Interesting question Bockaaarck.
I think it's both punching above it's weight in terms of what it can offer vs the premium cars, but I also think that it has some pretty major failings which can be hard to get your head around for a regular car person. No two ways about it, the interior is very poor, and the fuel economy is dreadful. The MPG is a bigger issue as well when you consider the car came out as fuel prices started to rise upwards, which made it a harder sell and that's probably why the 370Z sold in such relatively pitiful numbers. It's also a heavy car, and as stock on OEM geo and on 040 tyres it's a pretty bland drive unless you want to provoke it. The boot is hugely compromised with the strut bar, which hurts the GT side of things too.
I suspect it sold mostly on the external looks, certainly that's why most people on here bought one, which I guess leads to why it's not always as revered as it should be. We all know that a few tweaks here and there transforms the car, and we all know just how solid that chassis is in terms both of construction and more importantly allowing the dynamics of it to shine through. The more I think about the Zed, the more I think it's a car you grow to love rather than fall in love with straight away. Something like a TT (let's be honest, that was the big taker of 350 sales I suspect) initially flatters a lot more with better MPG; a much nicer place to be; quattro and either turbo shove or a nicer V6, but ultimately it bores after a while. That's why I'd much rather have the 350 than a TT, but it wouldn't have helped general opinion.