Autocar Test Summary
10-29-2003, 02:59 PM
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Autocar Test Summary
Nissan Z 350 2dr
Test Date 21/10/2003
Price when new £24,000
Nissan 350Z
History
The legendary Datsun 240Z, launched in 1969, changed the image of the Japanese firm. Styled by a European, Albrecht Goertz, it had performance, rear-drive handling, style and crucually, reliability and was a runaway sales success in the USA. Never a big seller in the UK, the Z had grown fatter and uglier by the launch of the first 300ZX in 1983. That changed in 1989 when the all new twin turbo 300ZX was launced, a car that combined near supercar performance with a well balanced rear-drive chassis and beat the Porsche 968 in the process. But UK buyers remained unconvinced about that cars brash image and dull interior and it was largely ignored in the showroom.
Design and Engineering
A clever mix of smooth surfaces and sharp creases, the defining characteristic is the hollowed-out surface above the waistline. Out of this inverse surface 'grow' the pronounced wheelarches, giving the 350Z a butch, aggresive stance.
Overhangs are minimal, especially at the front where the bodywork tapers inwards in front of the wheel. At the rear the shape is smooth, with the tail lights constructed from the overlapping lines swept back from the side glasshouse. A subtle spoiler lies below the rear glass, part of the aero kit fitted standard to Euro-spec cars.
Once again, Nissan has elected for a big, normally aspirated six-cylinder engine, but unlike the 240Z, the 350's has its cylinders arranged in a vee. By no means a bespoke unit, the 3498cc quad-cam all-aluminium motor has been substantially reworked to produce 276bhp at 6200rpm and 267lb ft at 4800rpm. Drive is fed to the rear wheels from a six-speed gearbox by a carbonfibre propshaft that turns through a limited-slip differential.
A Brembo braking system with ventilated discs all round is standard. Suspension is by a sophisticated multi-link set-up front and rear with tasty forged aluminium components. If there's a disappointment when scanning the spec sheet, it's the portly 1545kg kerb weight. Despite having a 51bhp advantage over a 225 TT, their power-to-weight ratios differ by only 20bhp due to the Audi's 1395kg kerb weight.
On the Road
Initially, there were mutterings around the Autocar office that the Z wasn't that quick. But once we reached the test track, however, there was no argument. A 0-60mph time of 5.8sec is too hot for anything in this class. A 225bhp TT requires 6.1sec, an RX-8 7.1sec. Charging on to 100mph in 14.2sec makes it not only substantially quicker than its coupé rivals but pegs it level with a Boxster S. Through the gears from 30-70mph the Porsche is slower by a tenth and outpaced on most in-gear comparisons too. The classic flexibility test, 50-70mph in top gear, is dispatched in a TT humbling 8.2sec.
Those Brembo brakes are more than just hub jewelery, too. A 60-0 time of 2.5sec is impressive and the pedal has a reassuringly weighty pregression that lets you lean on it with confidence.
Drive 100 yards in a 350Z and its character is immediately apparent. At 2.7 turns lock to lock, the steering is quick with very little dead zone around the straight ahead and a well-judged weight to it. The Z feels alert, with a darty feel to the helm that makes it easy to place on the road.
The work that's gone into making the shell stiff is obvious. The structure feels very solid, but the ride is by no means intolerable, filtering out low-speed cabin intrusions around town to an acceptable level. It's easily better than the wooden ride that blights the TT, especially in V6 guise, although an RX-8 is a more relaxing companion. This tough, nuggety feel transpires into good body control at speed.
The 245-section Bridgestones have decent grip, certainly in the dry, but that solid wad of torque can unstick them easily given a chance. Once sliding, the quick, accurate steering is a real boon and the chassis, thankfully, remains progressive in communicating its intentions. You'll need a generous bootful of throttle to keep the slide going as the rear tyres quickly start to find grip again.
Living with the Car
Nissan has not shirked from building a sporting cabin to complement the exterior design. The result is a low-slung cockpit with narrow window apertures at both front and sides. The driving position is classic sports car, laid back with a steering wheel at just the right angle. The transmission tunnel is wide, making your passenger feel far away, but it's a snug place to be, especially at night when the high cockpit sides give a feeling of security.
The 350Z is strictly a two seater and this alone will immediately see it crossed off the shopping list of many prospective purchasers. A chunky bracing spar, with stylised Z logo, spans the boot opening halfway down, under the rear hatch, limiting the useably storage space and dividing it in two.
The 350Z is well equipped as standard, with xenon headlamps, a six-disc CD autochanger, heated mirrors and trip computer. Climate control is standard, too, but proved disappointingly weak in dealing with unusually high temperatures.
Our test car had the GT pack fitted, costing a substantial £2500. For your money you get electrically adjustable, heated leather seats, cruise control and a 240W Bose stereo system with its own sub-woofer. Our car also wore the optional Rays Engineering lightweight alloys, shaving 4kgs in unsprung mass per corner. Add metallic paint and optional orange leather of our test car and the price comes tops £28,000. The Z may offer value for money, but it's not the outright bargain it's often made out to be.
