Nissan has not shirked from building a sporting cabin to complement the exterior design. The result is a low-slung cockpit with narrow window apertures at both front and sides. The driving position is classic sports car, laid back with a steering wheel at just the right angle. The transmission tunnel is wide, making your passenger feel far away, but it's a snug place to be, especially at night when the high cockpit sides give a feeling of security.
The 350Z is strictly a two seater and this alone will immediately see it crossed off the shopping list of many prospective purchasers. A chunky bracing spar, with stylised Z logo, spans the boot opening halfway down, under the rear hatch, limiting the useably storage space and dividing it in two.
The 350Z is well equipped as standard, with xenon headlamps, a six-disc CD autochanger, heated mirrors and trip computer. Climate control is standard, too, but proved disappointingly weak in dealing with unusually high temperatures.
Our test car had the GT pack fitted, costing a substantial £2500. For your money you get electrically adjustable, heated leather seats, cruise control and a 240W Bose stereo system with its own sub-woofer. Our car also wore the optional Rays Engineering lightweight alloys, shaving 4kgs in unsprung mass per corner. Add metallic paint and optional orange leather of our test car and the price comes tops £28,000. The Z may offer value for money, but it's not the outright bargain it's often made out to be.
The 350Z doesn't disgrace itself with 24.8mpg on the combined cycle. Over our touring route we achieved a respectable 28.5mpg, although that was taking it very easy. Factor in the Z's 80-litre tank and a 500-mile range is possible. Bear in mind, though, that the Z does like to sip from super unleaded.