The interior of the Z seems to suggest a carbon-fiber racecar tub. The material surrounding the shifter and forming the center dash looks like carbon fiber. Likewise, the large expanse of gray material lining the door panels suggests carbon fiber in appearance. The quality of the materials is okay, though some of the pieces would never be allowed in an Audi. It looked austere at first, but quickly grew on us. Stylish interior touches, such as the inside door handles integrated into aerodynamic pods for the side vents, give the Z a racy, modern look. Passengers often grope for the door release the first time they try to get out, distracted by the big grab handles adorned with genuine aluminum and relieved by the Z's dot motif.
Stylish audio controls include a big volume knob, clearly marked buttons for channel seeking, and six station buttons that can be preset simply by holding them down. We confess we were too focused on entertaining ourselves with the car to turn it on, and we drove various models of the Z on both coasts. Below are three large knobs for the automatic climate control system, which comes standard. Nicely designed wiper and headlamp controls are mounted on short stalks. The leather-wrapped steering wheel looks and feels great, and comes with cruise controls on the right spoke. Overhead are well-designed map lights and a bin for sunglasses. Power window switches are auto-up/auto-down.
The Z is not the best place to drink things. There's a pair of cup holders in the center console, but they're mounted too far rearward for use by the driver and passengers will find them awkward. It might be best to ditch the cup holders and use the center console for storage. Another cup holder is mounted on the passenger-side dash. It pops out with the press of a button, feels flimsy, but works well and is an easy reach for the driver, just past the audio controls. The firm suspension makes drinking hot coffee from an open cup while underway a risky proposition on all but the smoothest highways.
At first it doesn't seem like the Z offers much in the way of storage. For starters, there's no glovebox. Cars without the navigation system get a nice lined storage pocket above the radio, but it's saddled with a lid that registers high on the bogusity scale: Pressing a button opens it, though the one on our pre-production car was reluctant. But closing it, rather than simply pressing it back down, requires grasping it between thumb and finger, pulling it out and carefully pressing it closed. An owner will adjust to it, but it's not our favorite feature. There's a small, lined ashtray-size compartment on the center tunnel and there's a spot on the outside of each seat for a pen or pencil. Turn around and the picture brightens considerably where a thoughtfully designed system of storage compartments provides handy places to stick stuff.
From the driver's seat, you can access a large lockable box that's bigger than a shoebox but smaller than a breadbox. When stopped, but without getting out of the car or opening a door, it's easy to flip the passenger seatback forward via a handle in the center of the seatback. Then, it's a simple matter to open a lid that reveals a storage bin. The lockable lid has a quality feel to it and the bin is lined to keep things from rattling about. A smaller bin is mounted higher and somewhat more awkwardly toward the center that could hold a map, checkbook, PDA or cellphone. Identical bins on the driver's side are accessed when standing outside the car by flipping the driver's seatback forward.
Cargo rides in an hourglass-shaped well, squeezed in the middle by the shock towers and the big strut-tower brace that ties them together. (That cross brace is functional: hatchbacks flex and the Z's chassis engineers wanted to ensure a rigid monocoque.) The Z offers more cargo capacity than a Mazda Miata, but less than a Porsche 911 or Boxster or a Mitsubishi Eclipse, more than an Audi TT, but less than a TT with quattro. We're comparing small boxes here. An avid golfer at Nissan swears two golf bags will fit in the cargo compartment, if you pull the big woods out of the bag. Nissan says fitted luggage will be available for the Z. And coming up with your own system to compartmentalize the cargo area might make it better for carrying stuff.
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