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2004 Nissan 350Z Roadster Road Test

Dominating With a Price and Power Advantage

To say that Nissans 350Z has done well doesnt do it justice. The fact is that Nissans sexy coupe dominates its class with over 38% of the 2003 model year performance sports car market. To be clear that means it outsold the Audi TT, BMW Z3/Z4, Honda S2000, Mercedes-Benz SLK and Porsche Boxster combined for the 2003 model year. It also sold better than Americas sports car, the Corvette, in every month since it went on sale.

Why is it so popular? One test drive answers this question decisively. The Z delivers substantially more power than every car in its class, while offering particularly sweet handling that is at least on par with all competitors, and better than some. And to top it all off, it can be had for a great deal less money than any rival.

Lets do a comparison. A similarly equipped Audi TT coupe starts at $32,500, almost $6,000 more than the $26,370 2003

With a combination of impressive power, sweet handling, and a wallet-pleasing sticker price, its no wonder the 350Z is so popular. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

350Z coupe. Its 180-hp turbocharged 1.8-L 4-cylinder driving the front wheels is hardly the equivalent of Nissans real-wheel drive and 287-hp V6, its 7.8 seconds 0 to 60 mph time a full 2.4 seconds slower than the independently tested 5.4 second to 60 mph 350Z. Sure the Audi offers a 225-hp all-wheel drive alternative, at a whopping $36,200 base price and will soon sport a 250-hp V6 version in 2004, but it still plays catch-up to the Z in the acceleration arena.

As for the other cars on the list, the BMW starts life as a 184-hp 6-cylinder

Faster off the line than the Audi TT coupe, BMW Z4, Honda S2000, M-B SLK and Porsche Boxster, the Nissan 350Z is also considerably cheaper. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

priced nearly $7,000 higher than the 350Z at $33,100, with the upgraded 3.0-L version sporting 225-hp starting at $40,250. While its engine is wonderfully smooth, its rather anemic compared to the Nissan V6. Hondas diminutive 2.0-L 4-cylinder makes a substantial 240-hp in S2000 trim, but that power is about as flexible as a pot iron tie-rod. Nothing of any consequence happens until 6,000 rpm, making it truly hopeless off the line. This will be partially remedied with a new 2.2-L engine for 2004, but its current $32,600 base price, likely to rise next year, is still steep for a 4-cylinder car.

The Mercedes-Benz

Remember all the 350Z coupe performance benefits and then add a fully automatic convertible top, complete with an all-season heated glass rear window for a base price of $33,850. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

SLK is wonderfully slick, but again from a performance standpoint hardly a match. At $39,600 its 192-hp supercharged 4-cylinder is taxed for sure, while the upgraded $45,050 SLK 320 offers only 215-hp - barely adequate to play in this league. The 349-hp SLK 32 AMG remedies this situation with authority, but at $55,450 it enters Porsche territory. And that leads in well to the $42,600 Boxster. While beautifully balanced its 217-hp horizontally-opposed 6-cylinder is underpowered when compared to the 287-hp Z. Even the $51,600 250-hp Boxster S leaves 27-hp on the table.

But wait a minute? Im comparing the price of a coupe to convertibles. Everyone knows that

Dropping the roof takes only 20 seconds, and it tucks nicely away under an arcing double-bubble tonneau cover. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

a convertible offers a higher value proposition on todays market than a closed car. OK, lets be fair. Remember all the 350Z performance benefits? Now add a fully automatic convertible top complete with a glass rear window for all season driving, as well as pretty well every standard feature - less side curtain airbags - available on the top-line 350Z coupe for a base price of $33,850. Not bad, once again considering just how phenomenally quick and well refined the car is.

Dropping or raising the top takes a mere 20 seconds from a tug on the single center latch to when the cloth top is stored conveniently under the racy double bubble tonneau cover, mirroring the arcing shape of the fixed asymmetric roll protection bars just ahead.

While the 350Z was initially designed and engineered

The 350Z Roadster gets all-new distinctive and supportive seats, with a one-piece shoulder bolster headrest wrapped over a low-back bucket. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, American Auto Press)

with a convertible model in mind, the roadster still weighs a little more than its hard top sibling - 216 pounds to be exact. This is due to extensive stiffening of the A-pillar and windshield surround, beefier rocker panels that connect at four points to a rigid X-brace, a completely new rear bulkhead and dramatically reworked rear floor construction, etc, etc.

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