Nissan 350Z 2007 $19,900

Something strange happened between the time Nissan introduced the 350Z in 2003 and today, when the deceptively similar-looking 2007 model arrived for this review. The once-rickety, temperamental and basically uncivilized two-door went from being one of my least-desired cars to gaining must-have status., , How did Nissan do it? Over the past few years, the company has made tweaks here and there to each year's model, leading up to the 2007 version and its more-powerful engine and telltale bulging hood. It can now be honestly considered one of the best sports cars for the money., , Performance, One attribute I look for in every car, even the most tried-and-true sports-oriented one, is its ability to be a daily driver. These days, if you can't conquer both the worlds of the enthusiast driver and that of the real-world commuter, you're losing half your potential audience. That's no concern here; the 350Z is a joyous daily driver. Don't get me wrong — even with the Touring model's softer suspension it takes bumps severely, but the resulting jolt through the seats is acceptable. An intuitive clutch and short manual shifter help lessen any repetitive stress to the joints., , As for the engine, it's a tweaked version of the one in the previous model, but with more horsepower: 306, up from 300. The increase is more significant when you factor in new horsepower-rating regulations, so the real gain is slightly higher. Power comes smoothly, and the large 19-inch rear tires — with 18 inchers up front as part of an optional wheel package; 18-inch wheels and tires in the front and rear are standard — put the power on the road with efficient deviousness. You would think that this kind of power supplied to the rear wheels would translate into smoky burnouts from stoplights, but that wasn't the case. Sure, launches were quick, but the car remained planted and ran through the gears precisely. It does zero to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds, which is very fast for this segment., , You may be thinking, "Sure, it's fast, but to be a sports car it needs to handle, too." Oh, it handles. The 350Z's most impressive driving characteristic had to be the sure-footed paths it carved on winding roads and steep highway onramps., , I was also able to take the 350Z on an actual racetrack, and not just a little one: Road America in Wisconsin, which is one of the country's fastest and most dangerous tracks. The course is filled with elevation changes, sharp turns and short straightaways, and the 350Z performed almost flawlessly. Tested against serious competition, including much more expensive and performance-oriented models, the Z stood out as one of the day's best rides., , The fact that I could pack the Z up and drive it home to Chicago makes it the epitome of practical-sports-car perfection; I didn't have to swap the tires or make any other modifications., , Exterior, To the common observer, the outside of the 2007 350Z will look remarkably similar to every other Z since 2003. The only relevant changes are that bulging hood to fit the larger engine, revised headlights and a slightly altered front bumper., , Why no other changes? Nissan must be adhering to the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" school of thought. The Z still looks good and surprisingly up-to-date. My only beef, if I were buying one, would be the fact that no one would know I was driving this new, vastly improved 350Z instead of one from last year or five years ago. Where's the fun in that?, , Interior, Another surprise to me was the interior. The leather seats in the Touring edition were soft and looked like they came from a much more expensive sports car. The same can't be said of the somewhat bulky steering wheel, but it did its job well, and that's what counts., , All the tactile areas — buttons, knobs and switches — were nicely finished for the price, and I couldn't find much to complain about. Plus, as the driver, your eyes will be on the road virtually all the time in this car., , One thing to reme

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