370Z Sport Package vs Mazdaspeed 3 GT vs S2000 vs Cayman S vs Mazda Rx-8

mook

Actually, I think Z has the most potential in the bunch to become an affordable great sports car, it's already on the way (and 300ZX was my dream car for as long as they made it). I think it helps to talk about these things for people who are in the market for one and I am sure many come to this site. I am not suggesting that Nissan actually reads anything posted here but somehow summarizing and discussing all the things that are wrong with this most promising but still raw car may influence things in the long run.

The posh "sporty" car club has plenty of heavy gimmicky but very fast bloaters floating around on the highways. Most cars are getting heavier every year (mostly due to safety regulations of course).

The drivers club needs to be clear about what they do and do not want. Competent ability (even if dangerous in inexperienced hands) over hand-holding. Light weight over gimmicks. Envolvement over automation. Fun over numbers.

It's nice when you look down at a speedo and say "wow, this car is fast!", but I would rather go half as fast thinking "damn, this is fun!". If I can have both - sure, why not, but keep your priorities straight. Bragging rights should not be more important than enjoyment of driving.
These days they have expensive luxury cars that weigh as much as a truck but will keep pace with most "sport" cars on the race track and blow the doors of them on a straight line. Once in a while they build trucks and SUV's that will come damn close to that, too. The numbers are there, but fun factor is not.

Look at the motorcycles. They perfectly and clearly have a "sport" and "super-sport" bike category and those are night and day compared to the "sport cruisers": deadly serious, dangerous, uncomfortable, uncompromising, light, adrenaline machines which are so much fun that the smile barely fits in the helmet vs safe, heavy, plenty fast (or faster) and very comfortable mile gobbling chill machines.