Nissan Nismo 350Z – Natural Drifter & Muscle Car
Nissan Nismo 350Z – Natural Drifter & Muscle Car
It was early days for me, fresh from school, bright eyed and bushy tailed, I guess, having a wish to be a racing driver. Back then, it was the world of the legendary triple ‘S’, or the Datsun 1600 SSS. My stars were the famous Eric Ooi, Abdul Malek, and Harvey Yap in the 160 horsepower Datsuns. The power seems to be not very high compared to today’s road cars even, but back then, you must remember we were driving cars of around 40 to 70 horsepower. These three cars ruled the tracks for a long while, until more powerful cars came in. To counter this, Tan Chong brought in the 240Z, and it swept away the competition once again. I have been a fan since then.
The 240Z quickly garnered a huge following; not a difficult task when you have a very powerful engine in a lightweight sporty body, with independent suspension all round to give great road handling. You would see them in gymkhanas, autocross events, and at race and rally competitions all over the world. Owning one has always been on my ‘want’ list, but unfortunately I have never been able to find one in a good enough condition at an affordable price.
Based on the background above, can you just imagine the thrill I got when Edaran Tan Chong Motors called up to inform me that there was a new Nissan 350Z available for a road test, and one fitted with Nismo goodies? When I got there at the appointed time, I could hardly wait to get it out of the city traffic to the open road and open up the throttle.
The Nissan 350Z is a two seater sports car built specifically for car lovers. By American standards, it probably would be ‘medium’ sized in comparison with the big 5-litre and above boys. However, its 3.5 litre V6 DOHC, 24-valve engine with CVTC (Continuously Variable valve Timing Control) delivers enough power (206 kW/280 PS) and torque (363Nm) to put it up there with the big boys.
It sits low on the road, looks great, and is like a tiger waiting to pounce. I really hate to say it looks like a Porsche, because the 350Z has enough of its own heritage to stand alone, but it does, and only the Nissan badge at the front and rear will give its true Japanese identity away. Our test car was a Nismo version, with RM52, 000 of Nismo S-Tune Kit, making it look much fiercer. This car will turn heads wherever it goes. Developed using a wind tunnel, the 350Z is designed as a driver’s car. In purist form, it comes with a 6-speed close-ratio manual gearbox; I would have loved to drive one of those, but had to settle for the more mainstream 5-speed auto with the manual shift option.
Even in this adulterated form, the 350Z was a joy to drive. There’s heaps of power, and it is a simple matter of stomping on the accelerator to unleash it. A built-in VDC traction control system (Vehicle Dynamic Control) keeps the power spread evenly through to the drive wheels. The VDC system also uses the ABS system to apply braking on selected wheels in response to sensor inputs to assist the driver in keeping the car on the road. Acceleration is breathtakingly quick, accompanied by an exhaust note building up to a shrill crescendo that is guaranteed to thrill. Even if you didn’t see the car, you would know it is sheer power uncoiling itself from the engine onto the road just by the sound of it. Turn off the VDC, and you get an instant drift car! If you ever get a chance to meet Ivan (our other test driver), ask him how much fun he had putting the car sideways in the wet.
Just watching and hearing him take off is enough to set my adrenaline flowing. The 18-inch sport wheels with its low profile tyres, being 225mm wide in front and 245mm wide at the rear provide excellent grip, but it is easy to break traction for some fun (with the traction control switched off of course). In the rain, it would be quite a handful, with or without the VDC, and unless one is an expert, it might be wise to keep only on part throttle, and be gentle. Such power is needs respect.
Inside, there is only enough space for two. There is a small luggage space, partly filled up by a cross-brace which I suspect is also there for decorative purposes other than keeping the rear turrets permanently fixed. There is room for two golf bags, according to the sticker in the rear boot area, but only if you put them into the boot in a specific way. Clearly, this is a car built for the car lover; everything else is secondary.
Instrumentation is analog, very sporty looking, with round dials and orange readouts to match the orange leather interior. The seats are multi-contoured, wide enough for big bottoms, and with side supports to help keep the driver in place around bends. They are deliberately made to be on the firm side of comfortable, but no true driver will ever complain about them. The steering wheel is three-spoke leather bound job, in just the right size. All driver use instruments are pointed in the direction of the driver, and the switches and buttons are laid out ergonomically within easy reach. The speedometer is calibrated up to 260 kilometres per hour, and the needle is capable of hitting the stopper at the end. The door trim, dashboard and console are finished in black, giving the 350z an almost Spartan look, and creating an impression that this car is strictly all muscle and needs no frills.
On the road, the 350Z is a guaranteed chick magnet (and guy magnet as well), and if you drive one, you have to get used to people throwing you admiring looks. Handling is first class from the electronics built into the system, and from the basic multi-link front and rear suspension. Surprisingly, the ride is supple enough to smoothen out the little bumps and ripples on the road; it is firm, leaning a little towards hard, but it is not jarring to the occupants of the car. I would say that the design engineers have done a great job in this area. Brakes are excellent, being high performance Brembos all round.
All good things must come to an end, and it was with great reluctance that I returned the car. Another one week would have been great. The tank of gas that came with the car all blew out at the rear after 300 kilometres of fun; we of course never had the chance to see what kind of economy sedate and normal driving would give; perhaps another time, when we can have the car longer. For those who might be interested, the 350Z, complete with the Nismo S-Tune kit, retails for RM623, 875.74.
