That's how I see it too!

 

I'm actually happy with the 300hp.

Just wish it had more torque. Maybe another 40-50 lb/ft.

And if it lost another 300 lbs...we'd be in Cayman territory.

 

The Z is quite powerful as it is!! But if it could happen I would ask for 350total hp and 300 whp stock!!! that would be great!

 

Moving up from a 200hp/156tq I4 to a 300hp/260tq V6 is beastly.

The reason the Z is so cheap is because it shares the same FM platform with many of Nissan's/Infiniti's models. Reduced cost of different chassis and less amount of R&D allows a car that is a great handler. As for weight, people complain but the only cars that are that light nowadays are two-passenger roadsters like the S2k and small econobox cars like the SRT-4 and Civic Si. If you look at Corvette's, they weigh around the same as our cars do and thats with fiberglass comopsite bodies and in the case of the Z06's, lightweight titanium in the exhaust and other lightweight parts.

500hp? 2006 Z06, 2004+ Viper, 2005 Ford GT for starters. The 2004+ Mustang Cobra's were 400hp and around $35k. The new Skyline will be somewhere in between 400-500 hp.

I mod my car because:

A) Good hobby.
B) It'll sound nicer.
C) It'll go faster.
D) I auto-x.
E) I track the car.
F) I just like to damnit!

 

In my mind the Z is fine as well. It would be nice though to have the Z with these #'s.

Touring model 287/300 (keep it the way it is)

Track model 375 (manual only)

Enthusiast 320/335

this would be nice but it would also drive up the price, but you know that these #'s are coming and before long as far as Chevrolet is concerned the base vette will have 500 hp and the Z06 will have 600. It's coming dont' you worry.

 

As of today my Z's equipped with Pop Charger, NISMO exhuast, and 5/16 Plenum Spacer.
It would be nice to have another 30-40hp
What's better would be losing about 200lb.

I say blame Mercedes Benz for all this HP craziness. Their cars are just
ridiculous.
Why the hell do they need to put 500hp on a freaking van.

 

Just enough to beat the plethora of SUV's (the new Jeep SRT8 0-60 in under 5 seconds, Chevy Trailblazer 0-60 5.4 secs, Ford Lightning trucks), new cars by Chevy, Dodge/Chrysler & Ford that are putting out over 400 HP.

Fortunately we have one of the most beautiful cars on the road today. Its just humbling to now have to hold back on looking dumb when that big powerful SUV is sitting beside you at a stoplight.

 

less weight. period

less weight means alot of things. less HP to move quicker. less stress on the brakes and suspension. better handling.

if the Z lost a half ton or more it would be a pure exotic beast!

 

280rwhp stock and a smoother tranny and better brakes and suspension... or skip brakes and suspension and make the Z out of aluminum. HP isn't what its all about...

 

Less weight... and better tires!

 

I think the Z needs to be at the 350 HP range to compete with the current competitors in its league

 

350hp on all models would be nice. 400 would be great but for me it's kinda overkill. I just want a great handling and looking car that has some ball$ and 300hp will work for me, just fine or at least in the beggining.

If their base and Enthu. model cars start putting out 350+HP , I sure hope they plan on updating those sad 245 rear tires, that are stock now.

 

"horsepower cures everything", that's what nissan producers said, i read this somewhere before. don't worry, nissan will achieve this, but more power hurts your wallet more. Skyline GTR is an example of that.

 

I moved up from a 108 hp scion xb to a 287 hp racing machine. To me, a car can never have enough hp or ever be fast enough, but for now and for what I paid, I can't complain. I bought the base, b/c it didnt come with anything I don't need. Aftermarket lsd is better than the stock, The 13 hp b/w the track and base can easily changed, the only thing I wish I had was the rev-up engine, but its really not that big of a difference, and once again, that too can be changed. More than doubling my ho from car to car is plenty enough for now, but I already have mods coming in the mail after a month and a half. I want more, give me more!!!

 

I know I'm beating the horse to death but I have to say it AGAIN, and I agree with everyone who's already mentioned it:

WEIGHT, WEIGHT....WEIGHT!!!

This is one of the funnest cars I've ever owned and if Nissan keeps fattening the Z like it's starting to do, it will kill the car. I don't care how much of a HP boost it gets if it keeps getting fatter.

I'm not asking for a featherweight like an Exige or Lotus but in the neighborhood of 3,000 lbs is reasonable.

Engines break, get replaced, and HP can vary with mods... but nothing is more timeless than an agile and capable sportscar. They always have a purpose and never really go out of style.

 

I went from a highly modded Audi S4 with 430hp and 515lb-ft torque to my ZR with a few basic bolt-on power mods. That staright line acceleration is killer, to be sure, but overall, I enjoy the Z more. I did this for two main reasons:

1. I had wanted a convertible for years, and could finally afford a reasonably nice "toy".

2. The Audi was simply too fast for a public roadway. I don't know how many people have actually driven a car with that kind of power on the street, but you gain speed so fast, and so much faster than most people around you that is is just plain dangerous.

People will always give the argument that one simply needs to learn to drive the car more gently. This is true, but what's the fun in that? Part of the thrill of driving a sports car is not just about what the car is capable of, it is about WHAT THE DRIVER DOES IN THE CAR. In a super-powered vehicle, like many of the FI Z's and alike, the driver has to be so careful with his or her inputs, that part of the fun is gone, in my opinion. I can take my Z, slam it into gear, rev it up, drop the clutch, induce some mild controlled oversteer and be gone, with no issues of losing control or winding up at some insane speed with traffic around me.

The fact is that horsepower is like personal income. The right amount always seems to be just a little more than what you have right now. Now obviously, there a point at which too little is just too little, be it money or horsepower, but the Z is well above that point. If the Z had come out with 400hp to start with, everyone would be saying 420. Heck, even Corvette Z06 owners are out there wanting to mod their cars for more power. Also, remember, one soon gets used to a given power level in a car, no matter what it is. The Z is plenty fast in stock form, and it has looks, handling, reliability, value......the complete package. I have done some mild power mods to my car, but these are really to change the feel of the car more than anything else, which is still part of the pleasure of driving.

 

I agree with what speedracer says here. You don't realize it until you drive a car with that actually turns 10-11's on the street. If the car is smooth you just get there too fast to react in traffic situations. So, how much car do you need for the street? How mile gas mileage do you want to give up for the street.

I have a car that is very fast. It gets about 5mpg on the street. It is fun for summertime cruisin' or going to the track. But, since I don't race on the street I drive the Z around most of the time for better mileage and creature features. You see when you go all out you take it all out. So, weight reduction comes at a price.

 

Performance can be enchanced by either HP or wt reduction. Yes, wt reduction has added benefits (handling etc) but I do think it would be easier/cheaper for Nissan to increase HP rather than decrease wt by 300+ lbs. To reduce that type of weight would take a complete remodel of the existing car. HP can be upgraded without that drastic of a change thus would be able to keep the price lower.

 

The point is that it would cheaper for us, the CONSUMER to add more HP then it is to find ways to make the car lighter to about 2,800 pounds. So that is why we are saying that we would rather have a lighter car to begin with so we can spend the money on adding HP instead of weight reduction. You can only reduce weight so much(while keeping lusxery items) until you can't go any further because you can't touch the chasis.

 

I would like the Z to be lighter. Usually the more hp you add the more expensive the car will be. The Z has always been about being an affordable sports car. The Track Z should have been made the lightest(3000 lbs ) with the most hp.