Nissan 350Z | Spotted

Might the original 21st-century Zed be the next Japanese collectable?

Perhaps nothing makes the mid-'00s seem longer ago than the abundant availability of coupes around at the time. Where now we have to accept that the sporty two-door is effectively a relic of the old days (Ford Mustang and BMW 2 Series notwithstanding), back then there was a plethora of options. Once upon a time, Alfa Romeo was selling both a GT and a Brera, for example. The first BMW Z4 was offered as a very entertaining hot-rod hardtop, the second Audi TT was better than it’s probably given credit for, the Vauxhall Monaro was there for a more muscular option and don’t forget the Mazda RX-8, either, for those with a family (and a very generous fuel allowance).

The Nissan 350Z was yet another contender in a very busy segment and was never far from contention in the group tests it faced. There hasn’t been a Zed car in the UK for a decade by the time of the 350’s arrival, and evoking the heritage of the 240 - large, naturally aspirated six-cylinder engine, manual gearbox, rear-drive - certainly helped with the initial success. Its brawny good looks will have played a part, too. And if not the sharpest sports car in the world to drive, its muscle-car-with-manners approach won it more fans. All for not very much money, either, priced from around £25k.

The 350 enjoyed good popularity in its half a dozen years on sale, and the 370Z that replaced it never quite captured the imagination in the same way despite so much shared. Partly that’ll be timing, of course: a 25mpg sports car made a lot more sense in 2003 than it did in 2009. With quite a few sold in that time and without special models, the 350 became really cheap over time - many were drifted, tracked, or made into Fast & Furious replicas. Trying to find a good coupe more than 20 years from launch isn’t quite as easy as might be hoped for.

An interesting conundrum, then, because arguably the appeal increases by the day. The Zed still looks great, and the simplicity of a big V6 powering an RWD sports car surely sounds preferable to forced induction and four driven wheels when looking at a modern classic. It was always quite old school in approach even in the mid-'00s, so now it’ll be a proper throwback. Hopefully quite a charming one.

This 350Z is an intriguing one as a proper collector-grade example. The current owner purchased the Nissan in 2020, the previous keeper having dry-stored it for nine years; it was lightly recommissioned back then with fresh fluids, belts and an exhaust. Since then it’s covered just 1,500 miles, still in proper storage if not on the road. Now showing just over 60,000 miles, it’s one of the best-looking Zeds we’ve seen in a while. Where you now expect to see less-than-perfect bodywork and sub-par interiors, this is properly smart.

Some might want a Zed without any add-ons for maximum collectability, but it seems hard to grumble with genuine NISMO parts that have been there since new. Especially when they look this good. There’s said to be a wealth of main dealer history, plus a fluid refresh 300 miles ago. Probably not the 350 to go honing your drift skills with, then, but one with many more years of entertainment left in the tank. With the price of certain Japanese classics being what they are, maybe £15k isn’t mad either. And it’ll still look good in another 20 years.

SPECIFICATION | NISSAN 350Z

Engine: 3,498cc, V6
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 280@6,200rpm
Torque (lb ft): 268@4,800rpm
MPG: 24.8
CO2: 273g/km
First registered: 2004
Recorded mileage: 61,716
Price new: c. £25k
Yours for: £14,995