The 350Z doesn't disgrace itself with 24.8mpg on the combined cycle. Over our touring route we achieved a respectable 28.5mpg, although that was taking it very easy. Factor in the Z's 80-litre tank and a 500-mile range is possible. Bear in mind, though, that the Z does like to sip from super unleaded.
Verdict 8/10
Thirty years ago a car in the mould of the 350Z would have been referred to as a 'man's car' by our less politically correct, hirsute predecessors. Its steering and clutch would have been heavy, its engine somewhat temperamental and its manners comically tail-happy. The 350Z is, of course, none of these things, and is as easy to drive in any conditions as you would expect of a modern car. But there's a certain bad-boy behaviour to its character that makes driving the Z feel strangely liberating - in a serious world it's not too serious. It's a car that will reward those who drive it hard, yet satisfy those content to cruise around on a summer's evening, windows down, exhaust growling, basking in the attention of its designer styling. Like any strong personality, the 350Z won't appeal to everyone. And it's a selfish choice, offering only two seats and limited luggage space. But for now, 2003 has a new performance hero. The Z-car is back, and how.
Test Date 21/10/2003
Price when new £24,000
Nissan 350Z
History
The legendary Datsun 240Z, launched in 1969, changed the image of the Japanese firm. Styled by a European, Albrecht Goertz, it had performance, rear-drive handling, style and crucually, reliability and was a runaway sales success in the USA. Never a big seller in the UK, the Z had grown fatter and uglier by the launch of the first 300ZX in 1983. That changed in 1989 when the all new twin turbo 300ZX was launced, a car that combined near supercar performance with a well balanced rear-drive chassis and beat the Porsche 968 in the process. But UK buyers remained unconvinced about that cars brash image and dull interior and it was largely ignored in the showroom.
Design and Engineering
A clever mix of smooth surfaces and sharp creases, the defining characteristic is the hollowed-out surface above the waistline. Out of this inverse surface 'grow' the pronounced wheelarches, giving the 350Z a butch, aggresive stance.
Overhangs are minimal, especially at the front where the bodywork tapers inwards in front of the wheel. At the rear the shape is smooth, with the tail lights constructed from the overlapping lines swept back from the side glasshouse. A subtle spoiler lies below the rear glass, part of the aero kit fitted standard to Euro-spec cars.
Once again, Nissan has elected for a big, normally aspirated six-cylinder engine, but unlike the 240Z, the 350's has its cylinders arranged in a vee. By no means a bespoke unit, the 3498cc quad-cam all-aluminium motor has been substantially reworked to produce 276bhp at 6200rpm and 267lb ft at 4800rpm. Drive is fed to the rear wheels from a six-speed gearbox by a carbonfibre propshaft that turns through a limited-slip differential.
A Brembo braking system with ventilated discs all round is standard. Suspension is by a sophisticated multi-link set-up front and rear with tasty forged aluminium components. If there's a disappointment when scanning the spec sheet, it's the portly 1545kg kerb weight. Despite having a 51bhp advantage over a 225 TT, their power-to-weight ratios differ by only 20bhp due to the Audi's 1395kg kerb weight.
On the Road
Initially, there were mutterings around the Autocar office that the Z wasn't that quick. But once we reached the test track, however, there was no argument. A 0-60mph time of 5.8sec is too hot for anything in this class. A 225bhp TT requires 6.1sec, an RX-8 7.1sec. Charging on to 100mph in 14.2sec makes it not only substantially quicker than its coupé rivals but pegs it level with a Boxster S. Through the gears from 30-70mph the Porsche is slower by a tenth and outpaced on most in-gear comparisons too. The classic flexibility test, 50-70mph in top gear, is dispatched in a TT humbling 8.2sec.
Those Brembo brakes are more than just hub jewelery, too. A 60-0 time of 2.5sec is impressive and the pedal has a reassuringly weighty pregression that lets you lean on it with confidence.
Drive 100 yards in a 350Z and its character is immediately apparent. At 2.7 turns lock to lock, the steering is quick with very little dead zone around the straight ahead and a well-judged weight to it. The Z feels alert, with a darty feel to the helm that makes it easy to place on the road.
The work that's gone into making the shell stiff is obvious. The structure feels very solid, but the ride is by no means intolerable, filtering out low-speed cabin intrusions around town to an acceptable level. It's easily better than the wooden ride that blights the TT, especially in V6 guise, although an RX-8 is a more relaxing companion. This tough, nuggety feel transpires into good body control at speed.
The 245-section Bridgestones have decent grip, certainly in the dry, but that solid wad of torque can unstick them easily given a chance. Once sliding, the quick, accurate steering is a real boon and the chassis, thankfully, remains progressive in communicating its intentions. You'll need a generous bootful of throttle to keep the slide going as the rear tyres quickly start to find grip again.
Living with the Car
Nissan has not shirked from building a sporting cabin to complement the exterior design. The result is a low-slung cockpit with narrow window apertures at both front and sides. The driving position is classic sports car, laid back with a steering wheel at just the right angle. The transmission tunnel is wide, making your passenger feel far away, but it's a snug place to be, especially at night when the high cockpit sides give a feeling of security.
