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General

REVIZED Z-LINE FIGURES

Prices for the 2006 350Z which is orderable now will start at £26,300. That’s £800 more than the sell out 2005 version but new Z fans will be getting £1700 worth of extra spec including 18-inch RAYS lightweight alloy wheels (previously a £1000 option), bi-xenon headlights, and another 20PS of heart stirring power.

From the outside, the changes are intentionally hard to spot … unless the car’s lights are on. On main beam, the headlights are now xenon fuelled and the side lights distinctive LEDs. And nobody will miss the LED tail-lights particularly when the Z’s Brembo brakes are on. Inside Nissan has listened to customer comments and repositioned some switchgear, improved comfort without sacrificing the Z’s sports car feel, and changed some materials to give the interior even higher perceived quality to match its inherent strength. All Coupes also gain standard Bluetooth phone connectivity and there’s now the option of factory fitted DVD Europe-wide satnav. But best of all, there’s more under bonnet power – up from 280PS to a serious 300PS giving more bite to match the Z’s characteristic exhaust howl.

With prices starting at £26,300 for standard coupe and £1500 more for the Roadster with electric folding roof, the 350Z remains fantastic value for money compared to its rivals. As with the original 350Z, the 2006 version is available with a GT Pack for £2500 – it adds electric, heated leather seats, 240W Bose stereo system with 6-CD in-dash changer, and cruise control. So price-wise the ultimate 2006 is the Roadster GT Pack at £30,300. Supply will be no less limited meaning residual values will stay impressively high. And because the exterior changes are so subtle, current owners’ investments should remain strong.

Other options available on the revised range include a new factory fitted DVD satellite navigation system first seen on the all-new Pathfinder and more recently on the 2006 X-TRAIL. Priced at £1200, the new system features improved processor graphics, while the wide screen display can be split to show map settings and realistic visual representations of the road ahead. The Birdview™ satellite navigation system also includes Traffic Message Channel (TMC) offering alternative routes to beat the jams.

GT Pack customers can choose to brighten up their interior by adding Alezan Orange leather interior for £350. If your GT Pack is a Roadster, the Alezan option also brings netted seat centres. And also for the Roadster, there’s the option of a blue roof at no extra cost.

At a glance:

• More power from higher revving engine (300PS and 6400rpm max)

• Refreshed exterior with:

• Restyled front end

• New look headlamps and LED tail-lamps

• Improved interior with:

• Repositioned switchgear

• Soft-feel materials

• Greater storage opportunities

• Factory-fitted satellite navigation option

• Standard Bluetooth phone integration (coupé only)

• Two new colours – Universal Silver and a new black metallic

Customers can place orders for the 350Z in dealerships now and deliveries will start in April.