close-ratio six-speed that adds a useful degree of control over all that power. Cornering is awesome, thanks to rear-wheel drive and a superlow profile. Options like traction control and a limited-slip differential, which help prevent tailspins and skids, are worth considering.
Gizmology: Nissan has done a nice job of packaging a lot of functionality into a tight space. The power outlet, for instance, sits conveniently atop the armrest. There's a glove box behind the passenger seat. A cupholder pops out of the dash, away from the shifter. Climate and radio controls are conventional and easy to use.
Kid marks: One drawback–the dual-stage air bags can sense small bodies in the passenger seat, and deploy more gently. But you can't turn off the passenger-side airbag.
Hot or not: Hot. The Z acts as slick as it looks.
Envirometer: The EPA rates the 350Z average for emissions and for air pollution. Mileage ranges from 19 mpg/city to 26 mpg/highway. And the 350z ranked 49 out of 477 on U.S. News's Muscle per Gallon Index. The EPA rates the 350Z below average for emissions, and poor for air pollution. Details are at www.fueleconomy.gov.
Crash course: On the government's side-impact tests, the 350z earned five stars out of five. It has not been crash-tested for frontal impact. Rollover resistance rating is five stars out of five. Details: www.nhtsa.gov Standard air bags: Front dual-stage, both sides.
Price points: Base prices range from $28,055 to $37,255. Price as tested: $37,060. (All prices include delivery fees.)
More info: www.nissanusa.com
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Model year tested: 2005
Some automobiles aspire to art. Audi and Mercedes come to mind. Others are playthings, like the Mazda Miata or the Mini Cooper. Then there are cars that brim with personality, such as the Chrysler 300 or the Honda Element or the Volkswagen Jetta.
Nissan's image car, the 350Z, comes from a different mold: It is all machine. All cars are, of course–but the Z, from its edgeless exterior to the brushed steel that adorns the cabin to the buzz of incessant energy beneath the hood, makes no pretense of museum exhibitory or anthropomorphism. The Z is about just one thing–movement. Its windswept shape cuts through the air like a bullet, minimizing drag, resistance, and noise. The throttle and steering wheel respond instantly to commands, without hesitating to consider the driver's requests or offer a second opinion. And there is not a touch of retro styling or other nostalgia sullying this testament to modern engineering. It simply gets the job done as efficiently as possible.
Such efficiency would be quite dull–except that the Z's job is to provide the most exhilaration that $30,000 can buy. And Nissan proves that $30,000 can buy a lot. The Z is a real racer, not a slicked-back pretender. The 287-horsepower V-6 engine that's standard on all models rumbles with industrial might, and propels the Z forward like sparks flying out of a blast furnace. The low-slung chassis and rear-drive layout anchor the Z to the pavement. The Z is a ball to drive, but it's no toy. It's so muscular that comparing it to a Miata or Mini is like comparing a jackhammer to a shovel.
The interior is all business, too. A set of performance gauges mounted atop the center of the dash is canted toward the driver, for full visibility. Yellow backlighting isn't especially stylish, but it is soft on the eyes. There's one cupholder behind the armrest, and another that recesses out of the dash on the passenger side–not the most convenient locations, but they're guaranteed not to interfere with shifting. You don't sit in the Z and gush over artistry or cuteness, anyway. You get in and you go–as quickly as you can. I'm glad Nissan's engineers are so serious about making the Z's machinery hum. It makes it awfully easy to have fun in it.
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