FiestaST
Honorary Master
STARTER CLASSIC: Nissan 350Z is JDM to the power of Z
Fun sports coupés come in all shapes and sizes. From classic MGs to newer members of the club such as the Mazda MX5 or Toyota MR2; no matter your preference, your choice is wide. If you fancy something slightly more upmarket and powerful but don’t want to unduly damage your bank balance, we explore a relative newcomer to the scene, the Nissan 350Z.
PACKAGING
Two seats, fixed head or electrically operated droptop roof, front engine and rear-wheel drive make for a classic sportscar layout. The coupé arrived first and CAR tested one in 2004, followed a year later by the roadster. The coupé is 118 kg lighter than the open-top version but the body strength was well sorted to compensate. Instrumentation used the slightly odd combination of orange lettering with yellow backlighting that now has an almost nostalgic feel and can certainly be appreciated for being different to the norm. In late 2009, the revised 370Z took over with a larger engine. The boot is tiny at 112 litres so be prepared to battle with the shopping.
POWERTRAIN
The brawny Nissan V6, here in 3,5-litre format, produced 206 kW with 363 N.m of torque. Mounted as far back as possible, the car’s weight distribution is an impressive 54:47 split. At that stage of engine development, naturally aspirated engines still did duty in most cars, so the torque peak was way up at 4 800 r/min. It still manages good mid-range pull though thanks to variable cam timing. It took a while to get on the boil but delivered the goods and returned a sprightly acceleration time that many of the time would be proud of.
Fast Facts
Model:Nissan 350Z (2004 - '09)
Price:R425 000 (when new)
Engine:3,5-litre V6 normally aspirated
Power:206 kW
Torque:363 N.m
0-100 km/h:6,4 seconds
Top Speed:248 km/h
Fuel Consumption:14,0 L/100 km (Fuel Index)
www.carmag.co.za
Fun sports coupés come in all shapes and sizes. From classic MGs to newer members of the club such as the Mazda MX5 or Toyota MR2; no matter your preference, your choice is wide. If you fancy something slightly more upmarket and powerful but don’t want to unduly damage your bank balance, we explore a relative newcomer to the scene, the Nissan 350Z.
PACKAGING
Two seats, fixed head or electrically operated droptop roof, front engine and rear-wheel drive make for a classic sportscar layout. The coupé arrived first and CAR tested one in 2004, followed a year later by the roadster. The coupé is 118 kg lighter than the open-top version but the body strength was well sorted to compensate. Instrumentation used the slightly odd combination of orange lettering with yellow backlighting that now has an almost nostalgic feel and can certainly be appreciated for being different to the norm. In late 2009, the revised 370Z took over with a larger engine. The boot is tiny at 112 litres so be prepared to battle with the shopping.
POWERTRAIN
The brawny Nissan V6, here in 3,5-litre format, produced 206 kW with 363 N.m of torque. Mounted as far back as possible, the car’s weight distribution is an impressive 54:47 split. At that stage of engine development, naturally aspirated engines still did duty in most cars, so the torque peak was way up at 4 800 r/min. It still manages good mid-range pull though thanks to variable cam timing. It took a while to get on the boil but delivered the goods and returned a sprightly acceleration time that many of the time would be proud of.
Fast Facts
Model:Nissan 350Z (2004 - '09)
Price:R425 000 (when new)
Engine:3,5-litre V6 normally aspirated
Power:206 kW
Torque:363 N.m
0-100 km/h:6,4 seconds
Top Speed:248 km/h
Fuel Consumption:14,0 L/100 km (Fuel Index)
STARTER CLASSIC: Nissan 350Z is JDM to the power of Z
If you fancy something slightly more upmarket and powerful but don’t want to unduly damage your bank balance, we explore a relative newcomer to the scene, the Nissan 350Z.
www.carmag.co.za
