ON THE surface, it would appear the Nissan 350Z is another Japanese (read: cheap) attempt at rivalling the more accomplished European racing houses.

Cars like it look convincingly sporty, have the straight-line credentials to back up their looks, and some even pack a stirring soundtrack.

But put them through some twisty bits, preferably against a rival from the continent on their tails, and their inadequacies start to show.

The suspension becomes willowy, the brakes fade rather quickly, the engine lacks breadth and depth, and the steering falls short of the commitment and communicativeness you need.

And even if such a Japanese racer holds up well in these areas, one last and equally important aspect sometimes eludes it - build quality.

When the 350Z appeared four years ago, it pretty much lived up to that expectation.

Sure, the car's a modern reincarnation of Nissan's iconic and illustrious Z cars (that's what the company keeps telling us), and it had many things going for it.

Chief among those was its price: At a little over $150,000, it packed the presence and oomph (at least on a straight line) of cars twice its price.

But it lacked pizzazz all the same. Despite its Z lineage, it was a little less than another Porsche wannabe.

Nissan engineers may have realised that, although they will not admit it even for the love of sake. Because the revamped 350Z is so different, it might as well be an all-new model.

First, its 3.5-litre V6 is noticeably beefier, and it revs much higher and substantially smoother than before.

It is also an amazingly versatile power plant. On the low end, it produces enough torque to allow the car to potter around in city traffic in fifth gear.

On the "woah" end, it will initiate wheelspin in third gear. When push comes to shove, you have more reserves to call on.

And it remains calm and stutter-free all the way to a heady 7,500rpm.

Second, its chassis is taut, responsive and utterly unshakeable. Combined with a meaty steering, the rear-wheel-drive relishes in fast cornering and dishes out driver confidence by the buckets.

The 350Z is planted yet nimble, stoutly sprung yet comfortable, and communicative yet insulated.

Its suspension resists body roll and dives, counters jarring speed humps and responds remarkably to cobblestone stretches (such as the ones on the bridge to Sentosa). All that makes for a sporty demeanour as well as a pampering ride.

It feels faster on the tarmac than it says on paper (on paper, it is actually - and strangely - slower than the pre-facelift model). It is also easier to use than it looks.

The only thing that spoils it is its cheap-looking and unfriendly navigation system. It is advisable to replace it with a proper set, perhaps from VDO.

And unlike the previous car, its cabin remains absolutely rattle-free, even when taken over said cobblestone surfaces.

Indeed, the build quality surpasses that of some European pedigrees, even if the trim appears a tad austere in places.

Exteriorly, the car is as flawless as before. In fact, a new "power bulge" on the bonnet has given it an extra dash of machismo.

And you know what? The car has more than what it takes to carry it off.

Price: $159,000 with COE
Engine: 3,498cc 24-valve V6
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Power: 313bhp at 6,800rpm
Torque: 358Nm at 4,800rpm
0-100kmh: 6.3 seconds
Top speed: 250kmh
Fuel consumption: 16.8 litres/100km (city)
Agent: Tan Chong Motor Sales