When you switch from a coupe to a convertible version of any vehicle, you naturally expect to pay a price for the joys of top-down driving. Typically these costs come in the form of reduced visibility (when the top is up), increased body flex and a noticeable drop in all-out performance.
If you're hopping from, say, our long-term Nissan 350Z Track model into a 350Z Roadster in Touring trim then, well, you've pretty much resigned yourself to driving a sporty-looking, but not necessarily sporty-driving, machine. As logical as this resignation may seem, it is completely unnecessary, and perhaps yet another sign of just how far the modern automotive world has come.
Within minutes of entering our favorite set of twisty canyon roads, it became clear that the cost of buying a 350Z Roadster is simply that, an increased cost (of about $4,000). All other aspects of ownership, from driving dynamics to acceleration to visibility (with the top up) are little changed from the coupe version.
Our first clue as to how capable the Roadster is came when traversing bumps and powering through rapid left-right/right-left transitions. Because of our strong familiarity with the coupe's capabilities (due to our long-term testing of one), we were instantly aware of how little the Roadster was flexing on our regular driving loop. In fact, with the optional 18-inch alloy wheels fitted to our test car, the Roadster felt just as confident as our Track model despite the open sky over our heads.
Credit for this goes to the fact that Nissan planned on making a convertible version of the 350Z from Day One of its design phase. To enhance body rigidity, the company installed reinforcing cross bars underneath the passenger and engine compartments. Nissan also strengthened the door openings and floor structure. A tempered glass wind deflector, located between the front seats, helps reduce wind turbulence within the cabin and further adds to the car's placid nature.
We'd like to say the Roadster feels just as polished with the top up, but our test car suffered from a fair amount of wind and road noise with it in place. We also thought the top's operation was rather unrefined, because the hard tonneau cover snapped and popped during its opening and closing phase. But the process was quick and easy, requiring only the release of a single, central windshield header latch and about 20 seconds for the top to power into place. The glass rear window, with defogger, is a nice touch, and while visibility isn't tremendous with the top up, it isn't particularly good in the coupe, either, so once again the Roadster gives up little to its fixed-roof sibling.
Beyond the specifics relating to its folding top, the 350Z Roadster shares all the good, and bad, traits of the coupe. The 3.5-liter V6 continues to be one of the most refined and tractable engines you can buy. Torque at just off idle isn't as strong as some editors would like, but by 3,000 rpm, the V6 is in a sweet zone that lasts all the way past redline (6,600 rpm). Steering feedback, brake pedal feel and shifter action aren't quite up to Porsche Boxster levels, but they certainly don't hinder driving confidence or the car's overall fun factor.
Because our test vehicle was a Touring model, it had several features not available on our long-term Track Z. Included among them were heated leather seats with full power adjustments and a 240-watt, seven-speaker Bose audio system with an in-dash CD changer (the Track model comes with cloth seats and a 160-watt system with a single CD player). The seats are both comfortable and supportive, but other aspects of the interior, specifically the storage compartment covers, lower dash and center console, felt as chintzy as in the coupe. We did appreciate the real metal interior door releases, as well as the large, easy-to-read gauge cluster. The "metal look" material on the steering wheel spokes looked to be of high quality, but was plastic as well, and our 7,600-mile test unit was showing clear signs of wear at the 9 and 3 positions on the steering wheel rim.
Storage itself is somewhat limited inside the Z, with no traditional glovebox and only a small compartment between the seat backs. A larger storage bin resides behind the passenger seat back, but you can't access it when someone is sitting in the seat. The trunk offers just 4.1 cubic feet of storage space, but the trunk lid opens to a nearly vertical angle, making it easy to load and unload cargo.
It seems like every few months a new convertible comes out, which is great for sun worshippers looking to buy their next mobile tanning machine. The Z Roadster doesn't offer the interior quality of Audi's TT, the raw excitement of Honda's S2000 or the sublime feedback of Porsche's Boxster. But it offers enough performance, style and value to warrant serious consideration from anyone seeking a highly capable ragtop that drives as good as it looks.
