Friday Fleet Notes: 6.1.07

By David Thomas

March 5, 2015

This week’s Fleet Notes will be brief because we covered so much last week, but one interesting tidbit comes from a staffer who got to drive the new version of his own car. Is he jealous? A bit.

2007 Nissan 350Z

As a current owner of a 2005 350Z (above right), I jumped at the chance to take the new 2007 for a drive. I did most of my driving on the busy streets of Chicago, running some errands, but I also got the opportunity to take it on the track at Road America in Wisconsin. There were many subtle changes from my ‘05 ride to the new ’07, some of which took place in the 2006 update.

Inside the snug cabin were a few new touches. The two that excited me most were cupholders that are actually accessible and a better positioned hazard lights button. Another favorite change is the integration of the navigation system.

The nav system now sits nestled in the dash with the controls close at hand. The 2005 Z was the last to feature a motorized door over the system’s screen that lifts when the car is started. It makes for a cool effect, but I’ve had my car for 18 months now and have gone through three new motors in that door.

The exterior has a slightly modified front grille, new headlights, LED taillights and, of course, the new hood bulge (which I am not a fan of). The old hood’s lines made for a more aggressive yet stealthy look, but I guess form follows function, because underneath the hood bulge is the most significant change to the 2007 Z — the engine. You can really feel the added power when you mash the pedal to the floor. Thankfully, all those engine modifications didn’t disrupt the distinct growl of the Z’s dual exhaust. The shifter is short and precise, and the balance and handling of the Z have only gotten better.

The new 350Z is a great example of a perfect redesign. Nissan fixed what needed fixing and left the rest alone. And unlike Dave’s rumblings in the full review, I like the fact the Nissan has only made subtle changes to the exterior. As a Z owner, it’s nice to know that my car’s styling won’t be outdated anytime soon.

Eric Rossi, multimedia producer

automatic-content-migration

Kelsey mentioned this model last week, but I didn’t get a shot at it until this week, hence its return in this feature. I’d have to agree the blind spots created by the lack of rear windows is incredibly distracting for the regular car driver. Tradesmen who are used to large panel vans probably won’t mind. What I don’t understand, however, is the removal of the rear seats for the sake of small storage bins in the front of the floor. Why lose one utility – hauling extra people — for so little — storing a few tools?

Add to that the fact that the engine is anemic, the interior is filled with hollow plastic parts and the new-car smell is toxic, and I was more than eager to bring this oddity back to the fleet. I do have to admit, though: During the first hour I had it, I was stopped by someone to check it out when I was at the grocery store. The intrigued passer-by knew it was the Panel version, too. Its looks just didn’t win me over enough to forget all the other trade-offs.