The 350Z is strictly a two seater and this alone will immediately see it crossed off the shopping list of many prospective purchasers. A chunky bracing spar, with stylised Z logo, spans the boot opening halfway down, under the rear hatch, limiting the useably storage space and dividing it in two.
The 350Z is well equipped as standard, with xenon headlamps, a six-disc CD autochanger, heated mirrors and trip computer. Climate control is standard, too, but proved disappointingly weak in dealing with unusually high temperatures.
Our test car had the GT pack fitted, costing a substantial £2500. For your money you get electrically adjustable, heated leather seats, cruise control and a 240W Bose stereo system with its own sub-woofer. Our car also wore the optional Rays Engineering lightweight alloys, shaving 4kgs in unsprung mass per corner. Add metallic paint and optional orange leather of our test car and the price comes tops £28,000. The Z may offer value for money, but it's not the outright bargain it's often made out to be.
The 350Z doesn't disgrace itself with 24.8mpg on the combined cycle. Over our touring route we achieved a respectable 28.5mpg, although that was taking it very easy. Factor in the Z's 80-litre tank and a 500-mile range is possible. Bear in mind, though, that the Z does like to sip from super unleaded.
Verdict 8/10
Thirty years ago a car in the mould of the 350Z would have been referred to as a 'man's car' by our less politically correct, hirsute predecessors. Its steering and clutch would have been heavy, its engine somewhat temperamental and its manners comically tail-happy. The 350Z is, of course, none of these things, and is as easy to drive in any conditions as you would expect of a modern car. But there's a certain bad-boy behaviour to its character that makes driving the Z feel strangely liberating - in a serious world it's not too serious. It's a car that will reward those who drive it hard, yet satisfy those content to cruise around on a summer's evening, windows down, exhaust growling, basking in the attention of its designer styling. Like any strong personality, the 350Z won't appeal to everyone. And it's a selfish choice, offering only two seats and limited luggage space. But for now, 2003 has a new performance hero. The Z-car is back, and how.
10-30-2003, 09:58 AM
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HP rating
reworked to produce 276bhp at 6200rpm and 267lb ft at 4800rpm
Do Euro-spec Z have higher emission standard? Or do they calculate hp differently like the Japanese do.
I am comparing this to the US standard.
10-31-2003, 01:24 AM
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The figures quoted are usually BHP, which I think is taken at the wheel. I must admit I do not know how the two standards compare.
You need to mutiply the fuel consumption by 4/5 to convert to US Gallons, you may have noted the interesting mix of Imperial and Metric units!. Gas is sold in Litres, Super unleaded which most garages have is slightly more than regular unleaded, say US$5 a gallon.
The GT version they refer to at GBP28,000 would be a cross between the Track and Touring without Rays or Sat Nav. US$47,500, no discounts, but does include Sales Tax which is 17.5%. One of the reasons I am quite keen to get a Peformance at US$30,000 ish + tax, when I get back to CO. I do like the idea of the Brembo's though...
One thing Nissan do not allow in the UK, and I think also in Europe, is 'Market Adjustments' by Dealers. Most Manufacturers take the view that this sort of practice tarnish their reputations. You can discount from list but not add.
You need to mutiply the fuel consumption by 4/5 to convert to US Gallons, you may have noted the interesting mix of Imperial and Metric units!. Gas is sold in Litres, Super unleaded which most garages have is slightly more than regular unleaded, say US$5 a gallon.
The GT version they refer to at GBP28,000 would be a cross between the Track and Touring without Rays or Sat Nav. US$47,500, no discounts, but does include Sales Tax which is 17.5%. One of the reasons I am quite keen to get a Peformance at US$30,000 ish + tax, when I get back to CO. I do like the idea of the Brembo's though...
One thing Nissan do not allow in the UK, and I think also in Europe, is 'Market Adjustments' by Dealers. Most Manufacturers take the view that this sort of practice tarnish their reputations. You can discount from list but not add.
Last edited by Boiler; 10-31-2003 at 01:33 AM.
10-31-2003, 07:00 AM
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The figures quoted are usually BHP, which I think is taken at the wheel. I must admit I do not know how the two standards compare.
I am just curious......
10-31-2003, 07:08 AM
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The review of the UK car is pretty much spot on (I picked up my UK 350Z last Monday ). On the power front - the gentlemans agreement agreed by Japanese manufacturers limits domestic products to 276bhp (280PS). In the UK most Japanese cars are also sold with the 276bhp limit - whether or not its accurate is another thing - standard Skylines usually dyno at 320-330bhp stock - yet are sold with the quoted 276bhp. So whilst its entirely possible we have 276bhp in the UK - its far from certain !!
All European Z's to be delivered this year will be GT pack cars (which includes all of the luxury bits from the touring and all of the performance bits from the Track (so leather, power seats, Bose, aero kit, brembo's, etc) the RAYS are an option - although if you want a Z this year you have to have them !!
RickB
All European Z's to be delivered this year will be GT pack cars (which includes all of the luxury bits from the touring and all of the performance bits from the Track (so leather, power seats, Bose, aero kit, brembo's, etc) the RAYS are an option - although if you want a Z this year you have to have them !!
RickB
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