I am in the U.K where the Xfire has a slightly bad rep - based purely on Top Gear which many people take as gospel...

Truth is, I've driven many of the cars mentioned in this thread. The 350z is indeed 'sportier' in as much as it's more of a point and squirt car - if I were making a track day special; I'd prefer the 350z... however; these comparisons with the Z and many others are often wide of the mark. The SRT6 is faster than most but the standard Xfire; while fast - is more a grand tourer in my mind - wrapped up in a sexy two seater coupe shell. Of all the cars I've driven out of those that have been mentioned, the Xfire is the better car to drive day to day. It drives like a luxury Mercedes and I should know as my father has an S-Class Benz. In SRT6 form and with some tinkering, you can take on 911's and the like. I drove my friends E36 M3 the other day and hit a corner on greasy roads; ready and willing to enter a drift. The back just snapped out and we span (badly) . In the Xfire, I'd have been able to control it - even with Traction Control off. Some of these cars that are considered more 'driver focussed' are just poor every day 'to the shop and back' cars IMO.

Reliability?? first class. No faults and engine bits are cheap (relative) as many after market Benz SLK stuff is out there. Body parts is a different issue.