Zakira

Guys, I never said that Nissan was going to sell the lighweight model. I don't know, the article didn't exactly say that (my bad if I sounded that way). But they did suggest that Nissan did it in the past with the first generation Z. They released a lightweight model called Z432 or something afterwards, so that history may repeat itself. All they know right now is that it will show up at the Auto Salon, so we'll see then.

The main reason I wanted to post this was to suggest that further weight reduction IS possible for us to do, and as zland suggested, we can just copy what they do. Because, I don't think most of us will be trading in our Zs for the lightweight model, right?

As for the TT model, the magazine thinks that Nissan is likely to continue with NA for the near future, even though they're looking into TT. Again, my bad if I wasn't clear enuf.

Phatmitzu

iTrader: (34)

Pair of racing seats + stripped out trunk would easily reach that range.

EnthuZiast

iTrader: (4)

Dont mean to take away from the discussion but I noticed someone here had a K&N with a removed silencer. Where is that silencer and how do I remove it? What does it sound like?

350zroadster

iTrader: (1)

It was never an actually law, it was more of an agreement between automakers to prevent making larger and larger engines. If this was in the US, it would be anti-trust violation.

If you check, lots of engines for trucks and luxury/sports car have been over 280hp. It's hard to compete with european and american cars with the limitation.

at least that's the way I understand it, I could be wrong. This can also explain why the R34, LanEvo XIII, Subaru WRX STi blatantly rates more than 280hp but still produced.

azjimbo

The Z will weigh in at 2800lbs,be TT,pump out 350hp and be priced at 30K and guys will still complain.

orhanz33

am i the only one that's unhappy if this turns out to be true?

EnthuZiast

iTrader: (4)

Why durobred?...we can copy the mods and not pay for it come insurance time like they will.

FLY BY Z

The silencer I have removed is in front of the airbox going "through" the metal part of the front of the car. It sort of connects the airbox to the metal frame. Take it out and you will get a little more air (very little) and you will get a cool CAI sound. Since the CAIs out don't do any good I figured this would get the best of both worlds. Sort of like the Mustang guys taking of their silencers or LS1 guys cutting a little piece of plastic out from under the airbox on the F-bodies.

ares

iTrader: (2)

it wont happen, I smell major BS, I see far too many rumors in japanese tuner mags, I dont doubt the story, but I do doubt their sources.

weve been trying to find ways to lighten it, if there were just hundreds of pounds ready to be lost, we'd have found it long ago.

perhaps their talking about that GTJC or whatever nissan advan race car. its lighter with more tuned engine. only 80 grand I believe.

kzshin

I think they will save the VQ35 twin turbo for the upcoming GTR

350zroadster

iTrader: (1)

Saving it for upcoming GT-R? It's going to be announced this month.

Zakira

Well, that's one thing that just kills me. Because from everything I read, it seems that GT-R won't arrive 'till '05 or even '06. In fact, in an interview, Carlos Ghon said that they won't even display it at the Tokyo Motor Show this year (I think that's what kzshin referring to).

But Ares is right. A lot of BS does get printed. But that's why I don't post everything I read. Only the ones that seem credible. Maybe I shouldn't post these at all...

WashUJon

Hold on a second here, guys. The "gentleman's agreement" that 350zroadster refers to as being gone the way of the dodo is still in existence. The reason we see cars HERE with greater horsepower than that agreed to in Japan is because this isn't the Japanese domestic market. The Japanese spec automobiles still abide by the agreement (for instance, the JDM WRX STi still uses the 2.0 boxer 4 with rated power at the agreement standard - but to also leave the car in the WRC range) and I see no reason to think this agreement will change in the near future.

ckny

iTrader: (7)

i remember reading a few different sources saying the upcoming supra and gtr plan to break the "agreement" in japan

D'oh

If this agreement still exists (which I doubt, given the cars that are currently coming out of Japan) how does the Z get away with a 287 HP rating? It is sold in Japan as well, and isn't it rated the same there?

Even if the agreement does exist, we all know of cars that put out far more power than what they are rated. So, if no one is really abiding by the agreement anyway (other than in meaningless HP ratings) then it might as well not exist.

Either way, the agreement has no real bearing on the real world these days. At least that is my perception.


-D'oh!

yobri

iTrader: (2)

No, not at all.

WashUJon

I thought the agreement was for a cap of 286-287 bhp. The difference is the measure in Japan would allow some error when converting to American hp. 287 probably is close enough to 286 when converting, but I don't know the conversion values, so don't quote me on it.

The point I was making was that cars sent to world markets, like the USDM, don't have to abide by that agreement. That's why we get cars like the STi.

I was under the impression that the numbers were typically fudged, anyway. I thought the NSX was breaking the agreement for years and no one really said anything. The Mitsu GTO (3000GT) was making more power than the agreement for years. The Skyline GT-Rs were rated at 286 US hp, I believe, but were actually dynoed higher, I thought. In any case, I figured the agreement was more like a guideline than a rigid cap on power.

Still it seems that most cars still abide (at least by manufacturer's claim) by the agreement.

jreiter

iTrader: (6)

What about with the full size trucks and such they are putting out now, such as the Tundra or Titan? There's simply no way those vehicles could compete in the US market with hp ratings of only 287.

Oops, just looked up the Tundra. Only 240 hp and 315 ft-lbs. (Decent torque, but I didn't know the hp was so low on that engine.) The Nissan Titan has over 300 hp, and 375 ft-lbs!

I really don't know about the power agreement in Japan, or whether it's still in effect or not. Just thought I'd throw out a few numbers.

gooters

I dont have time now...but I read an article a month or two ago in a large auto publication about a lightweight Z being sold to privateers and small racers for use on the GT circuit. It is several hundred pounds lighter and has a significant bit of extra HP...maybe 40-50HP more? Anyway, I do remember that it sells for $150,000 as a cheap way to get a racecar. I will look for links later.

WashUJon

Those are USDM trucks. I bet the ones in the JDM are different...