Solstice is dead. Crossfire is dead. RX8? It makes 240bhp. Cayman and Z4 are in different price-brackets.
Like it or not, the direct price/market competators are the Mustang GT and the Camaro SS.
Yes they are different cars, but they cost the same, and will inevitably be compared. Both have run 12's@110+mph bone stock in various tests.
The 5.0 is a great engine. (Happy now? I said it
)
The problem is this: The 370 has a different "mission" than the mustang GT or the Camaro SS. However, it is priced identically, and marketed to the same age-group. Also, like it or not, acceleration is something a sports car is judged by. The 370Z is trailing the pack unless we throw the Challenger R/T in there, then it has some company. However, it handily out-handles all but the GT w/track suspension. When the BOSS comes out, it will be right in-line with the Touring package Z price-wise. It will pull over 1G. It will make around 430bhp. It still won't look like the Z, but with Recaro's, it will have a comfy interior for performance driving.
The Cayman and the Z4 are not marketed in the same bracket or to the same audience.
If you are going to compare the 370Z to them, then you need to compare it also to the Corvette Grand Sport and the Shelby GT500 or a 2010 left-over base Z06, because that is the price-bracket you just stepped into.
I guess it really comes down to this: Pick your poison. Every car has strong/weak points and you need to just drive them all and figure out what you are willing to give up, and what you aren't.
All this being said, of the cars I mentioned, I would go with the 370Z. I constantly waver between the idea of the Z and the Z06. Will I get 30K more fun out of the Z06? I know the Z06 is the "better car", but is it "30K more fun?"
Decisions. We all have to make them. Half the reason I beat up on the 370Z so much is that I hope someone here will change my tune on behalf of the Z and save me some serious $.