Other Car Test Drive Opinions

ImportConvert

The 'vette is very powerful in the low rpms, but it builds like crazy past 4K. The 370Z I test-drove seemed to increase in a more linear than exponential manner.

Looking at a dyno-chart does not corroborate what you are saying about the VVT/low rpms. It seems to make near maximum tq available very soon.



Now compare it to a stock Z06:

http://www.dragtimes.com/images_dyno...vette-Dyno.jpg

So yeah, the 'vette is still a powerhouse in the low rpm, but it really shines up top. I was just saying that power delivery is more linear in the 370Z than in the 'vette. The 'vette to me feels like a BIG! 4-cylinder, while the 370Z felt more like a high-revving diesel. Total exaggeration there, but you know what I mean. The Z06 still hits hard. In first gear if I just stab the throttle those 325's out back will just spin. Have to roll into it if you want to stay planted. Even then on less than perfect pavement it will get squirrely at high rpm. Part of the kick in the *** is when that exhaust flies open at around 3200. It's an instant 25-30# wtq and 15-20whp basically. This is MUCH more apparent on the '11 and up Z06's with the ZR1 exhaust.

As to the test-drive, I never pushed hard for one. The cars I wanted to drive were a CTS-V, GT500, and BMW M3. The BMW M3 I probably could have gotten a drive in, same with the CTS-V. The GT500, no-way. Reason being the supercharger is actually "activated" with mileage. OR at least, the maximum boost-setting. I forget the parameters, but it's a certain number of miles in a single key-on/engine-on environment, or a maximum number of cranking cycles. At first, I called BS, but I asked on the forum and it appears this really is the truth. The car must meet certain parameters for max boost to be attained.

I would not buy an "activated" GT500. No way, no how.

So I understand them NOT wanting people driving the GT500's unless they are almost positive they will take THAT one home. I respect that.

I would like to drive a Viper (08-10) sometime soon though as I am planning on a possible trade next year, but I also want to see what the new C7 has to bring to the table when data is finally released (All this stuff you see in magazines is just BS. Wait for it from BG).

Armonster

I agree. I never understood why people say the 370z has no low-end torque. Anything above 3k is basically 90+% peak torque, which is pretty amazing for a V6. Unless by "low-end" people mean 1.5-2k rpm, in which case they need a diesel truck not a sports car.

shadoquad

I dunno, it just doesn't seem very powerful until about 4500 rpm.

Plus, a Mazdaspeed3 gets more torque than a stock Z.

Armonster

I thought we were talking about torque here. Did you even look at the dyno chart above? Maybe you're confusing torque with something else.

In any event, a discussion where one person cites numbers and facts while the other person disregards those in favor of vague and subjective generalities is obviously going nowhere, so let's get back on topic here.

(ninja edited me lol)

shadoquad

Whoa, man. I'm just talking about the feel of the car. If you want me to admit I was wrong about torque, ok, fine

I was saying that what IC said about the Corvette was surprising.

If you're telling me that your Z hard launches at 3k, then fantastic for you, speed racer.

ImportConvert

I think what I said was mis-taken.

To me, the 370Z feels linear. You floor it, and your acceleration increases directly proportionate to RPM.

With the Z06, you floor it, and acceleration seems to be exponential. It explodes off the line, pins you back through the mid-range, and only gets nastier. I never meant to indicate that it felt "weak" down low or anything of the sort. Floor it at any rpm in first and you're going to light those 325's up. It needs to be rolled into so some weight transfer gets to take place. There is no torque shortage...there is just MOAR!!!! up top.

The 370Z just pins you back and keeps you there with roughly the same force all the way through whatever gear you are in.

That is how it felt *to me*.

I then looked at a dyno and said "hey...that's why!"

shadoquad

I never feel that the Z is pinning me to the seat. It's deceptively fast, but it never really presses me back.

I can see what you're saying now, though. Thank you for clarification. That makes a little more sense to me.

ImportConvert

I did notice that the Z is deceptively fast. Acceleration was linear, and I did not notice how fast I was going on my test-drive until I got a fly-by with the lights on from an undercover car. The 370Z felt very stable at...highway...speeds. I was also impressed with how compliant it was over harsh sections of roads. The suspension feels VERY well thought out in OEM trim.

*Try driving a slow car for a while. Your 370Z is a quick car and you need to be reminded from time to time. My Z06 feels like a jet going WOT down the run-way when I get in it after driving my G20. Conversely, I almost slide my G20 off the road after driving my Z06. Forgot about those skinny tires, floaty suspension, and iffy brakes, lol.

**When I was in highschool, I felt I had mastered my LT1 Trans Am. It began feeling sluggish. I could make it do what I wanted. Not fast enough. I began to feel complacent about it. It was then that the car did the most amazing thing. It gained about 200whp all of a sudden in a corner and threw me off the road when I blipped the throttle--that's my story, and I'm sticking to it! Moral is, you never know how much power you have under that right foot until it's not doing what you want, and then DAMN! is it a lot! just be careful feeling too comfortable.

Armonster

Yeah driving a weaker car really puts things into perspective.

Also, this thread makes me want to test drive a Z06.

ImportConvert

I'll sum it up I guess:

The Z06: Better gauges, slightly less comfortable seats (for me), tons more power.

Other than that, very similar until you begin to push the limits of lateral adhesion/braking.