GT500 vs 370Z

theDreamer · 01-03-2010, 11:54 AM

Actually, the GT500 does not compete against the Camaro SS or SRT8, the Mustang GT does. GM or Dodge have no real competitor to the GT500 currently, hopefully once the Z28 hits they will, and the SRT8 is just high priced but not a lot there.
I do agree they are not in similar classes, they have similar price points and power but they do perform differently and provide very different styles.

kevr6 · 01-03-2010, 02:23 PM

CAR and DRIVER
February 2010
4th Annual Lightning Lap Edition
V.I.R. Fast Lap!

Mustang GT 3:13
GT 500 -- 3:07.4
BMW M3 -- 3:05.4
Audi S4 -- 3:12
Camaro SS -- 3:09.5
Audi TTS -- 3:08.4
Caymon S -- 3:05.8
VW GTI -- 3:19.3
Genesis 3.8 -- 3:14.8
To list some of the cars tested!

NISMO 370Z -- 3:12

Let's face it! Our cars exibit Bang for the Buck performance that needs improving!! That's the fun part!

KillerBee370 · 01-04-2010, 08:13 PM

Solid axle

And the V-8 rumble is cool and all but I would rather listen to my Z which is almost on par with a Ferrari at this point.

Red370 · 01-04-2010, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KillerBee370

Solid axle

And the V-8 rumble is cool and all but I would rather listen to my Z which is almost on par with a Ferrari at this point.

Your car's a badass, im actually building towards the same setup, need that ferrari sound

spearfish25 · 01-03-2010, 02:48 PM

^^^Nismo....NISMO. The base/sport 370 will fare better in a lightning lap!

If a TTS is 4s faster and a Genesis 3.8 is only 2 seconds slower...something ain't right.

evse82 · 01-03-2010, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spearfish25

^^^Nismo....NISMO. The base/sport 370 will fare better in a lightning lap!

If a TTS is 4s faster and a Genesis 3.8 is only 2 seconds slower...something ain't right.

I second that, there is no way a TTS is 4 seconds faster than the nismo.... the base 370 is even faster in a straight line and through corners..... And the Genesis 2 seconds slower?!?!?

kevr6 · 01-03-2010, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by evse82

I second that, there is no way a TTS is 4 seconds faster than the nismo.... the base 370 is even faster in a straight line and through corners..... And the Genesis 2 seconds slower?!?!?

I drive the TTS at my work....it's faster then the 370Z. Sorry!!

spearfish25 · 01-03-2010, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevr6

I drive the TTS at my work....it's faster then the 370Z. Sorry!!

Just a butt dyno? Faster acceleration, cornering, better braking, what? It's hard to drive two cars that both run 0-60 times in the 4.7 to 5.0s range and call one faster without comparing lap times.

Red370 · 01-03-2010, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevr6

I drive the TTS at my work....it's faster then the 370Z. Sorry!!

are you serious? 0-60 and 1/4 mile times are pretty much even, and you drive a Z?

chuckd05 · 01-03-2010, 03:36 PM

Do a few things to the gt500 and add some drag radials or slicks and it will be hard to not run low 12s high 11s...

I would trade my 370z for a gt500 if someone wanted to trade 1-1... not worth the money imo but def a ridiculous car!

I went to a car show and met a guy with the non supercharged gt500 who put a blower on it and it was one of the sickest cars I have ever been in, he scared the **** out of me during a 2 miles test run up and down a county road thats long and flat by my house... like the OP said it spun all the way through every single gear he was in. Thing was NUTS!

Shyne · 01-03-2010, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckd05

Do a few things to the gt500 and add some drag radials or slicks and it will be hard to not run low 12s high 11s...

I would trade my 370z for a gt500 if someone wanted to trade 1-1... not worth the money imo but def a ridiculous car!

I went to a car show and met a guy with the non supercharged gt500 who put a blower on it and it was one of the sickest cars I have ever been in, he scared the **** out of me during a 2 miles test run up and down a county road thats long and flat by my house... like the OP said it spun all the way through every single gear he was in. Thing was NUTS!

whats a non supercharged gt500, because i never heard of one.

chuckd05 · 01-03-2010, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shyne

whats a non supercharged gt500, because i never heard of one.

maybe i am mistaken ? Im almost positive that is what he told me, unless he tossed the stock blower and replaced it...

i could of swarn he said something about getting the one without the blower and SCing it... Im not 100% sure of this, so maybe I am mistaken, but either way the car did not have a OEM blower installed , it was aftermarket, and the thing was an absolute monster... and without a doubt had the shelby bumpers colors racing stripes... was grey with blue stripes...

If anyone is big into mustangs in NY they prob know this guy... he has an 03 cobra that runs 9s, like 4-5 5.0's, and this car, which is said was his new track toy

z man · 01-03-2010, 03:50 PM

The Z and the GT 500 are two different cars with really nothing in common. Provide me with the price differece between the GT500 and the 370, and with the help of aftermarket parts, I would be able to provide more competetive numbers. A true comparison should be between the GTR and the GT500.

