Having driven the 370z (stock) and my s2000 (not stock) pretty much back to back, I came to the conclusion, which even the owner of the Z agreed to no less, is that the Z looks amazing on paper and puts down respectable numbers, but when driving the car, it just doesn't feel as focused or "refined" as the s2000 (or an E46 M3 for that matter since it's the owner's wife's car) The Z has nice suede which feels amazing in the summer heat here in AZ compared to the leather. But some things like the "plasticity" feel of some pieces, or how your elbow hits the center bin when you drive causing it to open all the time may seem like little nuisances at first, but it does get annoying quickly.

Interior quality aside, (lets face it, the s2000's interior may not seem much better, but the design of the driver focused cockpit certainly makes it more aesthetically pleasing imo. And the quality on the M3 isn't better either, at least we don't have peeling on the door handles, but both cars are more quiet with less creaks than the s2) another issue I had with this car was the seating position, I could never find a position that I preferred, I always felt uncomfortable and "pushed back" in the car th_dontknow.gif It's weird to explain it, but I had the same feeling in the 350z as well.

Driving the car:
I wanted to like this car, and I do like it in some aspects, but when driving the car in the street, whatever I liked about it was overshadowed by the transmission. The clutch wasn't exactly hard to modulate, but very unfamiliar and even after owning the car for months, the owner can't get a smooth shift either. As you pushed the clutch down, it was very stiff, then all of a sudden, it was soft and went straight to the floor. The transmission was very very notchy, I heard the 370z was an improvement over the old Z but it didn't feel like so. It was still notchy and the clutch engagement is not smooth or linear, just like before. When driving the Z, I felt like a crappy driver who was driving a manual for the first time, but even the owner can't seem to get a relatively smooth shift. But then again, I'm comparing this to the s2000 transmission which is extremely difficult to beat in terms of overall feel and smoothness.

Engine:
The Z's engine was great, it had nice mid range power and seemed to pull strong in almost any gear. But (maybe it was this particular Z) it didn't seem to like being revved up too much. Obviously the s2 strives in high rpms but it's slower than an old man in low rpms (esp stock s2000s below 6k rpms. After the tune in my car, it feels worlds better but if I were to go WOT next to a Z, both of us in 6th gear and low speeds, the Z will pull away). I prefer the high rpm songs of the s2 and even the M3, which also loves to be revved all the way up to redline and does it with ease.

I loved the sound that the old 350z made, even stock, but this car is too quiet, it is soft, but not necessarily comfortable. It's also quick, and given a good driver, it's quicker than a stock s2000. When we raced from a 40 mph roll (I regret doing this due to what happened after) he didn't pull away. As a matter of fact (and I can let him chime in if he chooses to) we were virtually neck and neck up to near triple digit speeds. The only reason why is that he didn't know how to shift particularly quick, which was enough to hold him back. Again, I'm not stock, but I'm not sc'd either. They are supposed to be as quick as the M3 and I kept up with his SMG m3 with him inching ahead, so I'm not doubting these results much.

Verdict:
Given the choice of a (my) s2000 and a 370z, I would certainly lean towards the s2000. It's not quick, it's not quiet either, but the confidence it inspires, and the raw feeling it gives of you connected the car through it's "cockpit", seamlessly smooth transmission, high revving engine etc etc. make me lean more towards the S2000.

Don't get me wrong, the Z is a great car, but not for me because it feels like it tries too hard to be everything (cruiser, sports car, practical) but ends up coming short in those categories. If you want a car that brings everything in a nice package, get the M3. It's comfortable (though at low speeds, it felt less forgiving than my s2000, which is on coilovers. But that has a lot to do with the optional 19 inch wheels) it's quick, feels planted and inspires confidence, and it is the most practical of the 3.