Nissan 350Z News

Alpine (pronounced Alpeen) was the name of the French manufacturer of racing and sports cars who used rear-mounted Renault engines, reminding car buyers of Renault's rallying and GP heritage.Renault Australia communications manager Craig Smith said he was excited by the prospect."I haven't seen anything official on Alpine but I'd imagine it would be attracting quite a lot of interest in the UK,” he said."Too early to say what, if anything, we'd do with it here.”The two-seater hatch goes on sale in Europe about 2010, targeting competitors such as the Mazda RX-8, Honda Type R, VW GTI and Nissan 350Z, but will cost less. It is expected that the car will be the forerunner of a series of models with the Alpine badge.Testing of the running gear is being carried out in a Megane body at Germany's famed Nurburgring race circuit.The new Alpine is expected to be powered by a small turbocharged petrol engine with every chance it will be mid-mounted.

The Japanese factory that produces the Nissan Micra and the 350Z for Australia — and will soon send us the “Godzilla” GT-R, which has just rolled its 15 millionth car down the line.Nissan's Oppama factory reached the milestone on December 19, 46 years after it opened as Japan's first full-scale passenger car plant.Oppama was also the first to use welding robots, in 1970, and one of the earliest to introduce a mixed production line that allows different cars to be built at the same time.From 1993-1997, Oppama also produced the imported Bluebird that replaced the previous Australian-built model.It now builds seven models; March, which we get as the Micra, Cube, Cube Cubic, Tiida, Tiida Latio, Note and Bluebird Sylphy.The plant complex includes the Oppama Wharf, which handles up to 80,000 vehicles a month, as well as the Nissan Research Centre, Global Training Centre and Gran Drive proving ground.Oppama's relative closeness to Australia has been a strong factor in cutting the waiting time for local orders, Nissan Australia spokesman Jeff Fisher says.“Shipments from Japan reach us more quickly, so it shortens supply times,” he says.“And if body colour is a big factor of an order, which it is in Micra we want to be able to react to that quickly.”Oppama's location and its cost-effective production plan could also have been a contributing factor in the company reintroducing the Micra here.Even with a stable and strong dollar, Nissan Australia CEO Shinya Hannya admits the little car had only a slim profit margin.That would have been shaved further by the extra cost to ship cars from the other Micra production site in Britain.The 15-millionth car built at Oppama was a Tiida.But it is not coming to Australia because our Tiida cars are made in Thailand, and instead is being shipped to Africa.  

The next Z will be ready for the road in less than two years as Nissan works flat out on a replacement for the luxury Maxima, an updated Micra baby and perhaps a Silvia sports coupe.

Mazda MX-5From $42,870NOW in its third generation, and with a hardtop option, this the car that revived the roadster. It looks good, drives like a go-kart and has loads of zip. The interior is well designed, and even tall people have plenty of legroom. The manual transmission is close and the suspension firm. Sporty steering and enthusiastic acceleration from the two-litre four will have you heading for the hills.BEST COLOUR: RedBEST ACCESSORY: A mountain-road map Jaguar XK$221,900A REVIVED sense of Jaguar style is complemented by a 4.2-litre V8 with a heartful of attitude, and a paddle- shift sequential six-speed gearbox that leaves the old J-gate for dead. It's billed as two-plus-two, but the backseats just can't be taken seriously — consider them a deterrent to the barrage of requests for a ride.BEST COLOUR: Gunmetal greyBEST ACCESSORY: A silver-service picnic hamper Holden Tigra$34,990ODDLY for a car aimed wholly and unapologetically at young women, the Tigra lacks an auto option. But if the young lady can stand shifting for herself, she'll love this cute two-seater. With competent dynamics and excellent packaging, it's a good alternative to the harder, more focused Mazda MX-5.BEST COLOUR: Lipstick redBEST ACCESSORY: Your bestest gal pal Volkswagen EosFrom $47,990ALTHOUGH options soon shoot the long-awaited four-seat CC past the $60K mark, this VeeWee's value is as hard to fault as its performance. With four-cylinder turbo diesel or turbo petrol engines to choose from, you can get where you want on the back of a mighty wave of torque, or rev high and mighty like a GTI. The only "problem" is that it arguably looks even better when the wonderful metal-and-glass folding roof is up.BEST COLOUR: CrimsonBEST ACCESSORY: Just about anything you care to carry Porsche 911$218,000THE yardstick by which other sports cars are measured. Its potent engine gets you to 100km/h in around five seconds, with pin-sharp steering, athletic handling and a delicious noise. It could do with more room in the back, and the fuel tank could be bigger too. But these are minor niggles dismissed by true fans.BEST COLOUR: BlackBEST ACCESSORY: An IWC Portuguese watch Mercedes-Benz SLK350From $110,900ELEGANT styling and the practicality of a hardtop that, although heavy, hasn't damaged the power-to-weight ratio too much. A muscular 3.5-litre V6 engine that offers slingshot acceleration, plus point-and-shoot steering and tremendous grip,result in a thrilling drive. The cabin is snug, but it's also very comfortable and kitted out in signature Merc style. The COMAND system control interface, however, is needlessly complicated until you master it.BEST COLOUR: SilverBEST ACCESSORY: A Prada briefcase Nissan 350Z Roadster$73,990MORE retro cues here in Nissan's reincarnation of the legendary Z-car, with 1970s lines from the 240Z matched with an enthusiastic and refined 3.5-litre V6. Agile handling and a ride that sits perfectly between firm and compliant make up fora sometimes unforgiving manual transmission.BEST COLOUR: BlackBEST ACCESSORY: A black iPod Ferrari F430 Spider$425,000WITH a chunky V8 sitting in the middle of its chiselled body, the F430 is an aerodynamic marvel with exceptional handling. Much of the design has been borrowed from the race shed, and extensive use of aluminium helps with weight distribution and lowers the centre of gravity.It will rocket to 100km/h in 4.1 seconds and to a top speed of 305km/h. And even just sitting at the lights, it will send all the attention your way. Sex on wheels, really.BEST COLOUR: Need you ask? RedBEST ACCESSORY: A smug smile

