psypher22

i know that the new 350z has done far more than simply meet the expectations of Z fans everywhere, and helped lift up Nissan's image as a sports car maker in America. But all i see in the coming future is more and more competition for the Z, all of which will exceed the Z's power by leaps and bounds.

The first competitor up to bat is the Neon SRT-4, which many car magazines have compared directly to the 350Z in terms of power output. Now, I know the SRT-4 is "just another neon", but you have to respect the numbers the thing is putting out, straight from the factory. and the cheaper price could serve to deter would-be Z buyers. The second competitor would be the G35 coupe, which is Nissans own product. People arent convinced that a 7 horsepower difference is enough to warrant the purchase of a car with ess-than-lavish interior over a full-blown luxury sports car for only a couple thousand dollars less.

i think a turbo 350Z is not necessary at this very moment in time, but i hope Nissan goes through with making one, because the new Toyota 5000GT(son of the supra) and the new RX7 coming out in the next two years arent going to back down from the Z by any means. what do u guys think?

Daytona Blue Z in Bo

I am not sure how anybody can compare a Z with a Neon SRT in anyway becides 1/4 times.. A Z is a high quality sports car with all the gadgets and chick magnet qualities.. Now, would you rather be cruisin down the beach with a Neon or a 350Z? Speed is cool but your not gonna be driving like a F1 racer 24-7 are you? Sure you can save $7K+ and get yourself a fast NEON and join the rest of the million neons on the street....... Or you can get the Z, have endless miles of troublefree head turning driving.

ares

iTrader: (2)

I have no knowledge of the 5000GT or rx7, do you? please share

as for the coupe, and neon, perhaps you should look beyond the text, the Z includes things that cant be fixed. like a small solid platform, you can turbo any car, but it wont be able to handle the power in stride like the Z.

the Z has a niche, which honestly is only really shared by the S2000(I mean in the middle ground area, very small niche, not all its competiters.) the rest have their strong points, but none mix them all quite like it.

Importlife.com

I think the Neon SRT 4 is a great car. And I am a proud owner of a Daytona Track Z.

Before i say why i love the SRT4, let me 1st comment on the diversity on this board. Because the Z is so great and has an entry price of $27k, we have a very wide age group here.

So you CAN compare the Z to the SRT, because a $27k is the same price range as a $20k car. It may hurt a bit more for a college grad or hard working yougin' to shell out an extra 7k for a base Z, but if he/she is desperate, they will find a way.

The SRT-4 is the fastest car at its price. You can walk out of a Dodge dealership with an SRT 4 and beat a lot of cars in performance. And you cant say no one drives F1 style all the time and that 1/4 mile times is not important here. Because when www.my350z.com first started, and i was here, all the posts were about, "what will be the official HP rating be? or Motortrend beat road and track's 0-60 and 1/4 mile times." So we Z owners def care about performance numbers too. In fact, we are obsessive compulsive about them.

It seems the seniority group on this board seems to deem all cars rice or ugly yet compares their own Z to $70,000 Porsches and beastly V8 amercian cars like the Z06.

The fact is, the SRT4 is a big event in the automibile industry. and what a fun daily driver that could be! imagine a stealthy black SRT4 that you could use without worrying about parking or dents.

heck, if i didnt need a truck to tow my Z to shows, i would look at a Spec-v, SRT4, or Impreza AWD as a daily driver.

The Z is more of a mass consumption sports car. targeting all ages. The SRT-4 is targeting 1st time car buyers and young enthusiasts. But their is definate overlap in the segments.

Everything is relative. Imagine what Ferrari owners must think of a pathetic Z compared to their italian exotics. They probably think of the Z as some of you see the SRT4. a good hobby car or grocery getter. I am just being the devils advocate. and this is just my opinion.

2003z

iTrader: (7)

I like the neon too. Hell, you gotta respect a car that comes from the factory without a muffler!, and the numbers are about dead even with our Zs.

hfm

iTrader: (1)

I agree. It's another WRX. Cheap, lots of guts. Reminds me of my Z, only not so pretty.

Got to give credit where credit is due.

nosuchsol

Yah.. agreed... so far it's just enthusiast-myth... not to say we won't see it, but rumors and pipe dreams are abundant. Links to reliable and accurate sources need apply. =)

Brad4rdHay

The think with Nissan/Infiniti is interesting because Nissan is rebuilding itself and strugling to find an image...so they arn't about to save its best for Infiniti, which is still a smallish company whcih uses competative pricing to nab customers, so we have Nissans and Infinits with similar power, price and features. It is MY beleif that the GTR will be an Infiniti, as it makes much more sense (though it is a classic Nissan car). So those who say that the GRT will be the reason we wont have a TT-Z arn't looking at Nissans current position. Look at the G35-350z. I think Nissan will use the GT-Rs overall engineering, AWD, styling and exclusivity ($55,000 ?) to distinguish it price wise from the more simplistic TT-Z, and Nissan will give it a decent price decent price (base of $37,000 ?) Thats just all my specualtion now...