Interesting facts though.

ZKindaGuy · 01-03-2010, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spearfish25

I had a unique opportunity this weekend to drive my friend's new Mustang GT500 around Florida. Having owned my 370 for about 9 months and read quite a bit about the GT500, I was curious how a 540hp hotrod compares to a more refined sports car like the Z. Since I'm sure you guys have probably read about the GT500 as well and perhaps had an owner try to race you, here are some interesting comparisons.

Engine:
Well, the rumble of that V8 is pretty sweet. It's not incredibly loud and is probably on par with a catback and hfc install on our car (in terms of overall loudness). Unfortunately, we'll never replicate that deep rumble. Add the supercharged whine over 4500rpm and it's darn cool to 'get on' this car.

Acceleration:
While the GT500 has incredible power, the weight of the car makes it feel very comparable to the 370Z in terms of butt dyno. There is a more visceral experience with the noise of the V8 though.

Handling:
The car is very responsive to wheel input but doesn't feel connected to the road at all. Despite the low profile 18" tires, I didn't have that sense of the road surface and steering feel of the Z. The size of the car makes it feel cumbersome as well.

Braking:
Those Brembos are nice. Braking is top notch.

Interior 'bits':

Shifter: a very cool pool cue knob and a notchy, extremely short throw shifter. I was amazed at the effort it took to shift gears...you'd think the Z was butter compared to this car. Throws were too short for my liking at maybe 1.5" (unbelievably short). Combining the short throw and force needed to shift, I kept thinking I missed the shift. The throttle response made it very easy to rev match downshifts the traditional way. Clutch 'take' was very much like our car but perhaps even higher off the floor.

Fit and finish:
Pretty darn good. The seats are better than those in the Z. They just fit perfectly and give incredible head, neck and back support. The car is laden with plastic around the dash and center console which reminds you that you're still in a Ford.

Lighting:
I can't believe Nissan didn't do something like this for the Z. You guys tearing apart your cars to change your interior lighting colors would die with envy. All the lighting in the GT500 is customizable (ambient feet, doors, cupholders, and ALL dash lighting). The car's computer lets you change the LED color of all these lit areas and you even have three custom options where you can mix up your own colors. Why a Z doesn't have this is beyond me.

Nav:
Ford put a voice controlled nav in the car which seems to work pretty well. The shining upside is that you can always input a new route using voice commands, but have to stop like every other nav to do it by hand. Gone are the days of pulling over to put your destination in. It couldn't figure out long street or town names, but gives you the ability to verbally spell things which makes up for the shortcoming.

Overall, I like my Z better. We won't be able to compete with the V8 sound, I'd bet our cars are quicker in a straight line unless the GT500 is driven by a very skilled person. In corners, there's no question. Most GT500 owners will be worrying about spinning out while you zip past them given the loads of power, lack of road feel, and beefiness of the car. The GT500 feels large, heavy, and lacks the finesse of the Z.

If you can get a chance to drive one though...go for it

.

If you have a chance to ever test drive a 2007 Shelby GT (not the GT500) give it a try. The handling on it is supurb as the Shelby GT has a completely modified rear-end which the GT500 did not happen to get until this 2010 model year. The Shelby GT is lowered and loaded to keep the rear wheels planted onto the group over bumps, snow or ice.

When I traded mine for the 370Z Tour+Sport I was expecting the 370Z rear-end to handle at least equal to the Shelby GT. I was slightly disappointed to find the Shelby GT holds the road far better. However I suspect that alot has to do with the stock tires for the 370Z Tour+Sport package. The Shelby GT had BF Goodrich KDWS G-Force T/A High Performance tires.

Though I am sure that some folks will disagree with me but the BF Goodrich KDWS G-Force T/A High Performance tires are supiorior in handling and wear and tear compared to the 370's Tour+ Sport stock tires. Trust, having driven both the KDWS are far superior and I will be replacing my stock 370Z T+S tires with KDWS this upcoming summer.

The 2010 Shelby GT500 suspension has been upgraded to the same one that was on the 2007 Shelby GT. It still may not handle nearly as well as the 2007 Shelby GT given the weight and balance differences between the cars.

As for the 370Z being faster in a straight-line over a GT500 due to hookup problems the GT500 would pass you by...don't even kid yourself about that one. With a set of Nitto 315's or larger that GT500 will hook up just fine and he will catch you at the 1/8 mile marker and finish at least a 1/16 of a mile ahead of you.

I know that for a fact because I raced a 2006 350Z with my 2003 Mustang Terminator which was putting down 452 RWHP and 422 ft-lbs RWTQ. I had a hookup problem but I managed to catch up to the 350Z at the 3/4 mark and still finish about 3 car lengths ahead. I have no doubt the GT500 would do the same.