The Japanese carmaker has given its angry two-seater even more fizz with what is virtually a new engine, even if the only hint on the outside is a bulge in the bonnet and the new hue. Nissan spokesman Karl Gehling says the power bulge is not for show. It’s needed to fit the bigger powerplant. Capacity remains the same, but the 3.5-litre V6 is new from the bottom up, with 80 per cent of the engine’s major parts being re-designed. It’s taller, but weighs less than the old model. While the increase in performance is modest on paper, power is up 9kW to 230kW and torque up 5Nm to 358Nm, Nissan spokesman Karl Gehling says it’s a substantial step forward. “The numbers are better, but the big change is the engine is more refined, revs higher, and the power is far more usable,” Gehling says. Unlike the power figure, pricing has not risen, the coupe still from $62,990 and the roadster from $73,990.

Not much, according to Nissan. The 35th Anniversary 350Z is about to go on sale and to mark the occasion Nissan has distinguished it with 15 extra kW, 800 more revs, a different 18-inch wheel, 10 less Newtonmetres of torque, a new paint treatment ... and a unique, spiffy ultra yellow paintjob (if you want it). But what of the distinguishing badges, you ask? Nope. Nothing. Nada. In a few years time – or perhaps within 12 months – this one is going to be barely distinguishable from the common or garden variety Track versions. "There was no reason to put a special badge on the car," Nissan Australia product marketing manager Michael Hayes said at this week's launch. "It is something that was looked at this is a car that will stand alone on its merits." No argument that the 350Z is a special car. The drive program for the Anniversary model (across the Victorian Alps) showed yet again just how special this is. It also underlined just how little difference there is between the Track manual and the Anniversary. For the $2000 premium on the Anniversary ($67,990, 6-speed manual only) you get the wheels, the colour and the right to kid yourself you noticed the difference in power. The lift from 206kW to 221kW makes little or no discernible difference to the feel of the 350Z. Neither does the loss of 10Nm of urge. Under the bonnet is one of the world's great V6 engines. The 3.5-litre 24-valve DOHC unit is smooth as silk and strong as steel. The car still leaps away from stationary with wonderful enthusiasm, has glorious mid-range urge in all gears and spins happily right to the redline -- in this case, 7000rpm. There is a cost for those extra revs with fuel consumption slightly higher in the upper-11l/100km range. Dynamically, the 350Z Anniversary is the match of its Track donor and being essentially the same car there's no reason it wouldn't be. The ride can be a little jiggly at times, there is slight kickback through the very communicative steering when under full load and the gap between second and third leaves the driver a betwixt-and-between on occasion ... but they are minor irritations. Roomy, comfortable and stylish, in a Japanese way, the interior offers an environment well suited to the car's dynamic capabilities. Apart from the Anniversary's "unique" touchups, the entire 350Z range has been given a minor makeover. Automatics now include Nissan's Downshift Rev Matching, a computer-controlled blip of the throttle to optimise downshifts. The manual shifter gets a brush-up with a more refined feel. The Roadster is the big winner with switchable Vehicle Dynamic Control and the performance Brembo brake package to match the Track and Anniversary.