2007 NISSAN 350Z TRACK (4)

The man who oversaw 350Z styling was recently retired design chief, Shiro Nakamura. He was also responsible for the GT-R, Qashqai and Leaf, so left behind quite a design legacy. His facelift for the 350Z occurred late in the model’s life and meant our car’s interior benefited from better materials and some classy detailing. The front end of the car took on a moderately more imposing look, especially with intricate front and rear lights and the pronounced power dome that the taller new engine demanded.

Before departing, Nakamura-san indicated that no new Zed was on the horizon but insisted ‘Z’ remained “a strong asset”. That sentiment is reflected globally by a noticeable firming of Zed prices, from the early 240s right through to excellent 350s.

This also bodes well for the 370Z, for which Nissan became semi-serious about coupe practicalities. The later car is undeniably quick and more state-of-the-art smart but its cabin lacks some of the quality finishing and small-touch niceties that are apparent throughout our earlier model.

We are buying similar cars in superior condition: keepers@kiwigarage.co.nz