Well, the first 350Z in Texas has arrived at the National Convention. (Well, actually, we found out it's been in hiding at Courtesy Nissan for the last week or so in a back room under lock & key!)

These are the pictures I took this afternoon....

Bah to your logic.

BAH !

Alfa

Dude you rock!

Nate:cross-eye

Kmack - Speaking of cup holders did anyone notice the coke bottle on the floorboard?

I had the same first thought as several others. The new vw bug image popped into my head at first sight.

I do love the interior on the car though. Nice:classic:

I was just reading an article about the 350Z in the magazine BusinessWeek. Very interesting story about how the 350Z came to be and how they believe Nissan's future depends on it to succeed quite heavily. Have a look at the article if you find it because it refers to the original 240Z all the way thru and has some historical info. Anyway, here are some quotes from the story you might find interesting...

"Indeed, Nissan explicitly rejected a retro look for the Z. Instead, it wanted something that incorporated touches of the past but reflected prevailing moods in the industry. Its broad stance and compact frame clearly echo recent designs by trendsetters such as Ausi, BMW, and Porsche."

"Although Nissan did meet its pledge to keep the 350Z below USD$30000, top of the line models approach USD$370000."

"This time, company officials say they're not aiming for first-time car buyers and cash-poor youths with a need for speed. Instead,"this is a good third car for someone with a sedan and a truck," says Patricia Pelata, Nissan executive vice-president"

"Nissan figures the car will be a hit with thirtysomething lawyers and bankers as well as aging baby boomers with a nostalgic bent."

"It was high prices that killed off the earlier Z line. The tab for a fully loaded 300ZX eventually balloooned to nearly USD$50000, a big turn off, even for a high performance vehicle. To avoid that mistake, Nissan designed the current Z to share it's chassis among three models and so split the bill for development."

"As for performance, early reviews say that the Z is dead-on in it's attempt to strike a balance between sports car zest and value. "If you liked the 240Z, you'll love the 350Z", writes Csaba Csere, editor in chief at Car&Driver, who points out that the Z has nearly as much horsepower as a Porsche 911, a car that costs 2 1/2 times the price."

"Nissan expects to sell the bulk of the 40000-50000 Z cars it plans to produce annually in the US. The original sketch for the 350Zs angular design was drawn up by Ajay Panchal in Nissan's San Diego design studio."

"US dealers are betting that the Z will eventually outsell even the Chevrolet Corvette."

"In the US, early signs are encouraging. Advance orders for the car already top 7800 units."

"But even in the birthplace of the Z, some opinion-makers remain critical. Makoto Oura, chairman of Japan's biggets Z car club, says Nissan should have settled for a smaller, 2.0 litre engine and cheaper parts to make it more affordable to average Joes. Although he has one on order, he admits that "I bought it because it's a Z, not because I'm especially thrilled with the package.""

All quotes taken from "The Zen of Nissan" article in Business Week, Asian edition, July 22, 2002.

"US dealers are betting that the Z will eventually outsell even the Chevrolet Corvette."

ALready been done matey

Nissan is into this one engine for many cars thing. And lets not forget this new 350 is now their only 2 door sports car. What about that 175hp 2.5L in a sportier package than the Spec V...2 doors...2 seats...250sx???

Let's also remember what really killed the 300z in the states..Yes it was pricey due to R&D in design concepts and Twin Turbos and all but, she was still built wholly in Japan an The U.S. was taxing the crap out of imports at the time! So blame the U.S. for the fall of the Z!

Let's also remember a time in the mid 80's when Harley Davidson started a law suit because they said they were the only company with the right to build large cc engines (750cc and higher). There was actually a few years where honda and the others did'nt bring bikes in over 700cc's because of this crap. Eventually this was overturned, but dang I love my country and all but give me a break!

$.02

Nate:cross-eye

Someone where I work purchased a 350 and it was parked out front this AM. So I ran out and took a look.

1. It is better looking in person than in the photos.

2. They really hit the early Z look with the dash layout.

3. Over all I liked the interior.

4. I enjoyed looking at the car as I walked up to the front.

5. But walking up to the back was a disappointment.

6. Looked to be a bit over speakered with a ~10" speaker behind each seat! But then again I am 47 and have grown out of the "feeling the sound" stage of my life.

Would I own one? Yes

Would I by one? No not at what dealers are doing the buyers.

If I ever get one it will be in 4-5 years with ~67,000 miles on the odm. and selling for $15,000. "This dog does not buy new cars"

The guy that purchased the 350 did it via priceline.com and paid $950 over MSRP. Flew to Southern California from Sacramento then drove it home. The only mistake was coming back on I-5 this was a road trip waiting to happen. He should have taken 101 to 1 to San Francisco across the Golden Gate then home via the Napa Valley.

I agree with OwenK, this dawg dont by nuthin new!!! . Anyway i also agree with the fellow that said the nose is to short, and the arse end to fat for a Z. The dash layout is about the only sad little memory of a true Z car. I expect like the Ford Mustang the Z car will undergoe a few redesigns and ultimately will finally get it right like Ford with there kool retro T Bird. But at what cost? 45grand! HAAAAAA. Like owenK says, not for this dawg!!!!

$.02 U.S. currency.