If you're hopping from, say, our long-term Nissan 350Z Track model into a 350Z Roadster in Touring trim then, well, you've pretty much resigned yourself to driving a sporty-looking, but not necessarily sporty-driving, machine. As logical as this resignation may seem, it is completely unnecessary, and perhaps yet another sign of just how far the modern automotive world has come.
Within minutes of entering our favorite set of twisty canyon roads, it became clear that the cost of buying a 350Z Roadster is simply that, an increased cost (of about $4,000). All other aspects of ownership, from driving dynamics to acceleration to visibility (with the top up) are little changed from the coupe version.
Our first clue as to how capable the Roadster is came when traversing bumps and powering through rapid left-right/right-left transitions. Because of our strong familiarity with the coupe's capabilities (due to our long-term testing of one), we were instantly aware of how little the Roadster was flexing on our regular driving loop. In fact, with the optional 18-inch alloy wheels fitted to our test car, the Roadster felt just as confident as our Track model despite the open sky over our heads.
Credit for this goes to the fact that Nissan planned on making a convertible version of the 350Z from Day One of its design phase. To enhance body rigidity, the company installed reinforcing cross bars underneath the passenger and engine compartments. Nissan also strengthened the door openings and floor structure. A tempered glass wind deflector, located between the front seats, helps reduce wind turbulence within the cabin and further adds to the car's placid nature.
We'd like to say the Roadster feels just as polished with the top up, but our test car suffered from a fair amount of wind and road noise with it in place. We also thought the top's operation was rather unrefined, because the hard tonneau cover snapped and popped during its opening and closing phase. But the process was quick and easy, requiring only the release of a single, central windshield header latch and about 20 seconds for the top to power into place. The glass rear window, with defogger, is a nice touch, and while visibility isn't tremendous with the top up, it isn't particularly good in the coupe, either, so once again the Roadster gives up little to its fixed-roof sibling.
Beyond the specifics relating to its folding top, the 350Z Roadster shares all the good, and bad, traits of the coupe. The 3.5-liter V6 continues to be one of the most refined and tractable engines you can buy. Torque at just off idle isn't as strong as some editors would like, but by 3,000 rpm, the V6 is in a sweet zone that lasts all the way past redline (6,600 rpm). Steering feedback, brake pedal feel and shifter action aren't quite up to Porsche Boxster levels, but they certainly don't hinder driving confidence or the car's overall fun factor.
Because our test vehicle was a Touring model, it had several features not available on our long-term Track Z. Included among them were heated leather seats with full power adjustments and a 240-watt, seven-speaker Bose audio system with an in-dash CD changer (the Track model comes with cloth seats and a 160-watt system with a single CD player). The seats are both comfortable and supportive, but other aspects of the interior, specifically the storage compartment covers, lower dash and center console, felt as chintzy as in the coupe. We did appreciate the real metal interior door releases, as well as the large, easy-to-read gauge cluster. The "metal look" material on the steering wheel spokes looked to be of high quality, but was plastic as well, and our 7,600-mile test unit was showing clear signs of wear at the 9 and 3 positions on the steering wheel rim.
Storage itself is somewhat limited inside the Z, with no traditional glovebox and only a small compartment between the seat backs. A larger storage bin resides behind the passenger seat back, but you can't access it when someone is sitting in the seat. The trunk offers just 4.1 cubic feet of storage space, but the trunk lid opens to a nearly vertical angle, making it easy to load and unload cargo.
It seems like every few months a new convertible comes out, which is great for sun worshippers looking to buy their next mobile tanning machine. The Z Roadster doesn't offer the interior quality of Audi's TT, the raw excitement of Honda's S2000 or the sublime feedback of Porsche's Boxster. But it offers enough performance, style and value to warrant serious consideration from anyone seeking a highly capable ragtop that drives as good as it looks.
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