KIMUTAKU

sorry for being ignorant here...

but how much hp does the neon SRT4 have????

i've heard alot of good things about this car...except for the brand..

Importlife.com

They come with Michelon Pilot Sports! Go figure?!!

2003 Dodge Neon SRT-4
Estimated Price: $19,995
Chassis Code: PLDS41
Engine
Engine Code: A853
Type: Inline four, turbocharged
and intercooled, iron block
and aluminum head
Valvetrain: DOHC, four valves per cylinder
Displacement: 2429cc
Bore & Stroke: 87.5 mm x 101.0 mm
Compression Ratio: 8.1:1
Manufacturer's
Horsepower : 215 hp @ 5400 rpm
Horsepower as
Measured at the Wheels: 223 hp @ 5600 rpm
Manufacturer's
Claimed Torque: 245 lb-ft @ 2000 rpm
Torque as Measured : 250 lb-ft @ 3100 rpm
Redline: 6000 rpm
Drivetrain
Layout: Transverse front-engine,
front-wheel drive
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Gear Ratios
1: 3.647:1
2: 2.045:1
3: 1.367:1
4: 0.947:1
5: 0.756:1
Final drive: 3.526:1
Differential: Open
Exterior dimensions
Curb Weight: 2,870 lbs.
Weight Distribution F/R : 64/36
Overall Length: 175.7 in.
Wheelbase: 105.0 in.
Overall Width: 67.4 in.
Track F/R: 57.6 in./57.7 in.
Height: 56.5 in.
Suspension
Front: MacPherson struts,
anti-roll bar
Rear: Struts with two lateral links
and one trailing link,
anti-roll bar
Brakes
Front: 11.0-in. vented discs,
single-piston sliding caliper
Rear: 10.6-in solid discs,
single-piston sliding caliper
Wheels and Tires
Wheels: 17x6-in. aluminum,
45mm offset
Tires: 205/50ZR-17
Michelin Pilot Sport
Performance
Acceleration
0-30 mph: 2.5 sec.
0-60 mph: 5.8 sec.
30-50 mph: 2.0 sec.
50-70 mph: 3.0 sec.
Quarter Mile : 14.2 sec. @ 99.5 mph
Handling
Lateral Grip (200-ft. skidpad): 0.85g
Slalom (700-ft. six cone): 69.0 mph
Braking
60-0 Stopping Distance: 119 ft.

apex locator

iTrader: (5)

dont forget about the new sti and evo 8

about the rx8, its not a true sports car. if i recall correctly, it has 150 hp, but is very light and revs to 9k or something.

if a 350tt comes out, i'll definitely trade in my track for one, since i dont plan on modding my z now, except for maybe an ecu if that ever comes out.

rouxeny

The Neon is a pretty nice car. Sure, it's a neon, but that's like saying a Cosworth is just a Ford Escort. I would have to think that the Neon is the best "bang for the buck" car out there. Sure, it may not be that pretty, but it really goes

WashUJon

Its still just a cheaply made Neon. Neons are one of the worst cars for reliability and defects out there. A friend of mine once worked on some of the robots at the Neon plant a few years ago and he had some really scary horror stories. You couldn't believe how many defects they let through. In fact, he said that the union guys were joking about it to him.

Fast or not, I'd rather spend more for a higher quality car that will give me less problems, last longer, and have a higher resale value 5 years from now.

I'd get a WRX WAY before the Neon...

Daytona Blue Z in Bo

The Turbo will Turbocharge the Neon's engine and drivetrain problems and it will be smoking heap in no time..

WashUJon

I totally agree. They are really horribly made. I've already heard reviews that say the tranny and shifter are terribly sloppy and don't feel solid at all.

fatZo

Neon is a cheap a$$, ugly POS.
'nough said.

Cintel7

why don't you compare it to a Boxster also, they have about the same performance.

nosuchsol

210/250hp respectively. The auto has less power. =) But the price on the RX8 is very good. I think if they do bring out a more expensive sports car it'll have something to do with rex8 styling.

sschmuve

iTrader: (1)

I've heard a rumor that sounds very possible or the next RX-7. It's supposed to get a version of the new renises engine used in the rx-8. Displacement will be inreased from 1.3L to 1.5L making over 300hp, and of course weighing less then the 4 door rx-8 which weighs less 3000lbs already. The Z will be a slug in comparison, and I agree that Nissan needs a factory turbo option.