Our 370Z are refined sports cars, not brute force muscle cars...and there is quite a differrence in each when comparing them by way of performance. Keep that in mind and you will not have any reason to doubt the 370Z performance as the class of these cars are worlds apart.

spearfish25 · 01-03-2010, 05:02 PM

Perhaps my original title is misleading. I wasn't comparing the Z and GT500 as if they are equal, competing cars. I merely had the chance to drive the GT500 and naturally own a nice car to compare it too

. Someone let me borrow their GT-R and I'll write a comparison of it to the GT500!

I agree that by 3rd gear, the GT500 will be pulling past the Z pretty easily. It will take an experienced driver to make the GT500 stay ahead of the Z through first and second gears though. (and swapping for drag radials doesn't count a solution...I'm talking stock setups)

01-03-2010, 11:54 AM	#1 (permalink)
theDreamer A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 30,879 Drives: 370z Rep Power: 4211	Actually, the GT500 does not compete against the Camaro SS or SRT8, the Mustang GT does. GM or Dodge have no real competitor to the GT500 currently, hopefully once the Z28 hits they will, and the SRT8 is just high priced but not a lot there. I do agree they are not in similar classes, they have similar price points and power but they do perform differently and provide very different styles. __________________ theDreamer's Z // Fast Intentions // Uprev // GTM // HKS // TEIN theDreamer's Silvia // URAS // GREDDY Houston Zs // Facebook // Twitter // Instagram

01-03-2010, 02:23 PM	#2 (permalink)
kevr6 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: N.W. Atlanta Posts: 1,515 Drives: '09 Graphite 370Z 6M Rep Power: 667	CAR and DRIVER February 2010 4th Annual Lightning Lap Edition V.I.R. Fast Lap! Mustang GT 3:13 GT 500 -- 3:07.4 BMW M3 -- 3:05.4 Audi S4 -- 3:12 Camaro SS -- 3:09.5 Audi TTS -- 3:08.4 Caymon S -- 3:05.8 VW GTI -- 3:19.3 Genesis 3.8 -- 3:14.8 To list some of the cars tested! NISMO 370Z -- 3:12 Let's face it! Our cars exibit Bang for the Buck performance that needs improving!! That's the fun part! __________________ *Beware...* Daily Sliding In My ZLED! Last edited by kevr6; 01-03-2010 at 02:29 PM.

01-03-2010, 02:48 PM	#5 (permalink)
spearfish25 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Naples, FL Posts: 4,117 Drives: to work Rep Power: 1857	^^^Nismo....NISMO. The base/sport 370 will fare better in a lightning lap! If a TTS is 4s faster and a Genesis 3.8 is only 2 seconds slower...something ain't right. __________________ 2013 Cadillac V-Wagon, RIP Z

01-03-2010, 03:36 PM	#10 (permalink)
chuckd05 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: NY Posts: 2,391 Drives: No longer a Z Rep Power: 20	Do a few things to the gt500 and add some drag radials or slicks and it will be hard to not run low 12s high 11s... I would trade my 370z for a gt500 if someone wanted to trade 1-1... not worth the money imo but def a ridiculous car! I went to a car show and met a guy with the non supercharged gt500 who put a blower on it and it was one of the sickest cars I have ever been in, he scared the **** out of me during a 2 miles test run up and down a county road thats long and flat by my house... like the OP said it spun all the way through every single gear he was in. Thing was NUTS! __________________ 09 370Z 6M PW - FBO Best 1/4 mile = 12.926 @ 109 SOLD -- 08 BMW 135i - FBO 12.1@120mph SOLD -- white 09 e92 335 Coupe Mtech - 11.9 @ 119 :-)

01-03-2010, 05:02 PM	#15 (permalink)
spearfish25 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Naples, FL Posts: 4,117 Drives: to work Rep Power: 1857	Perhaps my original title is misleading. I wasn't comparing the Z and GT500 as if they are equal, competing cars. I merely had the chance to drive the GT500 and naturally own a nice car to compare it too . Someone let me borrow their GT-R and I'll write a comparison of it to the GT500! I agree that by 3rd gear, the GT500 will be pulling past the Z pretty easily. It will take an experienced driver to make the GT500 stay ahead of the Z through first and second gears though. (and swapping for drag radials doesn't count a solution...I'm talking stock setups) __________________ 2013 Cadillac V-Wagon, RIP Z

01-04-2010, 08:13 PM	#3 (permalink)
KillerBee370 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: So Cal baby! Age: 52 Posts: 5,964 Drives: with passion Rep Power: 322	Solid axle And the V-8 rumble is cool and all but I would rather listen to my Z which is almost on par with a Ferrari at this point.

01-03-2010, 03:50 PM	#13 (permalink)
z man Base Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: DFW (Texas) Posts: 75 Drives: 370z Black-09 Rep Power: 16	The Z and the GT 500 are two different cars with really nothing in common. Provide me with the price differece between the GT500 and the 370, and with the help of aftermarket parts, I would be able to provide more competetive numbers. A true comparison should be between the GTR and the GT500. Interesting facts though.