I think there is enough room in the Z to have 2 small seats in the back. The trunk would be compromised along with the rear sway bar, but the benefits would outweigh any negatives.

Adding two small seats would actually add more storage space with minimal weight. It would save on insurance (maybe) and the 2 extra seats would come in handy.

 

How exactly would two back seats be a benefit? This is a sports car. It's not built for convenient storage capacity. It's built for speed and agility. If you want 2+2, buy the G35 coupe.

 

If you've ever needed to carry a 3rd or 4th person on an emergency basis, I would call that a benefit, especially if weight and car dimensions are not affected. If adding 2 extra seats would cause the Z to be longer and heavier like the G35C, I would not go for that. I would only want it if the exterior dimentions are the same with very minimal weight gain - say 20 lbs?

The porsche 911 has 2 extra rear seats, albeit they are real small.

 

IMO, the G35C is the 2+2 Z. If you've looked at the Z, there is no way to put extra seats in the existing configuration. What you'd end up doing is extending the wheelbase and adding a couple hundred pounds to the car. Right behind the driver is a lot of structural material.

If you really think the car needs the added seats, sounds like your decision that you seem to be trying to make is already determined. Get the G35C.

I struggled with the decision myself. Both are great cars.

 

If it had been a 2+2, I would not have bought it.
Even if I did buy it, I would never put anyone back there, as it bugs me.

I only have sports cars, and I've pruned my stable down to only one 2+2. When I sell that one, it will be replaced with a two seater, as there will be no more 2+2's in this guys garage.
All my other cars are two seaters and I'd have it no other way.

I don't run a taxi service.

If I absolutely HAD to take a third person (I'd be pretty pissed about it), I would take my 2001 GT and be angry.

I'm really tired of psuedo-sports cars with vestigial back seats that are only appropriate for 9 year olds and circus midgets.

I'm glad Nissan finally had the guts to give the world another beautiful, TRUE sports car in the purest of fashions.
Back seats would have been an unacceptable compromise.

I got this car for ME, not my passengers.

They can buy their own cars.

 

Yeah, it sounds like you want a G35 coupe. It's about the same price, and more luxurious... so it might be something you would like. If they had a 2+2 Z, then they would be biting into their own market share vs the G35 Coupe.

 

I did want the G35 coupe but got the Z instead because of its lighter weight and superior looks. Two small seats would have been a plus, but the other factors made me decide to get the Z instead. 4 seats would have made it perfect for me (extra storage, emergency extra seating) but was not critical.

I am happy with my Z.

 

I LOVE the way Porsche does it, I have 2 young kids, and If I ever wanted to take them, I could until they are about 10-13 years or age. I know that some people LAUGH when you say the 911 has back seats, but I grew up with a dad that had 2 of them, and believe me, we used them.

I ALMOST didn't buy the Z for that very reason, BUT I am so much more passionate about this car than the G, WE (my wife and I) thought it would make me the happiest, so I got the Z!!!

 

Not having back seats is also probably what makes a convertible possible, particularly with the big brace in the back.

 

Years ago, they come up with this 2+2 Z. A friend of mine
has one and I think extending the length made the car ugly
and the 2 seats in the back were not big enough to carry
real adult passengers. So the design was flawed from the
start. I think that it has to stay with it's orginal forte, a
2 seater and improve on it. I believe that a Z owner if he has
a family should have a 2nd car!

 

You cannot have a 2 seater and a 2+2 with the same dimension and 20 lbs weight gain. It is a good wish but physically and mechanically impossible. Look at several previous generation Z with 2+2, they gave you a lot of clues. The 911 was originally conceived as a 2+2, if it was designed originally as a 2 seater, it would have a different proportion. Let's see if Porsche can add 2 more seats to the Boxster without affecting its proportion.

Nissan want the cake and eat it too. You can have 2 seater, a 2+2 (G35C) and a 4 door (G35 sedan) with the same platform, engine and drive train. I am sure they will be more variations to come. Depend on your need, there is one for you.

My wife drive a Honda Odyssey. I bought my son a Honda Civic sedan and gave my Maxima to my daughter. So, a 350Z fit my need perfectly.

 

Not a chance. The Z is a two seat sports car and the G35c is your 2+2. If you are still speculating about more than 2 seats in the Z and you bought the Z, I think you are mistaken in your choice of cars. Had I wanted a 2+2, I would have bought the M3, 330iC, Acura RSX-S or a sports sedan like the 530, G35, etc.

I wanted a 2 seater, period. Without a t-top, sunroof, jump seats or anything else to spoil the experience. Adding 2 seats to the Z would ruin the looks, eliminate any cargo space and look like crap. Losing the cargo space and getting rid of the strut brace would ruin the chassis dynamics and weaken the structure. The handling would be ruined along w/any other changes and there are NO benefits, only negatives.

I would not buy a Z with a 2+2 configuration, the G35C is the 2+2, not the Z.

 

You have got to be kidding my.A Z should be at least 6 cylinders and 2 seats.2+2 were always ugly IMO and were a disservice to the real Z's.If I needed more room I would have bought another car.

 

Personally, I don't really like driving people around much, so the idea of a 2 seat car is perfect. Also, there are less people to distract you from the task at hand, driving. Luckily, I have no kids to worry about, but if I did, I'd seriously consider the G35C.

That's pretty much the 2+2 version of the Z.

I really liked the idea that the Z was designed to be a sports car with few compromises.

 

If the z-car would have had a back seat, I would have just bought another Lotus, or maybe a Z06 (but I would have been unhappy about it).

 

Look at the side profile of the car. The peak of the roof is just in front of the drivers head, and even tall dudes have problems with head room. Even in my mustang, people 5' 8" and above had to slouch or tilt their heads, there's NO WAY you could fit a reasonable sized human being in any back seats in the Z without changing the shape.

 

A 1+2 like the McLaren!