Let's talk badge credibility. No matter how good you make a Nissan it simply doesn't have the same name-dropping cachet as a Porsche or a Ferrari.
Perhaps it never will but a car such as the 350Z does a lot to lift the brand on the desirability meter.
It's hard to think that the Tabasco-flavoured 350Z roadster - the new soft-top version of the 350Z coupe that's been selling here for more than a year - comes from the same stable as bread-and-butter commuters like the Nissan Almera.
The 350Z builds on a long Z-car lineage started by the Datsun 240Z of the late 1960s and eventually led to the critically acclaimed 300ZX of the mid-1990s powered by a mighty-for-its-time, turbocharged, three-litre engine capable of 166kW.
Fortunately South African consumers aren't always swayed by marketing perceptions; the coupe is the country's best-selling sports car and the new ragtop is adding to the numbers.
It's the way it carves through corners with the poise of an Olympic gymnast and (save for a slight judder due to the missing roof), a rock-solid feel. It's the way the steering is meaty and direct and faithfully translates the driver's intent on to the road.
The way the car accelerates at a hard and lusty lope, accompanied by a brutish engine roar that will raise goose bumps across even the most impassive skin.
That howl, which I enjoyed so much in the 350Z coupe tested last year, is even more audible in the roadster as it has no lid to mute the sound. Instead there's a canvas top that, at faster speeds, adds wind noise to the equation.
Going top-down involves first manually unlatching the roof from the windscreen frame then pressing a button to power-fold it electrically into the boot.
The rear window is glass. There's also a small glass screen between the head restraints to limit the wind messing up your hairdo.
With its roof off the 350Z is quite a stunner, radiating an athletic, sexy flair with enough visual aggression to avoid being labelled a girl's car - or, even worse, a hairdresser's.
Elongated head and tail lights enhance its long, low look and the view is especially arresting from the rear with the two raised domes behind the rollover bars.
The rear tyres are thicker than the front, but all four alloy mags are 18-inchers.
The roof-opening ability comes at a premium, with the 350Z roadster selling for R425 000 compared to the coupe's R385 000.
Still, it's the best buy in its league, not only selling for less than most of its ragtop rivals (in some cases by a considerable margin) but out-powering them as well.
- The BMW Z4 3.0 makes 170kW and 300Nm and sells for R470 000.
- The Mercedes-Benz SLK 350 (200kW and 350Nm) goes for R520 000.
- The Audi TT 3.2 quattro (184kW and 320Nm) sells for R465000.
- The Porsche Boxster S 3.2i (206kW and 320Nm) is R595 000.
Only the Chrysler Crossfire roadster (160kW and 310Nm) at R409 000 is cheaper than the Nissan but it's also less powerful. The muscle 'neath the 350Z's bonnet is a non-blown, 3.5-litre V6 mounted way back in the bay to distribute front/rear balance, and pushes out a class-topping 206kW and 363Nm.
That's good enough to ensure permanent fast lane occupancy and a bountiful supply of crushed bugs on the windscreen. If you keep your right foot planted long enough the Nissan will reach 250km/h.
It's satisfyingly brisk off the mark, too, accelerating with vigour that aptly matches the howl. The 350Z coupe we previously tested went from 0-100km/h in 7.4sec up on the Reef and, though we didn't put the slightly heavier roadster against the stopwatch, it should be just marginally slower.
Stiff gearshift
One factor limiting the driving enjoyment is the 350Z's stiff gearshift. The short-shift lever, though perfectly located for reach, is notchy to the point where it could lose you a dice against a slower car because you're fumbling between second and third.
While we're moaning, the cabin design could also do with more allure. The swathes of black plastic don't have the same sporty flair and upper-class finish of an Audi TT, and the 350Z could take a lesson in tactile quality from the Germans.
That said, all the important features are there. The deep bucket seats are snug and leather and supportive and part-power adjustable.
Aircon, radio/CD sound system, electric windows and mirrors and central locking are present in the price but the boot offers miserly luggage space. However, there's plenty of passenger room so even tall drivers can stretch out and, to accommodate various physiques, the steering and clocks adjust together for height.
SUMMARY
A thrilling drive. The 350Z is full of the stuff that sifts a really good car from a merely rapid one. With its noise, poise and charisma, there's nothing about the 350Z that feels like a cheap, watered-down version of an Italian or German sports car.
Best of all, its price makes it a relative bargain in the rarefied sports-car world. - Star Motoring