Roadster beckons with open-air allure

When Nissan rolled out the Datsun 240Z back in 1970, the sports car world was changed forever. This inexpensive, stylish coupe was a smash hit. Eventually, the Z car got big, heavy and bloated. It died from lack of interest.

 Now, more than 30 years later, Nissan has another hot little Z car on its hands. The 350Z, in both coupe and convertible versions, is a modern-day version of the same concept: bargain-priced performance in a handsome suit of clothes. Sales have been hot since the car went on sale almost two years ago.

 Fresh-air fans will love the drop-top version. It retains the athletic handling and taut styling of the coupe while adding and panache of open-air motoring when you want it. Popping your head out into the sun takes about 20 seconds. The power top, with a glass rear window, is a snap to operate. One twist of the central lock handle releases three latches. Hit the button and the top retracts and hides behind the seat under a hard plastic cover with headrest fairings. Slick, fast and attractive.

 Driving with the top down is quite pleasant. Wind is directed over the cabin nicely, and there is very little cabin turbulence because a tempered glass wind deflector sits between the seats and directs wind out and over the cabin. Fasteners were added to keep the seatbelts from flapping in the wind. When the side windows are up, your hair hardly moves at city speeds.

 The Z roadster comes in two trim levels. Prices start at $34,050 for the Enthusiast model with a six-speed manual, and $36,220 for the Touring edition with a six-speed manual. The automatic adds $970 to the Enthusiast version and $1,510 to the Touring.

 A GPS-based navigation system is a $2,000 option, and 18-inch wheels add $1,200. Side airbags, standard on the Touring edition, are $250 on the base car.

 Go-kart handling comes in part from 18-inch wheels, but mostly because the Z rides on a chassis platform that carries the engine closer to the center of the vehicle for better driving dynamics. The 104.3-inch wheelbase is relatively long for a small convertible, enabling the designers to push the wheels way out toward the corners of the vehicle. Variations of the FM chassis are also used for the Infiniti G35 sedan and sport coupe.

 Getting into the roadster is almost like putting it on because you sit low inside. The cabin is simple without being plain. A pod of three gauges sits behind the steering wheel and moves with the wheel as you adjust it up and down. This same pod is used in a number of Nissan and Infiniti cars.

Seats are deeply contoured and quite comfortable. The instrument panel has an interesting crosshatch texture highlighted by brushed silver trim.

 The 287-horse, 3.5-liter V-6 quickens your pulse when it snarls to life with a nice exhaust note, and the six-speed manual gearbox is a delight to use because it is topped by a stubby shift lever. Acceleration is strong, but not on par with V-8 muscle like the Corvette.

 Back in the winter I drove a Touring coupe and found its suspension was so firm as to be almost unpleasant on certain road surfaces. The roadster’s ride, however, was not nearly as stiff, yet its handling seemed to be on par with the previous car, at least on public roads. Racetrack handling might be a different story, but then, most of us don’t ever do that.

 Antilock brakes are standard, as is brake assist and traction control. The top two models also have vehicle stability control.

 Nissan’s sports-car spirit is alive and well in the 350Z, and the convertible is just added glitz.