2007 Nissan 350Z Roadster

Introduction

Nissan’s GT sports car lineage has a long history dating back almost four decades. In 1970 Nissan was known as Datsun and the first 240Z was introduced to the world. During the 80’s, the designers lost sight of the true “Z” sports car heritage. The 280Z series became slow and fat while trying to appeal to a sports car luxury market. Strict California emission requirements didn’t help the car’s performance, either. The next generation “Z” came in the form of the 300ZX (produced between 1990 and 1996). That particular generation has a loyal following and is coveted by many enthusiasts. After a six year hiatus Nissan introduced the 350Z and rocked the world again in 2003. The new design captured much of the youthful enthusiasm of the early generations and it became fun to drive a “Z” again. Does the Roadster version, with 306 HP, retain the same aggressive “chops” as the coupe model? Read on and we shall see.

Driving Impressions

Once I got beyond the thrill of driving an open top sports car, I began to settle into the car and learn the behavior of the 350Z on the open road. I spent four hours with Roadster in various driving conditions (slow traffic, fast commuter traffic on the freeway, surface street driving and a twisty/curvy route that included California’s scenic Highway 1 drive along the coastline.

When I was driving with the top up I noticed that the cabin can be on the noisy side. Lots of wind noise is apparent in the cabin while cruising at 50 MPH or faster. Thank goodness for the 7-speaker Bose audio system with subwoofer. Drowning out the wind noise was easy just by cranking up the tunes. Visibility around the car is alright with the top up. Although, the side view mirrors don’t offer much viewing area due to their small size. The side mirrors are very nicely sculpted, but check those blind spots carefully before changing lanes.

With the convertible top down I noticed the cabin picks up a lot of turbulence at 35 MPH or higher. The windshield behind the front seats could probably be a little taller if its purpose is to defeat the swirling winds inside the cabin. Hats are required unless you prefer the Oklahoma twister look.