Based on the quote below. Note the the RX7 reference. Our cars are also set up with the engine behind the front wheels. So is it offical? Can we refer to the 350z as a mid-engine car? Quote takenfrom:http://home.pon.net/hunnicutt/perfdriv.htm

Neutral handling or "drifting" - This is when all four tires will lose traction at the same time so the car drifts instead of plowing straight ahead (understeer) or spinning (oversteer). This is the ideal situation for the race track. Some cars are easier to set up than others. Car like the mid-engined Porsche Boxster or Toyota MR2 or an RX-7 (front engine, but it's behind the front wheels) are easier to set up for neutral steering as opposed to a Mustang or a FWD car.

 

It's actually called front mid-ship.

Drifting is not when all 4 tires break traction. Drifting is also NOT fast nor is it desireable at a track.

 

umm... its placed behind the front wheels but its still an FR set up...
drifting is not the fastest on the track (on a track its called powersliding) is because the slide ways action takse valuable time rather than going from apex to apex...
unless you have a track by urself or have safe distance between u and other drivers on a track.. its unsafe

 

Yep, front mid-ship RWD...

 

...
its still front heavy...
real mid engine sports cars are usually rear heavy (lotus elise) or very very balanced (ferrari)
but there are better FR cars compared to the Z interms of weight balance..
the M3 = 50% F 50% R
while the Z is 60% F 40% R
the s2000 on the other hand ( very small I4 engine) is 50% F 50% R ...

 

The Z is not 60/40 in weight distribution. According to Nissanmotors.com, the weight ratio is 53% F 47% R for all models, Base Enth Tour Track Grand.

Manual transmission 3,339 3,346 3,400 3,370 3,404
Automatic transmission N/A 3,344 3,380 N/A 3,391
Weight distribution 53/47 53/47 53/47 53/47 53/47
http://www.nissanusa.com/vehicles/Mo...26256|,00.html

 

No. Nissan officially refers to the FM platform as "front midship", and states that the centerline of the engine sits behind the centerline of the front wheels. This stretches the definition of "mid-engined" past its' breaking point. A true mid-engined car (Ferrari, Lotus, etc.) locates the ENTIRE engine within the wheelbase (in this case, behind the front wheels).

Bottom line, this is a little marketing ploy by Nissan. This is not to say that the Z isn't a very fine handling car - it is. It does not, however, have the razor sharp turn-in of a true mid-engined car.

 

when only the rear wheels break loose its a power slide...

alot of race driving is done while all 4 wheels are sliding slightly...

"Drifting" as it is commonly known now is with a more aggressive angle for show...

when trail braking... its baslicly a drift but not slideways...

in short...

 

The Z’s FM (Front Mid-Ship) platform positions the engine behind the front axle, providing an optimized front-to-rear weight balance of 53/47.

http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache...ient=firefox-a

 

Jvanquish.. a neutral drift is when the whole car shifts outward. ever seen evo's track? The rear dosn't drift out and the front doesn't squeel.. the whole car literally slides outward. Its what you'd want..you dont like velocity in the direction u want to do, accerlation from the centriptial accerlation is made into lateral velocity

 

PLUS, from the '03 brochure: "The better the sports car, the quicker the desires of the driver become the actions of the car. Which is why every pound, every ounch of the new Z has been analyzed for one magical result. A 53/47 weight distribution. It's a complex series of calculations that equate to a moment of perfection when it counts the most, in the apex of a turn. During heavy braking, as the driver approaches the apex, additional weight shifts to the front of the Z for improved traction on the front wheels as the driver actually enters the turn. And at the precise moment the driver accelerates out of the apex, that weight distribution shifts rearward and, magically, becomes an approximate 50/50 balance. Which translates to a high-performance driver's favorite word. Stability: less cornering pitch. Better tire contact. Quicker turns. More go."

It's called a front mid-ships platform to describe the car in terms of weight distribution, but it is a front-engined car in terms of construction. The physical location of the engine is what makes it front, mid or rear-engined.

 

thank you.. I hate when the Z is underestimated

 

How could you have that many posts and say the Z is 60/40, I knew the weight distribution before the car even came out, but then again, im a car nut.

 

Guys, you’re mistaking marketing sales pitch for car dynamics here… 50/50 balance is not necessarily a “perfect” setup, whether it a static 50/50 or a dynamic one (like the Z). A rear heavy car is harder to drive but often faster on a race track.

The terminology for mid-engine cars varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. It’s generally accepted that “Mid-Ship” or “Mid-Engine” refers to an engine mounted behind the driver, in front of the rear axle. But, technically an engine mounted just behind the front wheel can be considered a “Mid-Ship” engine. It’s semantics at this point…

 

post *****?

 

Another reason why he's on my 'ignore list'..

 

There was a thread dedicated to telling people why the should place him (jvanquish) on the ignore list.

 

Maybe a real gearhead can answer this (as I'm not one my anymeans) but it was always my understanding that in a front heavy car (like 60/40), you would actually get a more equal weight transfer while accelerating a bit. Also you would get better handling entering corners (more weight on the front wheels you wouldn't need to brake as much) and better speed out of corners (weight transfering toward the back during acceleration). Of course your driving style, tires and suspension set up as well has probably just a much to do with handling characteristics as static weight distribution as well.

Plus is this with a full tank of gas? 20 gallons of gas adds a significant amount of weight to the back.

IMHO - whatever the definition of drifting, it is certainly not going to win you any time trials. Anytime the tires loose grip mean you aren't putting 100% of your available power down to the ground, so you can't be going faster than someone with a perfect line (though it's possible you could be just as fast). It sure looks cool tho