Produced by Nissan Motor Corporation from 2002 to 2009, the Nissan 350Z was a two-seater sports car. The first year only the coupe was available; the roadster wasn't unveiled until the subsequent year. The Nissan 350Z eventually was superseded by the 370Z in 2008 for the 2009 model year.
The Nissan 350Z is a RWD, front-engine, two-seater sports car created by Ajay Panchal of Nissan Design America. The vehicle has the short-deck long-hood design commonly found amongst the Z-Car family. External design features include: aluminum door handles, sloping fastback style arched roofline, and bulging fenders.
Touring models come equipped with a six-CD changer, Bose sound system, and an 8-inch Bose subwoofer. Surprisingly, the 350Z's interior does not have a glove box but does have additional storage compartments between and behind the seats.
Nissan 350Z Specs
Released in the US on August 20, 2002, the 350Z coupe was offered in 5 trim levels: '350Z', 'Enthusiast', 'Performance', 'Touring', and 'Track' editions. In Europe, only the 'Track' trim was offered.
- The Base model had cloth seats and did not include Traction Control, a viscous limited-slip differential (VLSD), cruise control, nor power or heated seats.
- The Enthusiast model had cruise control, traction control, and a VLSD. The Performance model came with front air dam, optional Brembo brakes, rear spoiler, and VDC.
- The Touring model was the luxury model. It had heated seats, power, leather, VDC, a VLSD, optional Brembos brakes, optional GPS, and xenon headlamps.
- The Track model had Brembo brakes, cloth seats, front air dam, traction control, rear spoiler, optional GPS, and VLSD.
2004 Nissan 350Z Roadster
Nissan introduced the 350Z Roadster in 2004. With a press of a button, the soft-top roof could be retracted. Unfortunately, only two trim packages were offered for the roadster, Enthusiast, and Touring. The main reason not to release a Track model is the lack of B-pillars and roof braces usually make convertibles less rigid which harms the vehicle's handling.
Photo credit: carinpicture.com2005 NISMO S-Tune GT
Released by NISMO, the S-Tune GT was released to celebrate NISMO's success in motorsport. The S-Tune GT was given long nose bodywork, as well as sportier suspension, a revised VQ35DE engine called the S1 which had more power, 296 hp to be exact, and a higher redline at 7,200 rpm.
2006 Nissan 350Z
For the 2006 model year, the 350Z underwent some changes. The VQ35DE 300HP/260TQ Rev-up engine, rated at 287 bhp and 274 lb-ft of torque, was introduced in 2005 on the Track model and the 35th Anniversary Edition. However, the VQ35DE only came with a 5-speed automatic transmission. New additions incorporated in the 2006 model included a revised front fascia, bi-xenon projectors, various changes to the interior trim, new LED rear lights, and speed-sensitive steering. Trim levels above the basic package came with better brake systems. Touring and Grand Touring models included MP3 CD compatibility, radio-steering controls standard, and Satellite Radio became optional as a new feature.
Nissan 350Z GT-S
At the 2006 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the 350Z GT-S was unveiled by Nissan Technical Centre Europe. The GT-S had a switch that could turn the radial flow supercharger on or off. It raised the output of the VQ35DE engine to 382.6 bhp and 313.3 lb-ft without the need to modify any of the engine components. Additionally, the car had a new body kit for an increase in downforce and cooling. The car did a good impression, unfortunately, none were open for sale on the market.
2007-2008 Nissan 350Z
At the New York International Auto Show on April 4, 2007, the Nismo edition of the Nissan 350Z Coupe was unveiled. It had the regular VQ35HR engine but only a 6-speed manual transmission with Traction Control System, VLSD, and a NISMO aerodynamics package was available. Additionally, the vehicle was given a NISMO independent multi-link suspension and front and rear dampeners to help with stability.
2007 NISMO Model
In 2007, the NISMO 350Z went on the market in the US. Only 1,607 were produced for the model years 2007 and 2008.
2007 NISMO Type 380RS
Manufactured for the Japanese market as a street-legal version of the Type 380RS-Competition race car, the Type 380RS's 380RS-C race engine was detuned to allow it to be a street-driven vehicle. Brembo disc brakes were a nice addition, as well as front and rear dampers from Yamaha.
Nissan 350Z Price
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Nissan 350z 2003
• Perfect – $9,950
• Excellent – $8,995
• Good – $7,896
• Acceptable – $4,995
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Nissan 350z 2004
• Perfect – $10,999
• Excellent – $8,795
• Good – $6,494
• Acceptable – $4,500
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Nissan 350z 2006
• Perfect – $11,990
• Excellent – $8,900
• Good – $7,185
• Acceptable – $4,999
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Nissan 350z 2008
• Perfect – $13,499
• Excellent – $11,570
• Good – $9,911
• Acceptable – $7,995
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Nissan 350Z Engines
The 2003-2006 models came with a VQ35DE 3.5L V6, while 2007-2009 have the VQ35HR 3.5L V6. For 2006, the 3.5 L V6 in all 350Zs came with a six-speed manual transmission, outputting a reasonable 300 hp, which was an increase from the previous model. The VQ35DE 300HP/260TQ Rev-up engine produces 287 bhp and 274 lb-ft of torque.
Nissan 350Z Modifications Available
Lowered Suspension
Lowering the suspension is one of the first mods most owners do to their 350Zs. Though from the factory the 350z feels solid stability wise, it can still ride a little high for more vigorous driving.
