mattyZ

I'm seriously considering a new Z but I'm trying to formulate a list of competitors so I can compare apples to apples, so far this is what I have come up with:

Boxster S
S2000
G35c

Basically, what I want is a 2 seater or coupe, rear wheel drive, high powered sports car. Who else would you guys add to this list?

ZON

iTrader: (2)

It is also supposed to compete with the Audi TT. Hmmm, I don't know if that is rear whell drive though.

rai

If you are talking about performance the Boxster S is very close but it can run $60K with options. Yikes throw that one out.

Why not talk imports in the $27 to $37 range?

WRX STI/ EVO VII comming soon better performance, but ugly four doors

S2000/Z3 3.0 convertibles fun to drive comparible performance or a little slower

G35 coupe/330ci/audi tt sporty coups close performance but not quite as fast or agressive

There are a handfull of hot hatchbacke/coups in the $17K to $26K range

All in all there is nothing quite like the Z in its price range.

roberto350z

i think that it has to compete with like you said, boxster and s2000. Sorry, the Z may look somewhat similar to an audi tt, but there is no competition unless the tt is modded. The audi 280hp comes in 4-wheel drive. Otherwise its a 180hp FWD. The 0-60 for the faster tt us 6.3. Consequently it also weighs in at approx. 3200lbs.

for real competition, we would have to bring in the O.G.'s like the 300zxtt and the supra. Again, we are talking absoltely stock. Go racing one of these cars without knowing what they have could lead to embarrassment.

Mustang and Camaro would be fun to race provided that the stang is not a cobra. but be prpared for these cars to get spanked at the track.

Any other sports car more expensive than the s2000 and boxster, you are talking corvette, porche 911, ferrari, M3 ..big time Z killers.

to sum up worthy sports car competition:
stang (0-60)
camaro (0-60)
s2000
boxster
BMW M-coupe
300zxtt
Supra

NSANY

Much like Datsun did in 1970, Nissan is carving a new niche with the 350Z. There's really not a lot of direct competition for it in that space. The Z will make short work of TTs and Z3s. The S2000 is close. The Boxster S is ridiculously priced (and anyone who buys one probably also suffers from microphallus).

I think in the next few years, you'll see a LOT more direct competition in the form of a new RX7 and Supra. Of course, by then, Nissan will have released its forced-induction version of the Z (or perhaps figured out how to stuff the 4.5L V8 from the Q into the engine bay.)

silverstone_350z

i am with ya rpgonzalez.

i am not sure why people keep on mentioning the audi tt and the bmw z3/330 ci as competitors. these vehicles will have NO chance against the Z. None, zero, zip, zilch, nada. the Z will smoke them, stock that is.

i drive a BMW 328ci right now, and a monte carlo ss / grand am gtp's are more likely to be my competiton, no where CLOSE to the Z.

i think the true competitors of the Z will be more like the s2000, boxster s, Z28's, SS's, M coupes, supras, etc..

zPilott

iTrader: (3)

I have been driving an SUV for the past few years, so I am pretty interested in test driving a few other cars, so I can get a better feel for how the Z performs. There is little chance that I would buy any of the other cars (certainly none of the convertibles), but it is always good to know your enemy

I would like to get a test drive in some of the following:
S2000
Audi TT Turbo
Boxter S
Mustang Cobra
WRX
MKIV Supra TT
Z32TT
EVO VII

and I have driven some friends' ///M cars (E30, E36, and M Coupe) in preparation.

All of them (and others too) have some similarities, but none of them come even close to the Z as a whole package, IMO.

pointfivezero

The RX8 isn't available until next year and several members have expressed their opinions on it's appearance but it has so many parallels to the Z (price, reputation, performance) I don't think it should be ignored.

pointfivezero

VQ....by reputation, I was referring to its status as a discontinued Japanese performance car with a strong and loyal following. I think the Z, Supra and RX7 share these traits despite concerns about the reliability of the rotary powerplant.

rai

I'm sorry but I mean compitition such as say suzy has $40K limit to buy a car that is fun to drive, good looking, faster than 90% of the regular cars and trucks out there, lots of features, etc...


I did not mean to say that those cars would be competitive on the race track, but I will bet you a dollar that a good percentage of people are considering a 350Z vs 330 ci (baby M3).

Also let's not forget the STI and Evo VII just because they are four door cars.

BrianZ

Porsche 911 & M3 will be main competitor, only the $$$ sets them apart.

