nothix

iTrader: (27)

rofl!!!

oh a quote from the rx8club

andycapp

Not that loop, you haven't! ;-)

Why didn't they run the full course instead of that goofy loop?

andycapp

Interestingly I think the loop they choose hindered cars with higher top-speeds from really pulling away from the competition -- further proff RX-8 owners don't know sh....

Boresi

You might be right. Elise with only 190hp won its class.

Boresi

Thread from EvoM:

http://forums.evolutionm.net/showthread.php?t=225590

Of course, they're blaming the drivers, can't drive AWD, blah blah...

usmanasif

iTrader: (4)

Admittedly, I breezed through the article, but IIRC, the test was on the entire course. They even break down sections of it and list which car was fastest on each.

Art Vandaleigh

iTrader: (16)

Way to go Z! Although you can declare many variables, im still shocked that it pulled a faster time than the MR, that car is a track beast.

ZlleH

iTrader: (7)

Wow, the EVO crowd is pretty imature and borderline conspiracy theorist. At least the Rx-8 forum was a bit more mature.

bfdd

I won't lie I'm suprised the Evo was slower.

Zendem

iTrader: (2)

Well guess what buddy...the Z is also a track beast ...beats the evo by a whole second, this thing whipped the 8 (those guys have big mouths for having such a weak car) and the Mustang GT *yawn*

bfdd

I'd believe it. Don't take me as an Evo owner or Z basher, I'm buying a Z my mind is already set. I just don't see the Track beating the MR.

andycapp

Compare this image to the one in the magazine and you'll see what I'm talking about:

http://www.virclub.com/guide/Facilitymap.jpg

The 'Full Course' actually consists of a ring that uses the outside loop (this is the only one I've driven) and is only 3.27mi. Most of which was used in the test. But there also exists the capability to split the full course into 2 halves and track exists that cuts through the middle in separate lanes so that there then becomes a North and South Course. There are even 2 paddock areas so that 2 clubs could hold track events at the same time -- one on the North and one on the South and they should never worry about each other. Recenlty some extra track was build that would connect the lines inside the Full Course, so that a second, smaller loop could be run while the first one was running. This was called the Patriot Course.

It looks like the test done in this article used most of the full course, but also took a quick jaunt on part of the Patriot Course at the turn labeled 'B*tch' travelled counter-clockwise around the patriot course, and then at turn 11 headed back to the 'Roller Coaster.' This made the run longer in mileage (over 4mi) and by cutting off a significant portion of the 'Back Straight' they seriously limited the top speed of cars in this test.

With professional drivers they only hit 124.3mph on the Z and I can assure you they would go MUCH faster than that on the fulll length Back Straight. I can't tell you for sure how fast they *should* be able to go, but I'm pretty sure I was going at least that fast -- I *may* have hit 130, but I honestly don't know because I didn't want to look down for too long -- and it was my first time ever with my car on a track so I wasn't driving that well.

My *guess* is that if they used the ViR full course, these cars would have pulled ahead by quite a bit:

1) 350Z Track - 3:12.5, 124.3, 0.9
2) Evo MR - 3:13.5, 124, 0.94
5) Mustang GT - 3:20.9, 119.3, 0.88

and these would have been left in the dust:

3) RX-8 - 3:19.0, 116.4, 0.86
4) Cobalt SS - 3:20.6, 117.1, 0.85
6) GTI - 3:25.1, 112.0, 0.82
7) Civic Si - 3:26.5, 111.6, 0.80
8) MX-5 - 3:29.3, 108.6, 0.83

bfdd

FYI I canceled my C&D subscription after they pit the vette against the porsche and the ferrari and it smoked them in everything yet got ranked 3rd because of interior.

andycapp

On the street probably not, but if you can't keep the boost up on an Evo you will struggle. When my friend who (is an excellent driver and) owns an Evo drove my Z he laughed at how nice it was to drive a car with a healthy amount of torque even a lower RPMs....

I would say you cannot go wrong with either car -- there are days I wish I had an MR, but also plenty of days I'm grateful to have a Z.

bfdd

I've been in both, the Evo is faster. My friends dad who used to race for a living when he was younger has driven both and decided on the MR. I on the other hand want the 350z because of the 2door sports car feel, it looks amazing in white, it's fast, and it handles well. I mean I believe both cars to be in competition with each other for sure and the Z is a great car, hell I'm buying one in December( was gona be yesterday but changed my mind last minute ).

xjongsangx80

iTrader: (15)

There is nothing sexy about the Z. It's proportions are totally wrong. Look at those fugly taillights. Can you say, "Pontiac G6?" Well, the Z was around before the G6, but still....What an ugly car.....


SEDAN is a CAR
SEDAN = CAR w/ four door therefor SEDAN is a CAR

thus the term SPORTS SEDAN means SPORTS CAR.!

IMHO

hiz-n-herz

iTrader: (11)

Why is the z that they tested in the "30k" category?

They tested the track version [finally!] but it costs $34k! What's up with that? The track model has larger wheels and tires, better brakes and better tires, but it costs more than $30k.

They should have tested the enthusiast model in that price category to be fair.

But Hey, Nissan's a large advertiser in their mag so I guess they built the rules to let that one slip in.

Same for the EVO. Not sure what the $29k EVO get you versus the $36k model.

Still an excellent showing from the 350z track. Handling must be way better than the EVO since the EVO seriously over-powers the z in the straights. But they shortened the track to keep the straights short so... back to my conspiracy theories...

Zendem

iTrader: (2)

They tested cars that start and are available for a sub 30k price...Z 26 and change for a base and the evo starts at 29 and change i believe.

Seriously though its about time these mag guys finally get to test the right car (the track).with some nice new wider tires to boot

Swiffer

iTrader: (8)

I'm a member of the rx-8 forum, and I find their board to have very mature members compared to most other boards. They seem to understand that their car is not the best thing since evaporated milk and appreciate sports cars as a whole.

Thats one of the reasons why I still frequent there often even though I have a Z. That, and I was interesting in getting an 8 prior to discovering that Nissan has a pretty darn good sports car also

ZlleH

iTrader: (7)

The article mentioned that they sent a request from all the particpating companies to send a car with the companies choice of trim level that was afford for production. Hence why Lotus sent an elise with awsome sticky tires that would last probably only 2,000 miles on the street, but since it was a trim option, it was allowed since that was the rule. And that is why the elise did so well, it had awsome sticky tires. Don't blame Car and driver for what the individual companies sent over, they even mention how they were mistified that the Charger was sent to them with all season tires instead of the sport tires that were an option.

Actually, people who have driven VIR has mention that the track is usually shorter, like 3.4 miles instead of the 4.2 miles track that was tested in this article.