When comparing coilovers vs lowering springs, the goal of both modifications is to make the vehicle sit flatter when cornering, resulting in less body roll and a slight increase in grip. Using shorter springs or adjustable coilovers effectively achieves this effect. In short, the main difference is the price tag. Using performance springs to lower your vehicle is more cost-effective than coilovers, though they are aren't adjustable.
Air Suspension
To lower your 350Z more aggressively, while still providing for the desired ride height for daily driving, air suspension might be a wiser option. Air suspension allows you to lower your car a lot lower than a majority of coilovers. Much like coilovers, they are typically a single unit install, but the struts have airbags to lower and raise the vehicle's height by way of an air compressor.
Performance-wise though, air suspension will usually significantly reduce the handling of the car. Since stiffer suspensions result in better handling, driving on bags filled with air will obviously have the opposite effect.
Sway Bars
Sway bars reduce body roll during aggressive cornering. A commonly heard complaint from 350z drivers is that from the factory, the body roll is a lot more than desired. Since the 350Z is quite heavy, it can start to feel a bit laggy when you push it through hard turns.
Strut Bar
Also known as a “strut brace”, they support the top of your strut suspension mounts by bracing them together. A strut bar improves the stiffness and strength of the chassis between the strut towers, which prevents them from flexing during heavy cornering.
Strut bars are available for the front and rear suspensions. Base models are usually nothing more than a metal bar bolted on top of each suspension. However, race models are available in V, A, and W shapes. The more braces the better!
Camber Kits
When lowering a car, the first thing you'll notice is that the wheels may acquire negative camber. Not only will driving a car with excessive negative camber reduce the lifespan of the tires but it will also decrease the car's grip. As a general rule, a bigger negative camber will reduce the contact area of the tires on the pavement and a smaller contact area will result in less rubber on the road. This would be the exact opposite of what you are trying to do by lowering the suspension.
To correct this situation, camber kits can help to adjust the 350z’s suspension angles back near normal. As the 350z cannot use front camber plates nor does it offer camber adjustment, you'll need aftermarket camber kits when lowering a 350Z.
On the other hand, if you want to "slam" your car, which means to lower the suspension as much as possible, you may need camber kits to increase the negative camber to prevent the tires from rubbing inside the wheel wells. Doing so would definitively reduce the vehicle's performance but, apparently, it's a thing now...
StopTech big brake upgrade for 350Z350z Brake Upgrades
If you aren't lucky enough to own a Brembo equipped 350Z, upgrading to ceramic brake pads is a good idea, especially if you plan on hitting the track. They provide an increase in durability and resistance to brake fade. Ceramic pads are quiet, and they reduce the production of dust. On the street, aftermarket brake rotors will improve the life of your brake pads, but won't offer any additional power.
On the other hand, you could also install aftermarket big brake kits or even a Brembo kit. Brembo systems are probably the best thing available in terms of braking power and it has been so for numerous years now. Unfortunately, Brembo brakes are expensive to buy and even more expensive to maintain. However, if you want the best, this is it.
Improved Brake Fluid
One of the simplest, yet commonly forgotten upgrade is brake fluid. Bad brake fluid can render all your hard work and toil in upgrading your brake system for naught. Your Nissan 350z typically comes with DOT 3 fluid. Under heavy braking, your OEM DOT 3 fluid may become “cooked” (boiled) or can get water or air in it.
Brake fluid sucks in moisture and over time it will acquire and retain water. At lower temperatures, water boils meaning even street driving can cause it to boil. A simple performance “upgrade” is to flush your vehicle's braking system with DOT 4 fluid, then bleed it.
While it is possible to run your vehicle on DOT 5, it’s mostly unnecessary, even for traditional track applications. Furthermore, DOT 5 brake fluid cannot mix with other fluid and thus you'll need to completely drain the brake system before refilling it. On the other hand, DOT 3 and 4 can mix in small quantities so there's no problem to use DOT 4 fluid instead of DOT 3 in any vehicle.
Takeda cold air intake for Nissan 350ZCold Air Intake
As 350Z factory engines are naturally aspirated, keeping the air going into the engine as cool as possible allows you to extract the most performance out of your engine. To do that, the easiest thing to do is to install a cold air intake system. There are tons of them available, from simple high-flow filters to big ones that will suck the air from below the engine or inside the wheel wells to ensure it gets the coldest air possible.
Obviously bigger and longer systems are more expensive and some of them even require some mods to oil coolers and other components. However, if you really want to extract as much power as possible from your engine, a high -performance cold air intake is the way to go.
350z Engine Mods
No matter if you have a VQ35DE or a VQ35HR in your Z33, the maximum horsepower without mods is 306hp. The 350z is no slouch, but the more you push it, you'll either become used to its power output or you'll be hungry for more. After all, if you bought a 350Z or are looking for one, you probably like to go fast.
Luckily, there are tons of engine upgrades available out there. The Z has been one of the drifting and drag scene's favorites for a long time now so you'll easily find performance parts to increase your engine's power and engulf all of your hard-earned money.
Last Words
In short, the Nissan 350Z is a really good car and the available mods are endless. All it takes is a little spare change and a hunger for the feeling of more power underneath your hood. However, if you plan to modify your Z, don't forget to get your hands on your car's repair manual. Installing performance parts is not always easy and sometimes requires removing and reinstalling other components. In all cases, being able to rely on a trusty manual will often save the day. Once you're all set up, remember to plan, determine your budget and start shopping around.
Trust us. Once you get a taste, there is no going back.