Audi TT? Slow, heavy, convertible, expensive.
Porsche Boxster? Slower, convertible, not as good-looking.
S2000? No way: Where's the beef?
WRX? Come on, not EVEN in the same league. Cheap econo-box with a good motor.
330? Sedan: hello?
I35? Ditto.
G35c? When its available.

BrianZ

A Ford? No thanks.

BrianZ

Competition for under $35K? THERE ISN'T ANY!

Zmeflyby

s2k
s2k
s2k
s2k
s2k
s2k
s2k
s2k
s2k
s2k
s2k
s2k
dats bout it

silverstone_350z

i am not sure what you meant by that, rai.

but, as far as performance, comparing a BMW 330ci to a 350Z is like comparing a geo metro to a bmw, absoloutly NO challenge as far as performance. the 350Z will smoke the bmw 330 ci.

350Z:
0-60 in 5.4
1/4 mile in 14.1 (and lets not forget, the worst magazine got these results, i am predicting a 5.0-.2 and 13.6-.8 times when we get results from more mags)

330 ci:
0-60 in 6.1
1/4 mile in 14.7

no match...
(though, i should be supporting bmw since i drive one. but i must be real, just no competition when it comes to performance. now luxury is a different story..

rai

C&D has the 330Ci doing 5.8 and 14.4 sec. On paper we have the Z doing 5.4 and 14.1 sec. Not a lot different there (0.3 sec in the 1/4 mile). But this might be a quick 330 and a slow Z.

Also if you didn't pre-order and dealers want MSRP + $2K or whatever, the 330 Ci is not that much more expencive. I do not think I am putting the Z down by compairing it to one of the best cars on the market (and by saying that one of the best cars of all time). Also I never said the 330 Ci was better than the Z or faster, or handeled better. But it is a sub six second car in the $36-41K range that puts it in some fast company. Also it is not a bad handeling car, and there are some areas where the BMW will be better than the Z such as interior quality I think

As for baby M3 I'm just thinking the 330 Ci is $20 grand less than the M3 and shares a lot of things in common.

Boomer

I don't think there is any true all around competition for the Z, and I don't mean for the money.

The S2000 is a great car the money/performance; can't accomodate big people and will deafen you if you keep at high revs to keep it in its high performance mode;

Porsche Boxster S is a great performing car, the price you pay is unacceptable $56-60,000;

BMW M3 is a great car but you pay $50-55,000 and take any options the dealer has ordered on the car, period;

BMW 330ic is $4-5000 more than the Z and can't match its performance and dealers are scarce and snotty;

Audi TT w/225 hp weighs 3400 lbs and is a quattro all wheel drive and slower by far;

Mustang SVT is a good high performance drive with a chassis designed in the mid '70s and big people don't fit well, not enough seat travel( I owned a 1982 GT with Recaro seats), I tried a SVT, don't fit;

Mercedes are way over-priced and don't have the reliability they once had.

I've looked at them all over the last 5 years since I traded my MR2Turbo.

Thought about a used Supra and 300ZX; decided not to buy used.

I'm sure there are other vehicles out there that ring your bell. Not mine. The other car I decided to buy before the Z came on the scene was an Acura RSX-S. I was simply not willing to shell out big bucks for cars the Z either leaves in the dust or costs $10-15,000 less than.

Besides, I REALLY like the Z's looks and anticipate the same great reliability I've enjoyed with the 3 Maximas. The added power and handling are awesome. I could order an auto trans and still outperform most of the cars on my list 0-60 or in a 1/4 mile. I really don't care about that; I would buy the Z even if it would only match an auto 330ic which goes 0-60 in 7 secs flat(BMW specs on their website). Why? I can afford an M3 or a Boxster or a Mercedes(I plan to keep the Z for 9-10 years); amoritization makes most cheaper choices irrelevant. You keep a car a long time after its paid for, maintain it properly, drive it less than 10,000 miles a year and when the warranty runs out you will still have a great car to modify, if you haven't already.

The Z I could keep for 10 years, most of the other cars I couldn't.

Boomer-- its about the car, not the money.
BR/FR

rai

I want to be able to keep the Z for many years. I have had a lot of other cars, but none that I loved so much to keep forever. I hope the Z is my car, my impossible dream.

I can afford a lot more car than the Z. I can afford the M3 or even the 911. But the Z for some reason excites me more than those cars.

You are so right it's about the car, not the money.

rai

Also as quick as the STI or Evo VII are going to be they are still tarted up economy cars and in ten years they will look out of date, hopefully the Z will be more timeless.

crayons

More like not-afraid-of-the-mud rally cars .