I don't want to start a war, just looking for information.

Other than the weight differential, what other factors would make the Track model faster than the Performance model or the Touring model with a stick?

 

The wider tires should help make the track a little faster. But the big difference betweent the track and the other models is NOT 0-60 but rather 60-0 which on a road course is one of the major ways to go faster.

 

Both models get the same tires.

 

robbyn,

please educate me on how 60-0 is a major way to go faster

 

1. Sorry, my mistake, I'm showing my ignorance here. I thought wider rims meant wider tires. They don't. SO WHY ARE THE TRACK RIMS WIDER?

2. Please educate me on how 60-0 is a major way to go faster. I will, however, stand by this statement. Speed=distance/time. If you can break later, you can keep your car going faster longer which translates into lower lap times, which translates into higher average speed. Of course, brakes have nothing to do with top speed, that's why I limited it to road courses.

 

Robbyn,

The logic is good; however, since the comparison is between the track against the touring or performance models, your 60-0 assumption looks to be based on the track having Brembos.

Back to the road course; you're not stopping, simply slowing down. This could be achieved in different ways, braking being one of them. But if ALL other factors are equal, then yes, the track would be faster.

 

The Brembos can take A LOT more abuse, if you've ever taken a car with non-performance brakes to race track you'll experience a tonne of fade and warpage after a few laps because they heat up so fast.

Thats where the track 350z will be able to brake later and carry more speed out of turns.

 

For what it's worth, Nissan's website says the Track and Performane models get 225 wide tires in the front and 245 wide tires in the back, while all other models get 235 width in the back.

 

On a half inch wider rim you will put down about 12mm more tire on the ground. This is like going up to a 255 tire on the touring MT and Performance models.

 

THX. BTW, I guess my original post was not wrong...just incomplete. Although the track tires are not wider, they are effectively wider by putting 12 mm more tire on the ground which generally would make the track model faster.

 

I don't think the weight difference between models will be significant enough to mean anything.

However, as a few people stated above, the superior brakes on the Track model will make it faster at the track. The Brembos shouldn't fade nearly as quickly as the normal brakes. This means the Brembos will allow you to maintain a higher speed right up to the corners before you get on the brakes hard and slow down quickly before entering the turn. The normal brakes, after they begin to fade, won't be able to stop you as quickly as the Brembos, thus requiring you to reduce your speed further back before the turn. (By letting off the gas sooner, applying the brakes sooner, etc.)

This will ultimately cause your lap times to be worse with the normal brakes.

However, we should probably do a reality check here. I somewhat doubt most of the people buying the 350Z will actually be taking their cars to the track... or at least not on a regular basis... especially since most car insurance isn't valid at the track. That scares me enough to reduce my track time to 3 or 4 times a year. Does anyone know of any sort of temporary insurance you can get for your car while you're at the track? I might be willing to push a bit harder if I had such a thing.

My guess is that most of the driving done in these cars will be street driving. In that case, the Brembos really won't offer you much advantage over the normal brakes. (I'm assuming that the normal brakes will be at least *somewhat* decent, and not some lame cheap things.) Sure, if you go out on a nice twisty back road that you are familiar with, and you know how to drive, you can take advantage of those Brembos. But I'm wondering how many people really are willing to push their cars *that* hard on a twisty back road. (Look out for deer!)

 

In reality your car insurance is still plenty valid on the racetrack. However, it is NOT valid in a competitive event. This means that if you want to attend hot lapping track days you can do it without the fear of your insurance company balking at the claim, but if you plan on racing wheel to wheel or if you plan on doing time trial events you are not covered. Rule of thumb: If there is a trophy or money at the end of the day then you ARE NOT covered. Otherwise a racetrack is no different than any other piece of private property for insurance purposes.

 

jreiter, Great answer.....

Plugging in the WAY BACK machine, I added twin master cylinders with an adjustable balance bar to my GP Spitfire. I could easily out brake most cars. I braked 1-200 yards earlier, meaning max /or accelerating speed LONGER into each corner before needing to apply brakes.

Better brakes equel faster lap times. Over simplifying, more brakes equal better lap times. this is assuming one uses ALL the brakes/tires ability.

Now, for my Z........

First trick pads, then braded steel lines, then cooling ducts from a "defroster vent" funnel. If that still isn't enough, aftermarket BIG brakes.


Slowing DEEP into corners is a whole lot cheaper than adding HP.

No flames intended......just my $.02


Gonna see 153 in my Z

 

I couldn't have said it any better

Except for the latte part

 

LOL, It's real easy to outbrake another car when you brake 1-200 EARLIER than they do!! LOL Don't worry, we know what you meant.

 

the advantage the Track model will have that will make it quicker is weight. the wheels and brakes account for a lower unsprung weight. less mass to turn, making it accellerate faster and stopping quicker because of less weight. all else being equal it has also been found that the car with the lighter wheel outputs more HP/Torque on the dyno.