By Ever been lying awake at night and heard the sound of a trumpet driving down the street outside? Ever wanted to make that noise yourself? Well, if you’ve got a Nissan 350Z or Infiniti G35 and the time to install an exhaust system, now you can! One of the easiest ways to make an improvement in the feel and sound of your Nissan coupe is an aftermarket exhaust. Some offer better flow and a different sound while a few can actually increase horsepower and torque. Exhaust upgrades include axle-back upgrades that replace your sports car’s stock muffler, cat-back setups that replace (yup, you guessed it) everything from the catalytic converter back to the exhaust tip, and full headers-and-back systems that replace your entire exhaust system. We’ve got a mild and wild recommendation for each type of system for your Z car!
Axle Back
If you’re looking for looks and sound alone, axle backs are the way to go. To start, we recommend the Greddy Spectrum Elite exhaust. The Spectrum Elite is a little tough to come by these days, but it looks very close to the factory exhaust while making a louder sound. For a more eccentric approach, try the Tanabe Medalion Touring axle back. The Medalion Touring offers the classic noise of the VQ35, as well as larger chrome exhaust tips that sit just under the rear bumper.
Cat Back
For a wilder solution, try a cat-back exhaust system. Instead of a midpipe that collects into a box muffler behind the rear bumper, a lot of catbacks will split into a Y-pipe with individual mufflers. This increases both volume and flow since your exhaust isn’t hitting a right angle at the back of the car.
The Borla True Dual cat back for the 350Z is an interesting one: It offers fewer bends and less restriction than the standard Y-pipe and muffler, but isn’t much louder than stock. It’s got a different tone than many other custom 350Zs, with more of a roar at high RPM than a wail.
One of the most popular cat backs for the 350Z, the Invidia N1 is the classic option for loud trumpet noises. The N1 is big, straight, and loud, with massive tuner-cannon mufflers sitting just under the rear bumper. If you’re looking for the stereotypical, aggressive noise and look of a V6-powered Nissan tuner, this exhaust is the way to go.
Headers Back
The most noticeable changes to exhaust sound and performance on a Z car come from new headers. If you are upgrading from stock, nearly anything will provide better sound and flow, as many aftermarket headers don’t have built in catalytic converters. Keep in mind, these systems are the most complicated exhaust upgrade for your 350Z or G35 short of a turbocharger manifold. Like, it’s really time consuming. Nissan is very good at packing engine bays full of stuff, and making it super hard to get at the headers; it’s actually easiest to do this if you’ve got either the engine or the transmission out of the car already. Maybe do it while you’re performing a clutch replacement; doing the header install alone takes about 6 hours if you know exactly what you’re doing, and closer to 14 hours if you don’t. Also, keep in mind that aftermarket headers may not be legal if you’re in a place like California that doesn’t allow fun.
Speaking of fun, Borla makes headers for the 350Z and G35 VQ35DE. The Borla Stainless Steel header is loud, but smooth and deep sounding. You’ll see gains all throughout the power band, too: with a complementing exhaust system, this header makes an additional 10-15 horsepower at the wheels.
Meanwhile, at the extreme end of the spectrum, the aFe Twisted Steel header is a great way to really get some power out of your VQ35. The pipes use massive 1 ⅝” runners and a 2.25” collector, and combined with aFe’s Y pipe good cat-back system they can make your car run like a bat out of hell. Stainless steel headers might not sound quite as good as titanium, but it’s hard to argue with lighter weight and an extra 16+ horsepower at the wheels.
There are so many modification options available for your 350Z. Think of the possibilities– an all-out track Nismo, an ear-piercingly loud canyon roadster, or a stanced out influencer whip are all within easy reach with a little bit of planning and research. For a new exhaust as well as tons of other parts for your Nissan 350Z or Infiniti G35, check out the Motoroso Marketplace!
