Not that I want to bore you with my troubles or anything, but it's a little difficult writing about this car in the knowledge that a very much better version of the 350Z exists. The problem is, there's only one of it, and it's not for sale. You can't even buy all the bits for it in this country at the time of writing. I refer to the a version created by Nissan's motorsport department, NISMO.Back, for the purposes of this test, to the real world. Whatever the benefits of the NISMO car, the standard 350Z has certainly attracted a lot of attention. Demand is a long way ahead of supply, and Nissan is quite happy to keep it that way; there is no suggestion (in fact there are denials) that right-hand drive production will be ramped up to increase sales, so owners are always going to stand out from the crowd.We've had a long relationship with the 350Z. In August 2003 we published the first UK driving impressions of what was in fact a German-market car, though technically it was identical to the ones you can buy now. That brief test took place in wet conditions, and having now taken a Z along dry roads I'm going to have to add a few qualifications to what was written then, as we'll see shortly.The basic story is unchanged, though. Although it looks reasonably mean, this car is exceptionally user-friendly, with a very sweet and relatively unstressed 277bhp 3.5-litre engine which does just what you want it to, all the way from tickover speed until the revlimiter cuts in. Interior space is better than the shape suggests, and there's also room for a decent amount of full-scale luggage (compromised only by a sturdy bar between the rear strut tops) and for odds and ends which can be tucked away in surprisingly located storage compartments.Standard price is £24,000, but hardly anybody pays that. The two main options are the GT Pack - leather upholstery, electrically adjustable heated seats, Bose stereo and cruise control - at £2500 and 18" RAYS alloys at £1000 for the set. According to Nissan, 31% of all 350Z buyers have specified both, so money clearly isn't an object.Now for the qualifications. In the wet, I thought the 350Z handled delightfully. Despite its power output there was only an occasional hint that oversteer might be an issue, and this was soon quelled by the traction control system. Otherwise I thought it was great to drive. I also reckoned - and this may not seem relevant at first, but bear with me - that it was roomy enough for a sports car.A spell of driving along challenging roads in beautiful conditions has led to a re-think. At higher speeds it becomes apparent that the 350Z is grievously under-damped at the front end. You don't have to be going very quickly at all before you realise that your job as the driver is to let the nose have a little crisis moment about the corner, crest, bump, dip or whatever has upset it, and only then devote energy to continuing on your way.In effect, you have to wait for the car to catch up with you rather than lead it onwards. That's not an issue if you have only bought it for its undeniable visual appeal, but it must be rather depressing if what you thought you were paying for was a special driving experience.And this business of interior room. Not bad, as I say, but in press-on motoring it becomes clear that there isn't quite enough legroom for taller drivers. I couldn't quite manoeuvre my feet on the pedals as easily as I would have liked; smooth gearchanging and braking confidence both suffered as a result.The NISMO car addresses these issues and more. It's definitely the one for serious drivers. The production model is more suitable for people who want to buy a 350Z to show that they can. Engine 3498cc, 6 cylinders Power 277bhp Transmission 6-speed manual Fuel/CO2 24.8mpg / 273g/km Acceleration 0-62mph: 5.9 seconds Top speed 155mph Price £24,000 Details correct at publication date
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