Hey all
Thought I would share my thoughts on the 370Z, as I have taken delivery of a Z to have as a stable mate with my GTR.
Why the Z - I wanted a manual trans, quick car. I always liked the 350Z and when I saw the lines of the new 370 at TAS09, I had to have one (in white). I track my GTR very often, however I am getting nervous doing this without a ton of safety gear. The Z gives me a car that if I take out a bumper, its 300$ not 3000$.
I put about 180 mile on the Z so far. So I have a good feel of the car I think.
Body style - The Z has fantastic curves. Its like a voluptuous woman, and I find the bulging wheel wells and roof line to be very entertaining to look at. This is a stark contrast to the more cyber look of the GTR. The rear view is better. I need to do something about the chin area on the Z. Its almost strange that these 2 cars came from the same builder. The share zero body lines. The Rays wheels are great looking, on par with the GTR's in looks factor. What one is better looking? That is in the eyes of the beholder but I just love the contrast. i enjoy both.
Interior - I got the base with sport package. I like the seats in the base better than the touring. Shoot I like the seats in the Z better than in the GTR!. Minus the no power or heat, these are fantastic seats! Th dash layout I find very good. The actual gauge cluster is a little chinsy looking, but I like the feel. The GTR has a bit more of a "cockpit" feel to it since it has a lot more tech gizmos. overall the GTR has a better quality interior, but that takes nothing away from how great it is on the 370Z.
Motor - I can tell you there is not even a close comparison to the GTR. The GTR is way faster, more responsive, and pulls harder in every rev range. its also much smoother. I felt the 370Z was a bit rough in the higher rev's. The note from the motor is very good however. Much louder than a GTR in stock form. I plan on a Stillen exhaust and high flow cats to give it more growl, and a oil cooler to keep it cool on the track. Good motor. Takes nothing away from the car and pulls well in any gear. Would be perfect with 40 more HP.
Handling - I haven't had the car on the track yet, but I am impressed with the handling of this car. it flicks well, handles off ramps at good speeds and does noe lean around too much. it is good on bumpy roads as well. not as kidney jarring as the GTR. however you can tell the GTR feels more planted and is easier to power of of the corners. I think some coil overs will do this car a great deal of good. Again the GTR is much more harsh, but when you push it it asks for more.
Trans - The 370 is the perfect accessory for any GTR owner. Just when you think you are sick of the semi-auto trans, you hop in the Z and get your kicks with the sublime 6 speed. The trow could be shorter, and I hate the shift knob, but that is all fixable. The clutch is near perfect. You realize however how slow manual trans are in comparison to the GTR however very quickly. I would like to see a hill assist on the Z. Auto blip is a great feature and works near perfectly.
For the $, the 370 is an unbeatable platform. I am looking forward to modding it. It is a great companion to the GTR. Kinda like a Cayman to a 911TT.
Here is some pics of the GTR... I will post pics of the Z wen it stops raining.
Scott