I drove the new $55,000 Nissan Z, and it lives up to its reputation as an iconic sports car

The Nissan Z was an absolute blast to drive.

Nissan really delivered on the driving front.

On a winding road, the Bridgestone Potenza-shod car handled the corners with the surefooted confidence expected of a world-class sports car.

Even though its heavier than its predecessors, the 350Z and 370Z, it felt far lighter on its feet and more balanced.

The Zs I’ve driven in the past felt more like powerful Japanese muscle cars than true sports cars. They were monsters in a straight line but felt heavy and unsure of themselves in the corners.

They also delivered a surprisingly comfortable ride, easily soaking up rough roads and small potholes, which is uncommon for a car with low-profile tires and a sport-tuned suspension.

Even though it’s now more fleet of foot through the corners, it hasn’t lost any straight-line performance.

The Z’s VR30 engine pulls like an angry draft horse off the line, without any hint of turbo lag, quickly getting 3,500 vehicles to highway speeds.

The twin-turbo V6 boasts a torque curve that reaches its peak 350 lbs-ft at just 1,600 revs and remains on tap all the way up to 5,600 rpms. Paired with a launch control system that allows you to change gears without lifting off the throttle, gunning the throttle on the Z results in smooth, uninterrupted power and acceleration.

According to Motor Trend, the Nissan Z Performance with the manual transmission can go from 0 to 60mph in just 4.9 seconds.

Unfortunately for us sports car purists, that time will likely be a bit faster with the automatic.

My only real gripe with the driving experience was the unsatisfying engine sound, which lacked the high-pitched crescendo of a high-revving four-cylinder or the low-down rumble of a V8. It just sounded like a dull and listless drone.