BS.

Basically, you're saying that your car is faster in 5th gear than an M3 in 3rd. For that to be true, you'd have to have twice the HP as the M3, because of gearing.

 

MMMMMMMMMM pOWEr...M3 if i have money i would buy one

 

M3 would smoke a stock Z in acceleration and quarter mile. But on a road course the handling of the Z will come into play. It handles the same as the M3 but it weighs alot less. However the M3 has a higher redline 8100rpm( not sure) compared to the Z's 6600-7000rpm so it can hold gears longer around the track. So on a road course it will depend on the driver... the M3 driver will use that higer redline and the Z driver will use the higher torque.

 

Wow! There are a lot of exclamation points in this post. lol

 

The Track actually has lighter rims, accounting for maybe a 0.2 second advantage to 60mph, but it will still lose off the line to the E46 M3.

 

That’s exactly what I figured.

 

BMW specs rwhp or sometimes bhp, and nissan specs at the crank. So actually, if you want to measure properly on the numbers, you have to say that the Z has 245-250 rwhp. Which creates an even larger difference in hp, all in favor of the M3. Hard to believe and M3 would get beat out on a track by a Z stock to stock. Our stock tires don't hold the road very well either.

 

hahahahaha !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

No I understood what you meant I think we're looking at it from 2 points of view. You're talking about stock vs. stock and anything you do to one, must be done to the other. So in that case, yes the M3 will beat the Z every time. I was coming at it from the idea that you bring the two cars to the same performance level first, then look back and see how you got there. One is the point of view of a Z owner, and the other is the mentality of an M owner. M guy will always be able to say his car was that good stock, and the Z guy will always be able to say his car was that good for less money

I hear you on GT racing, but not all motorsports have the luxury of those ideals. Stock Car racing for example. There's a reason why 5 of the 10 championship chasers this year are all from the same team, and it's not because all the drivers are the most skilled. Nor is it because Roush Racing has the best designers and tuners to get the most out of performance; because in NASCAR creativity is discouraged by wave after wave of cookie cutter uniformity. Despite that, without fail, the teams that end up on top more often than not..are the ones that spend 20 million vs. the 10 million required to even be competitive.

 

m3 is faster than z in terms of drag but z beats m3 on the track. more weight does make a big difference on the track.

 

3 letters: SMG

 

Actually thats the point... the M is a better car...

Weight on the other hand... it has to comform to the BMW buyers (ppl who want luxury and material things not JUST performance) so, like from a performance point of view, some performance is sacrificed... like nice plush leather seats, unnecessary instrumentations, power everything etc. etc.

 

SMG is born to be driven on the track and it makes a hell of a difference!

 

+1, I totally agree, low end-1/4 we will win, those cars make better high end power.. linear power curve.

 

Wow...how many posts will it to sink in for some people that the M3 is the faster, better made car....Its abundantly obvious that we will lose in a highway battle of acceleration stock to stock....On cuircuit track however Ive seen articles where the Z has beaten the M3..So no need to hang our collective heads because the M3 is the better overall car..We hold our own against it in the handling department if not in the power dept...Looks are subjective. I thiink they both look incredible for different reasons..

Ive actually ran one on the highway a few weeks ago...Ive only got 1800mile on my Z and i lost by about 2 carlenghts to about 115-120 to a light blue[almost as nice as my DB color] e46 M3. Most likly it would have been worse for me had we kept going...The Z was starting to sound like it was straning. I thought it would have been worse beating...Might have been driver tho..

I dont understand this car sometimes...It accelerates strongly sometimes and at other times it feels like it doesnt have 287hp even if you are in the powerband. Its like Jekyl and Hyde geez..I never know which is gonna show up when I mash the go pedal. Drive by wire shinanigans???? ...Also I ran an older M3[e36] also and it was pretty much dead even tho he was in front[started first]....

 

I respect your opinion Alberto as I have read a few of your post and believe you know what you are talking about. True, the Z is faster in the 1/4 than the 330I but I am a memeber of the SCCA and go to a lot of club road races and the Nationals. The M3 runs in T-1 with the Vipers, 911s and Vettes. The 330I runs in T-2 with the Z, S2000, RX8, WRX STI etc. All the cars in T-2 are within a second or two on lap times. They have very similar performance and this is a Showroom Stock class.

The fastest time I have ever seen for a stock 350Z in the 1/4 mile was 13.8x. At the same track I have seen a stock 330I run a 14.ox. The Z was a 2003 and the 330I was a 2005. Some Zs may be faster but these experiences are what I based my comments on.

 

So because the M3 runs with Vipers doesnt mean jack...Do you honestly think the M3 even comes close to the Vipers performance? Stock to Stock the M3 has been beaten by the 350z on cuircuit tracks so just because they put the M3 in a higher class in t-1 doesnt mean squat[lol sounds like Im mad but Im not]

I remember a test in one of the mags where they tested the 350Z vs C6 Vette and M3 and some other cars[maybe RX8 cant remember] on Gingerman[?] I believe...The Vette beat the 350Z by about 1 1/2 second a lap which was to be expected. Guess who came in second? The 350z..So if you think the M3 belongs in T1 because of performance you are wrong..I think its the caliber of car it is as in price etc that may have played a part in it being entered in T1...BTW do you know they detuned the Viper excessively in order for the other cars to compete with it..So when you see M3's, reg Vettes etc runing with it or beating it doesnt mean thats what is gonna happen on the street or track...Everything isnt as cut and dry as it seems especially in sanctioned racing....They do things to make the racing competative, which means some cars have to be handicapped whearas others like M3 get to go ***** to the wall with mods...

BTW didnt the 350z win the last T2 race setting the fastest lap ever for a T2 car etc???Would be interesting to compare it to the T1 lap times...Sometimes they are not far off from each other as cuircuit racing is more about handling, carrying speed through a corner, than power...just my newbie 2cents

BTW and EVO would easily beat an M3 on track but there it is in T2...Notice the price range difference in the cars they group into one catagory? Based on performance the M3 should be in T2.

 

I'm not worried about the m3......I'm worried about the new zo6 like all the ferrari guys does. Lolz

 

[QUOTE=SnakeBitten]


BTW didnt the 350z win the last T2 race setting the fastest lap ever for a T2 car etc???

[QUOTE]

Nah the National Champion in T-2 drives a WRX STI and so does the runner up.

I think you are confusing T-2 (which is SCCA club racing)with the Grand AM or the Speed Challenge (both of which are Pro). There is much less equalization of cars in club racing. Anyway, the point of the whole post was whether the Z and compete heads up with the M-3 and the answer is NO it cannot. But I would still rather have my Z.

 

[QUOTE=Rampage][QUOTE=SnakeBitten]


BTW didnt the 350z win the last T2 race setting the fastest lap ever for a T2 car etc???

I stand corrected...I saw that blurb on another website about the Z winning T2 and seting the fast lap...Not sure what racing venue it was at....

BTW I agree with you on the fact that the Z doesnt compete with the M3 over all. Its not in the same class...But performance wise it does compete...It has beaten the M3 on various tracks so no disputing that...later