What's new? So what's new about the ‘all- new’ 2006 Nissan 350Z, you may be wondering. Well although there have been plenty of small changes both above and beneath the skin, and this particular round of updates is from the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ school of evolution.And when you think that the original 350Z was so fundamentally correct, Nissan was right to resist the temptation to fettle. Now in its third year and having sold a faintly amazing 160,000 models globally in 95 countries, it’s not difficult to see why the 350Z works.What's it like? In simple terms it looks fab, goes well, doesn’t cost the earth, drives brilliantly and has gained cult status. Yet improve it Nissan has.For 2006, the headline changes are an engine uprated from 276 to 296bhp, while the cabin has a new sat-nav system, bigger doorbins and, wait for it, a repositioned hazard warning switch. Outside it gets a new front bumper, bi-xenon headlights and LED tail lights.Performance has improved a tad on both models. The coupé now sprints from 0-60mph in 5.8sec (previously 5.9sec) while the roadster’s time falls from 6.4sec to 6.2sec. But the real news is the extra refinement of the drivetrain. In the coupé, there’s less shunt from the transmission and, crucially, a fair bit less road roar from the rear – arguably the original’s two biggest failings.Should I buy one? And the price for this small but perfectly formed range of upgrades? An extra £800, taking the basic model from £25,500 to £26,300 and the GT from £28,000 to £28,800. That still makes the 350Z one of the best value driver’s cars.
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