2005 Nissan 350Z Roadster and Infiniti G35 Coupe Two Peas from

2005 Nissan 350Z Roadster and Infiniti G35 Coupe
Two Peas from a Very Nice Pod
By David Ray, www.hookedondriving.com
For: THE WHEEL
Through a wonderful quirk of fate, we had the opportunity to experience two of the
world’s most prodigious and popular sports cars within the same 14 day period. Both
being from the same manufacturer, and from the same platform, it seemed appropriate
that we compare them, as the two cars’ mission in life seem to be quite different. Just
how different are they? The Nissan 350Z, a major hit in the marketplace, now selling
well in the cabriolet body style, and the G35 Coupe from the Infiniti division, are
examples of the collaboration of the Nissan market research and engineering departments
working hand in hand. We can imagine senior management saying, “Team, can you get
me to three different segments in the market with one build platform?” The answer was
obviously yes. The 350Z coupe, available as a bonafide enthusiast sports car, the 350Z
Roadster for the more casual wind-in-the-hair set, and the G35 Coupe, aiming at a more
professional sports coupe prospect are mechanically joined at the hip, yet pursue very
different prospective buyers effectively. These cars all are true to their mission, but the
sharing may occasionally require compromises for each of those consumers. Clearly,
from their success in the marketplace, these compromises are well within the range of
acceptable.
The 350Z is a sweet package. True to two-seater look and feel, the cabin is very cozy,
with a disappointment in discovering no glove box and limited storage space. But this
really shouldn’t shock us as this is normal for a sports car. However, no glove box,
(when there is one in the G35, the same body), storage compartments in the door with
openings too small to access its contents, and small storage units over the shoulders of the
occupants without lighting make it quite inconvenient if you’d like to stash some maps,
sunglasses, a spare coffee cup and a few CD cases. In the Roadster, the lack of space is
made worse by the need to hide the top – impacting the already small trunk. The good
news is, once you are accustomed to the cozy environs, the driver will appreciate a very
fun to drive car by any standards. In the same area, the G35 takes the same cubic inches
and maximizes space. There is a good storage armrest, spacious door pockets, a decent
glove box, and foldable jump seats in the back. We actually tested these with a 5’8” inch
teenager coming home from track practice and they did the job. With the Infiniti rear
seats folded down, there is useable space, but it is admittedly difficult to access. These
cars probably aren’t the type of car one should buy for hauling much more than groceries,
dry cleaning, or a couple of overnight bags. There are a couple of disappointing elements
that we are surprised to be including in the review. While not everyone who had the
chance to test and drive in these seats agreed, the author found the bucket seats in both
cars just short of a real problem. It seems the seat is designed to provide a wedge shape
that holds one’s bottom very firmly in a sporty drive. But (and we’ll just not go there on
size and shape) we believe that many adults will find this wedge to provide a pinch point
on the hipbones. Additionally, the upper bolstering seemed to be sharp, and, for a
slightly above average adult male, would not wrap, but occasionally jab one in the side.
One other item, we suppose should be expected in a sports car – road noise. We actually
notice ourselves speaking up to accommodate the noise in the cockpit of both cars. A
huge suggestion – test the tires for noise – we think that those selected in both cars get a
“C” for quiet. These items notwithstanding, we expected something less than Mercedes
or Cadillac room and comfort. These are sporty cars, built to be compact and provide a
firm feel. And so they do. In addition, the HVAC system and stereo/CD player were
excellent, adjusting to changing winter weather with aplomb.
From the perspective of looks, you can be the judge here. Our sense is that the Z
Roadster is attractive, if not a bit funky. The flared front fenders and aggressive front
fascia is an acquired taste. The roofline is given a notch, which may be there for
engineering reasons – it would be a better look for the softop to mimic the Coupe’s gently
sloping roofline. The G35 Coupe is, in our opinion, one of the cleanest and most
classically attractive styles that have come along in a long time. Graceful lines appear at
every corner, and the roofline feeds a tailored rear deck that boasts “classy and sporty”
very effectively. Obviously their sales have confirmed this judgment.
Driving the two cars, with nearly identical drivetrains, we had anticipated strong
similarities, but also were prepared for different interpretations on the theme. And so
there are – to a degree, but the relation seems more like sister/brother than cousins. Both
cars have the same 3.5liter DOHC V6 with four valves per cylinder, variable valve timing
and plenty of pull for the package. Ironically, the Infiniti guys must not have told the
Nissan guys they were doing some extra tuning, as in 2005, the G35 fields 298 horses vs.
the 350Z’s 287 with the 6 speed manual gearbox. The numbers change a bit for the
G35’s autostick version - where the horsepower goes down to 280 and the torque goes up
from the manual’s 260 to 270ft lbs, while there appears to be no differentiation with the
350Z. Maybe that’s too much detail…these cars are both fast, with a solid pull all the
way from 3000RPM’s up to the 6500 RPM redline. Nissan has accomplished an
admirable feat – to create a sound that is as much an identifier of their cars, as that of the
thump of a Harley, or the wail of the air-cooled Porsche. More than once we put the
windows down, just to listen to the Nissan howl. These cars are both as good going for
milk, or motoring to the mountains. Both test cars, disappointedly for the SCCA
enthusiast, came with automatic transmissions equipped with manual shift mode. Thanks
to the enthusiasts at ClubZ, who had Thunderhill rented for a track day, we were able to
try both cars in a spirited run on the track and both cars comported themselves admirably.
There was no noticeable difference in the feel of the chassis between the G35 steeltop
and the ragtop 350Z. They’ve done a great job stiffening roadsters to prevent cowl shake
in the last 10 years, and this Roadster reflects this major improvement in convertible
engineering. However we did perceive a slightly different suspension tune for the two
cars. The Roadster appeared to be a bit milder alignment of the same geometry. Both
cars ride on a high-tech, forged aluminum multilink fully independent suspension front
and rear, but the Roadster seemed to push just a bit more into the turn, indicating that the
corporate attorneys may have had their hand in dialing a more conservative handling
package considering the lack of roof. With the G35, we were a bit surprised at how stiff
the package was – more sporting than the look and the image of the car would indicate.
One factor that was certainly at play was the G35’s gorgeous 19” forged aluminum
wheels providing less side wall shock absorbing than the Roadster’s 18” cast wheels.
Frankly, we were conflicted on these wheels – they may be the best looking factory
wheels this side of a DB9, yet it seemed that the stiffness, and at times, harshness, would
indicate that the 18’s may be the best fit for the sport coupe package. These cars,
regardless of some nit-picking, are both a joy to drive hard. They are both very
predictable, with the G35 turning in at higher thresholds, but both able to rotate and exit a
turn while applying full chat to the strong V6. Clearly, from having driven a 350Z Track
model last year at Thunderhill, the alignment and fine tuning would indicate that if you
are going to drive on a track, the Z Coupe is the way to go…a real sweetheart that is quite
tossable. Both the 350Z Roadster and the G35 will handle what is dished out, yet hard
driving is probably one step beyond their designed intent. Clearly, these cars are
evidence of Nissan’s rebirth and rebound as a real car person’s company. I remember
distinctly the day that I failed to convince my Dad to spring for the new 1971 240Z in the
showroom. Later, I was lucky enough to compete in a 240Z against the Porsches,
BMW’s, and Supra’s of the world. It is truly rewarding to see a company show the
world, that passion for interesting and well built sporty cars can make its mark on the
bottom line and lead a car manufacturer to success across the marketplace.