2003 Nissan 350Z

I remember vividly my last encounter with a Nissan 300ZX. It was back in the early ‘90s, not long before Nissan retired the revered “Z” designation The car was bright yellow, and it was not at all what I expected. Instead of the sleek, fast, affordable fun I recalled from the first Z cars of the ‘70s, this 300ZX was big, bloated and expensive. It was more touring coupe than sports car, an aging relative of the little hatchback both daily drivers and weekend racers loved. I wasn’t surprised to see it go.

But with the current resurgence in two-door fun thanks to us middle-aged-crazed baby boomers, Nissan knew it was time to dust off the Z nameplate. They also knew to resuscitate it successfully, the Z would have to be a very different car than its last iteration. Nissan went back to the drawing board with fundamentals in mind and came up with a stunning sports car that takes much of what was right about the earliest Z-car concept and frames it for today’s market.

Meet the 2003 350Z, a car full of surprises.

The Good News
Like the last Z I tested, the 300ZX, this new 350Z isn’t what I expected either. This time, however, that’s good news.

I love discovering a car is not what I expected when that means the automaker has taken some risks. Judging from my last experience with the Z family and the current trend that favors comfort over performance, I fully expected this Z to be more luxury coupe than sports car. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Although its size and interior appointments suggest Nissan wants the daily commuter business, this Z is really built for the enthusiast. Instead of a nice, big, fluffy coupe that looks like a sports car but feels like a sedan, Nissan has created the real deal, even when that meant making the Z much more raw in some ways than those trying to fulfill middle-aged fantasies may be willing to tolerate.

For starters, the Z has not only shed the “X”, but also the heft. The focus is clearly on speed and reflexes and, as we all know this time of year, extra pounds don’t complement either.

The rear-drive 350 comes with a twin cam, 24-valve 3.5-liter V-6 making 287 horses and 274 lb-ft of torque. I would have preferred to test this power via the new close-ratio 6-speed manual, but mine was endowed with the 5-speed automatic and manual shift mode. Normally, I don’t care much for these manumatic setups, but in the Z, shifting even without clutch opens up new and tempting possibilities. This pairing won’t equal the manually equipped track model’s 5.4-second sprint to 60, but it won’t leave you wishing for more either.

Everything about this 350Z sparks emotion from those who love to drive. From the long reach of its powerband to the precision of its steering to the way it stays level in the hairpins, it is a sports car in the purest sense of the word. It reacts as the driver reacts, and never has to be asked twice.

Inside, two bucket seats hug occupants tightly and the usual load of luxury extras, including Bose audio, abound. Outside, this Z’s beautiful, muscular lines draw long, lusty stares.

And perhaps most astonishing of all, prices start under $30,000.

The Bad News
Only two things disturbed me about this 350Z. One was the fact that the passenger seat belt, when loose, banged against door. That’s easily remedied.

The other was an inordinate amount of wind noise behind the driver. At first I thought the hatch wasn’t properly latched, but that wasn’t the case. I have to conclude it was a fit problem. I can only hope my test vehicle was pre-production, meaning the fit quality wasn’t indicative of final production.

The ride of this 350Z is rough. This isn’t a complaint; it’s a statement. This is not a heavy, luxury coupe (the new Infiniti G35 coupe, based on the Z, will better fill that order). It’s a sports car – a well-priced one at that. Some jarring is simply the price you pay for performance.

Gas mileage
EPA rated at 19 mpg city/26 highway

Price
Manufacturer’s base, $31,589 (with automatic)
Price as tested, $32,198

Is it worth it?
Car And Driver magazine has already named the 350Z to its coveted 10 Best Cars list for 2003. If I had such a list, it would probably land on mine, as well.

Nissan has fashioned a stunning sports car that isn’t afraid isn’t afraid to ruffle some feathers in pursuit of an exhilarating drive. What’s more, they’ve held the price within reason for what you get.

What you get is the original Z car fitted for the new Millennium and a lesson in how great concepts really do stand the test of time.

This is not the car to buy because you want your friends at the country club to think you're sporty; buy this one because you have an insatiable urge to drive.

Beth Stein is a life-long car buff and free-lance journalist living in Nashville. She has reviewed new vehicles in print for 12 years as a weekly columnist for Nashville’s daily newspapers and on television for Road Test Magazine and Motor Trend Television. Currently, her reviews appear nationally on Car And Driver Television.