The Z is one of those cars that strikes me somewhere deep down in my design gut. The lines, curves, shape...everything. It all comes together into my ideal vehicle. I’ve loved the 350 for a while now but its always had a few issues that bugged me. Her ass was a little wide. The interior was a little drab. All of that seems to have been fixed in the latest evolution of the Z-car. The 370Z is a beauty. A lovely interior, shorter and more finely proportioned and even a bit more power. I have a life goal of owning a new sports car before I hit the big 3-0. Next year is my last chance. The 370Z couldn’t have come out at a better time.

This weekend we went to the ‘08 Portland Auto Show. Poor Acura seemed to be having some technical difficulties with their flash-based touch screen car builder. We had a great time though I walked away with less car fever than I expected. I further confirmed my love for the Infiniti G37. That vehicle is simply spectacular, though I preferred the more refined Journey edition to the Sports version. The Sport just seemed too chromed out and juvenile for a luxury coupe.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked the Mini Cooper Clubman. I’ve always considered the Minis as something of a novelty vehicle. Actually sitting down in the Clubman and fiddling with its innards changed my mind. It’s a well thought out vehicle with quite a bit to offer for a couple like us. Small, efficient and sporty. Plenty of quirk without losing functionality. Room for a couple of passengers when needed and some nice fold flat rear seats for some extra cargo capacity when making a Costco run. The price is fairly reasonable as well, starting around $20K. The Clubman Sport starting at $24K. What I don’t like is that everything on the car is optional and they can add up pretty quickly. The Clubman I liked started at $20 and ended at $27 once I had it tweaked just right. Alas, the regular mini is still too small for the likes of me.

For trucks I rather liked the Ford Sporttrac. It had a nice blend of power, comfort and convenience while retaining a great amount of ruggedness to it. I loved all the hooks and rails for securing cargo, along with the power outlets, tool compartments and the like. A very well thought out vehicle.

Of course after all this car browsing I’m ready to sell my ‘03 Acura CL. Any takers?