Were these stock/without and lightened mods or had they been lightened significantly?

 

Well said

 

+2

 

If the Z was under 3000 lbs, traction would be a big issue.

 

because you cant go around corners at 20-30mph like other 2 seaters.

 

The real reason it weighs more is because across the board, all vehicles weigh more. As standards for safety continue to rise, so does what we need to protect us. Extra bracing, more bars to protect us, etc. causes an increase in weight. Remeber, the Z is made for the masses, not the xx% you can consider enthusiasts (us).

A C6 Corvette weights in at just over 3100 lbs curb weight, so the Z is in the same ballpark. A Lotus Elise, basically a purpose built race car which is much smaller than a Z and uses a lot more lightweight components, weighs just under 2000 lbs, but you pay for it. Like someone said, if Nissan had to build a specific platform just for the Z, it would easily drive up the cost of the car where the base model would cost probably closer to $30k.

 

Everyone? I don't.

Some people are only familiar with 350Z photos. When the see the car up close, they are surprised with the size.

 

I weighed mine earlier in the year at a 1/4 strip... 2005 350z Track model. 1/4tank of gas, no jack/spare/tools, floor mats, trunk mat, one Sparco Torino seat, one OEM cloth seat... and I believe it weighed in at 3223 without me in it.

 

I'm guessing you mean they think it looks big? Yeah, park next to a 300zx and it will dwarf the older Z. I believe the c6 has roughly the same footprint of the 350z, even though the vette "looks" bigger.

 

Yes.

Consider the external dimensions of the Honda S2000: 162.2 x 68.9 x 50.

And the 350Z: 169.4 x 71.5 x 51.9.

Both are considered 2-door sports cars. Considering the size of the 350Z, you might call it a Grand Touring.

 

Back in college I had a friend jokingly say "So you're getting in trouble with that little car of yours?"

We realized my Z was wider,had a bigger motor/ bonnet and was almost just as long as her 3-series sedan.

She then sat inside and was like,

"Oh sh*t, I always thought your car was small, it's pretty big for a two-seater."

The Z is deceptively big.

 

2006 C6 Base Corvette dimensions:

Overall length (inches): 175.6
Overall width (inches): 75.9
Overall height (inches): 49
Wheelbase (inches): 105.7

2006 350z Dimensions:

Length: 169.8 in.
Width: 71.5 in.
Height: 52.5 in.
Wheel Base: 104.3 in.

The Vette is about 6" longer, 4.5" wider, and about 3" shorter. Realisitically, that isn't all that much.

 

And an Elise makes the S2k look huge. Its all relative to what you compare it to.

 

Trust me, you don't want the Z to weigh less. You start to lose certain creature comforts when you lose more weight off the car.

For instance, my car is about 10" longer and about 2" narrower than the Z, but it weighs 2800lbs fully loaded without me in it. Its nice for feeling nimble, but the thing is loud on the inside, the interior rattles, and everything feels cheap. They've already tried to make the Z lighter with aluminum replacing alot of parts in the suspension, the next step would be to start stripping the interior. And really, ~3200lbs isn't bad for a luxury sports car.

 

What are you talking about ???

 

Anything can be lighter. Just my personal choice to try and lighten it. I think the car is a bit heavy for the size really.

 

Ok, dumb comment on my part. But I do get traction issues by not having LSD. I guess having fixes up the car at the track to get out of corners faster. Can't wait to install mine. BTW, are you happy with yours, Kolia, or are you thinking of upgrading the LSD?

 

Here's a link to an article in this month's Tuner Performance Reports. It's about weight reduction on a 350z and the benefits. There's a little more info in the mag.

http://www.tprmag.com/issue/16/light_club.shtml

 

Very cool, thank you for posting that.

 

Yes, an LSD will definitely help to put more power to the ground on corner exit. Depending on the type of unit you have, it will also change the behavior on corner entry.

I don’t plan on upgrading my LSD as of now. It works fairly well and the brake system is there to help it out. I usually spin both rear wheels when I give it too much power. In your case, with a Base model, you should get a good aftermarket LSD. Don’t get an OEM one as it will not be able to react and transmit torque well enough on its own.

The thing with a lighter car is it doesn’t need as much grip to achieve the same acceleration. Overall, as you get lighter, you will gain in performance. Provided the car is still balanced correctly. A slightly heavier but correctly corner weighted car might be the faster one on a road course.