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It's natural to compare vehicles I drive with others in the class, yet sometimes one comes along where there is no comparison. The 2005 Nissan 350Z is that vehicle. There are other great sports cars available. The Corvette, Mazda RX8, Chrysler Crossfire and even the Ford Mustang all appeal to the driving enthusiast, but the Nissan Z simply defies direct comparison. The Corvette is awesome, but it's almost twice the cost. I love the new Ford Mustang, but the brawn of American muscle is not the same as the refinement of a two-seater sports car. Chrysler Crossfire and Mazda RX8, both are very attractive value priced sports cars, but the "Z" car outperforms both. Memorial Day weekend I accepted an offer from my friends at McCarthy Nissan to test out the luxurious Touring Edition of the 2005 Nissan Z Roadster. I was familiar with the old 280Z from years ago but this new "Z" car had eluded my normal test drive schedule. I decided to put it through the paces. Highway 5 from I-435 to Leavenworth Kansas is an undulating curvy blacktop that motorcyclist and sports cars drivers love. The destination for my drive in the 2005 Nissan 350Z Roadster over Memorial Day weekend was the Leavenworth National Cemetery. The cemetery is at the end of one of the best "driving roads" in the Kansas City area. But the excitement of this drive was replaced with the emotion of facing over 20,000 uniform tombstones, each adorned with an American flag and each representing a life of duty, given in service to our country. It is sacred ground. I'm still not satisfied with the reasons given for our military to die in the Middle East. To me the goal in Iraq is not sufficient for the sacrifice. Politics of nations change and those who once were enemies now are partners. Sixty years ago Japan was our conquered enemy and France a grateful ally. Today Japanese vehicles with their perception of quality are preferred and France is viewed with political skepticism. The story of Nissan however, is a testament that we are really all one global economy. French automaker Renault now controls the Japanese automaker Nissan. Nissan North America employs over 12,000 Americans in their Tennessee and Mississippi assembly plants. In addition dealership and supplier employees make Nissan a major part of the American economy. How about the big three American companies like General Motors, Ford and Chrysler? Chrysler now a German company along with Ford and GM both are global companies. In reality an important component of freedom is a healthy capitalistic world economy. Even Communist China is embracing American styled capitalism without firing a single shot. Nissan first designed the "Z" car with the American sports car driver in mind. Originally named after the Broadway musical "My Fair Lady," the Nissan 350Z is known around the world as the Fairlady Z, except in the United States. So what is so important to me about the Nissan 350Z Roadster? It's the feeling of freedom. Top down rural road driving in early summer speaks to me of how fortunate we are. Shifting through the gears and accelerating out of a corner is "first hand" freedom. Our soldiers that lay in the Leavenworth National Cemetery fought for this freedom. Economic and political freedom both allows us the privilege to travel and pursue happiness. Sights, sounds and smells of the country are available only in an open-air design and nobody makes a better open-air two-seat roadster for the money. This is a highly refined sports car that fits like a glove without being crowded. The electric soft top is effortless and hard "batman" styled tonneau cover gives a distinctive look. Optional satellite based navigation system is intuitive and accurate. The 2005 Nissan 350Z is powered by 3.5 Liter V-6 engine tuned to produce 287 horsepower and 274 lb. ft. of torque. No other engine has won the Ward's "10 best Engines" award every year since the competition began in 1995. Exhaust sound is a cross between a sports car and muscle car rumble. Nowhere is the refinement more evident than in the ride and handling of the "Z". While highway driving is quiet, steady and very comfortable this car performs just as well in the corners. Lightweight Aluminum Multi-Link Suspension system with front and rear stablizer bars gives this car true sports car handling. Huge four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and Electronic Brake Distribution make panic stops straight and true. Of course wide 50 series performance tires helps in stopping, cornering and acceleration. MSRP of the base 350Z coupe is $27,380 after destination. Coupes are available as, Enthusiast, Performance, Track and 35th Anniversary models. Convertibles, known as Roadsters are available as Enthusiast, Touring and Grand Touring models. My loaded 2005 Nissan 350Z Touring Roadster reached almost $42,000. There are other great driving vehicles on the market. Some will even give you performance and luxury while providing the freedom of the open air. But you will not go wrong blasting down the road enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of this great country in the 2005 Nissan 350Z Roadster.
2005 Nissan 350Z Roadster Touring Edition Rear Wheel Drive 2-Seat Convertible Sports Car Touring Edition Price as driven $41,950 18/25 EPA MPG Provided by McCarthy Nissan Additional Web only Information and Resources For Additional Reviews: |
©2005 - Stan Risener