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Latest 350Z - Birmingham Mail review


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The mother in-law spotted this in the local paper on the evening I picked up my Z. Mostly what we already know but still nice to read as a new owner :D

 

Written by Mike Torpy

 

Flip open the boot in the latest version of Nissan’s 350Z coupe and there are two surprises. One is the sheer size of the tailgate itself, the other a notice on the underside. It reads: How To Store Two Golf Bags, and is accompanied by a pair of diagrams. Thankfully I had no cause to study the pictures because the bags, albeit slim line, slotted in a treat. Could be that Nissan is doing itself a disservice by suggesting the load area is constricted.

 

What’s not such a shock is the shear joy of driving a 350Z. This spiritual successor to the iconic 240Z of the early 1970s has altered little since its launch five years ago, yet is still more than a match for the best coupes on the market. Visually it’s an elegant, lean machine – eye catching in colour-of-the-moment white – the tested version featuring lightweight RAYS forged 18-inch alloy wheels with gold Brembo brakes.

 

Hop inside and the firm fabric seats are low slung, the pedals and footrest are all of drilled alloy and there are lidded storage containers, sunglass holder, coin slots and a lockable luggage bay behind the passenger seat that’s capable of holding a briefcase. Convenience spec like climate control air-con, trip computer and adjustable steering are standard and while the six CD system is something you expect, it’s unusual to still find a cassette player in the dash.

 

Fire up the 3.5 litre V6 engine and prepare yourself for a soundtrack unique in a car from this price category. The growl from the 313PS unit is savage, as is the punch that comes fro an engine that produces 90 per cent of its peak torque at a mere 2,000rpm. The upshot is a 0-62mph acceleration figure of just 5.7 seconds and top speed that’s electronically limited to 155mph.

 

More enjoyable though is the pin-sharp driving experience with its tenacious road holding and positive feel from the steering wheel. The ride is very firm and the clutch bites like a rat trap, but the short throw gear stick is a delight to use as you ‘snap shift’ between the six gears.

 

Of course with all that performance there has to be a trade-off, and it comes in the form of steep running costs – the official average fuel return is an optimistic 24 miles per gallon.

 

That said, the 350Z is still every bit as good as the new generation Audi TT 3.2 V6 Coupe – which costs over £3,000 more – has proved itself to be reliable and retains strong re-sale value.

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