The relative performance of each produces a natural separation of models All Nissan are doing are making the sperating offical It means the Skyline will no longer be able to ride on the coat tails of the GTR. Relative performance rankings: GTR Z Skyline
Good call Z-force. skyline = family sedan, GTR = performance flagship The rumour is, it will have the same chassis as the 350z, with a TT'd version of the vq35de, (400 kw est) and will be FOUR WHEEL DRIVE! Basically the ultimate car. Some suggest the US may get a hotted up vq45de, but I dunno. PS my r32 gtr just got dropped off back in Australia, can't wait to get back to Oz to see it.
Time to compare Apples with Apples First up you claim that the 350z is a rehash of an old design. Yep sure, the car does hark back to the early Z days where a gutsy engine was thrown in a small(ish) rear driver, and perhaps if viewed through rose tinted spectacles traces of Z cars gone by can be found in the modern shape...but they are buried deep enough to avoid the retro bashing currently attatched to cars like the Mustang, XJ etc. Next you claim that the 350Z isn't the best handling car out of Japan at the moment. Perhaps not, however it would have to be the best handling rear driver. Leaves the tail happy S2000 for dead as it does the rx-8 and even embarresses the new WRX on the road and around the track, got the Motor back issues to prove it. Sure hit with an Evo or Sti and it will be found lacking, however some prefer the handling characteristics of a rear driver, me included. As for the Z32 being superior in performance, don't you think that the addition of twin snails may have the scales tipped in the 300's favour. Even so, when not racing in a straight line I would wager the much lighter and thereby nimbler 350 would have the advantage. See the boys at APS to even the odds by adding twin turbo's and you would have to be quite talented to keep up. And finally the looks, well as they say opinions are like a**eholes, everyones got one and they are usually full of sh*t. I personally love it, you think it's ugly. That's the beauty of perspective. 350z a step backward, not in my opinion anyway.
oh yes one other thing, you guys need to stop for a second what you guys are loooking at is a V35 skyline, not an R35.. 2 totally different models. you will find the v35 is a family car on pupose so you should be judging it on that perspective, and between a commodore or a falcon id definatly choose the skyline to put the kids and the dog in.
Nissan made no secret of the 350Z inspiration from the 240Z The first design prototypes looked almost identical until they made the decision to create a design with sharper angles to try and modernise it a little. Regardless of this attempt the basic shape and lines are still those of a car from 1970. As for handling and performance, I was pretty sure the NSX was RWD, and as for the RX8, top gears track shootout put the 350Z and RX8 at identical times. The price of the 350Z puts it in the same category as the STi and Evo, both of which are faster in the straights and corners. In fact the 350Z ride and handling are often criticised as being too harsh and took skidish esp. on uneven surfaces. As for the Z32 TT being faster in a straight line due to having turbo's, I believe that is pretty obvious, but that is like saying `the only reason the TT Z32 is faster than the NA is because you have turbo's".....well duh, that doesn't detract from the fact that TT Z is faster. As for the Z32 being `much heavier', the Z33 is no lightweight coming in around 1450kgs, not far off a 2 seater slicktop TT. As for handling, if it came down to a circuit race I would be putting my money on a Z32 TT over the Z33. Sure you can mod the 350Z but when you start adding a whole plethora of variables. I agree that taste is very subjective, however I believe you will most likely find that if you got the public to rate Z32 and Z33 you would find the Z32 more popular and would have a higher rating. That still should not influence your personal opinion of it but it is something that is measurable. So the 350Z has no turbo's, is higher than the Z32, weighs almost as much as its closest Z32 models, (the weight is the same as an NA 2seater slicktop) is slower in the straights and would be unlikely to beat a TT on the track, and is a design through back to the 70's in semi retro style. It has one thing going for it, decent brakes, but that alone does not make a car. Step backwards, I think so.
Re: oh yes one other thing, you guys need to stop for a second skyline was always a family car, one thing though.. does make the 300zx look old when you park it beside it
Hmm weird that R35 is very odd. I think the front shot looks like a cross between a 4wd (big wide flat bonnet) and an rx8 (ugly bulged front guards)
That looks nothing like the godzilla I saw, will try to get a pic but i think it was unveiled at the 05 Tokyo motor show. anyway, The new godzilla looks a hell of a lot better than either of those (imo), a lot sleeker.
Re: That looks nothing like truth is, the new godzilla doesnt exsist yet.. and nissan havent released a TT version of the vq35 because they cant get it to pass japans new stringent emmission laws. there will be many concepts of a godzilla while nissan tempts buyers and finds something that will stand up to such a huge reputation.. theyre concepts for a reason
Re:they cant get it to pass japans new stringent emmission laws. How much different aer they compared with euro and aussie emmissions law?
For those saying a VQ35DETT has never been made.. I realise most of you have probably come across this before, but for the others: http://www.airpowersystems.com.au/350z/350z.htm APS has a bolt-up TT package for the 350z that gives roughly 420hp at the wheels on only 9psi! I plan on throwing the APS kit onto a nice black 350z a few years down the track :thumbsup: Note: First pic attempt ever - fingers crossed :LOL: Edit: Yay it worked!
