2004.02.29 Cheaper Thrills
A drive of a Nissan 350Z
It started off as one of those Saturdays that guys just dread. You know what I'm talking about. The girlfriend's "great idea" for the day was that I'd follow her so she could get her hair cut and then go to the shoe store. I was eyeing my arm to see where I should start gnawing.
Fortunately, I managed to use that perennial guy-weapon, the sad puppy dog look. A deft combination of guilt and abject pleading suceeded in managing to get the mistress to agree to let me stop by the local Nissan dealership so I could take a closer look at the 350Z. Even after considering how much it took my anti-social nature to tolerate the thick crowds of mallites, it was a worthwhile exchange.
It should be noted that the latest Z-car arrived without much notice by me, because my eyes have been pretty solidly fixed on German machines as contenders for my next steed. The problem, however, is that both the M3 and any used Porsche I covet would likely sap so much of my resources that I'd end up commuting in them. Well, to be honest, I don't know if I could resist driving them to work anyway, I'm strange in that I actually like driving sports cars all the time. No, what actually bothered me was not the thought of driving Herr-Steed every day, but rather the sad process of rapid wear and degredation I would witness. I get all choked up just thinking about rock chips in a brand-new M3...
So, what option is there for someone like me that wants world class performance but can't necessarily afford to drive it daily? Not much, really. The only things that I would classify as being in this range are the Honda S2000, the Subaru Impreza WRX-STI, and the Nissan 350Z. Let's just toss out the STI right off the bat; it's got 4 doors, and it's fuckin' ugly. The Honda S2000 is very impressive and well-suited to my style of driving, and having test driven one I can attest that it fits me like a telepathic glove. Unfortunately I've already owned a convertable, and am disinclined to maintain a ragtop or tolerate the associated noise it would have 9 months of the year it would be up (well, 6, with my rain coat and aviator goggles). Also, my current 2.8-litre BMW has addicted me to wide power bands and low-end torque, which the S2000 scream-o-matic lacks. Which brought me to the Nissan 350Z.
OK, I grudginly admit that I think the new Z looks pretty cool, though it took me a while to warm up to it due to my "it's not a Ferrari" aesthetic habits. What really got me about the car, though, was the seat. I sat in one at the Portland Auto Show last month, and it's like someone snuck into my bedroom at night and took a mould of my butt. I find this important because, with my skinny, bony butt, I have rarely found any seats that give me adequate lateral support - I usually end up driving bow-legged with my thighs bracing against the side bolsters when I'm going hard through corners. This, and the aforementioned financial considerations brought me to visit the dealership.
Driving up to any car lot in a BMW is a great way to get immediate butt-kissing service. I pretty much got to walk from my parked car directly to the driver's seat of a 350Z. As I sat in the thing, I was pleased to feel that the seat remembered my butt. The engine has a pleasantly throaty sound, and the salesman riding with me made pleasantly permissive responses. After growling through some traffic, he lead me to some nearby corners and let me tear at them with the rubber force proxies. The Z feels solid and well-connected, and after I lit up the 284 horsepower V6 engine, it felt pretty light too. I can drive my BMW 328is pretty near to its limit now, and the 350Z had a limit somewhat beyond my own - for now. This is exactly the quality that I am looking for in my next car. The only car I've driven that is as finely-honed feeling in terms of shifting and braking is the S2000, so I sense a need for futher testing...
On the critical side, I had this amusing misconception that being a hatchback would make the Z more utilitarian than it actually is. That back hatch is almost entirely for show; with the real cargo space being the passenger seat - but really, I'm OK with that. What does trouble me a little is that the interior, while functional and tidy, is clearly not a BMW in there. Also, visibility is surprisingly lacking. There is adequate view forward, but almost no reason to have the rear view mirror, and the high door ledges make the car feel unknowably wide.
In the final analysis, I must say that I liked it. A lot.
Whether I like it enough to make it my next steed will only be discovered in 2006, after I compare it more directly with its German competitors.