Automobile Blog

The all-new Nissan 350Z sports car, unveiled last January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit just three years after the first Z Concept vehicle was rushed onto the North American auto show circuit as an initial styling and feasibility study, went on sale in the United States and Canada as a 2003 model.

The stylish, 287-horsepower 350Z continues the Z heritage of design, performance and value that has remained unchallenged since the original Datsun 240Z was introduced 33 years ago as a 1970 model.

The 350Z was designed to impress viewers at first sight with its newness as a sports car and to remain an object of unending adoration for ages to come. While inheriting the “Z-ness� passed on through successive generations, this Z embodies many new features for a sports car, all of which have been perfected to exceptionally high quality.

Design cues passed on from the first-generation Z include the long nose and short deck styling, triangular cabin form and the lines extending from the arch-shaped roof to the hatchback opening. To that heritage, a newness has been added to contrast the soft, warm body shape with the geometrical forms of the headlamps and other parts.

The 3.5-liter VQ35DE V6 engine produces 287 horsepower and 274 lb-ft of torque, an expanded power range that comes as a result of reworking the intake port design and adopting Continuously Variable Valve Timing Control System (CVTCS) technology.

All 2005 350Z models receive a number of other enhancements for the new model year, including standard Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS), driver’s seat front and rear lifter, reduced clutch pedal effort for manual transmission models and downshift rev matching for automatic transmission models, heated outside mirrors and a faster navigation system processor for improved route calculation times.