For what it is worth, I just got a call from my sales rep who sold me my Z. He said he had a 350Z seminar this morning from one of the Nissan North American reps. Here is what he was told from Nissan:

- Actual HP rating is 305 (advertised at 287 due to insurance reasons)
- 5.2 0-60 MPH
- 155 Max-Limit (no new news)
- 10:1 Power to Weight Ratio

Take it for what it's worth. I can't wait to get the rest of my break-in miles on (500 Miles to go). This car really wants to run.

relldog

 

The Z need more power than what you claim for the power to weight to hit 10:1. I think it's just dealer BS.

 

That is bull sh#t.

 

None of the car magazines that tested the Z got 0-60 in 5.2. So far the best was achieved by C&D, which is 5.4.

So, this guy must be a Used Car salesman by trade.

PS: I give the new car salesman about half notch above the Used car guys in Integrity.

 

I wouldn't discount it as dealer propaganda. If you note from the SCC article where they dynoed a 350z, it put down 244rwhp on 91 octane. A stock 300zx twin turbo here in Dallas on 93 octane put down around 245rwhp.

Also, if you note, in magazine tests, the trap speed is above 100mph. A stock 300zx twin turbo will have similar, if not slightly lower, trap speeds.

Divide the Track model's weight (~3227lbs) by 305hp and you get 10.58:1.

Michael.

 

Maybe the new Z has less drivetrain loss than the Z32? But about the 10:1 power to weight ratio, 10.58 to 1 is alot different than 10:1. The Z would need 322.7hp using your numbers to hit that.

 

As much as it sounds like BS, it is still interesting that those numbers are extremely close to Jay's numbers he heard a long time back.

JD

 

I posted along time ago 300hp but maybe posted as less for insurance purposes....so it seems right to me...but i don't know about the 10:1 or 5.2 deal...Im sure one of us will get 5.2 after a few hard launches.

 

if the 244whp is correct, and the fly wheel speed is correct u are going to experience a 15% loss of power through the drive train.

With the 305hp, it would make the loss 20%......

 

That's good to hear Jay, but I hope these suprises are things we can all add to our own cars. I remember reading in the Sport Z article, I think in one if the side columns, the reviewer answering questions about the Z and he spoke to some higher-up at Nissan and it basically said that the early adopters won't have any woes for getting their car early because all the upgrades planned would also be available to be added to your older car.

 

the 287hp isn't for insurance...it's a gentlemans agreement between japanese carmakers for top hp in a production car. We would hear a lot more noise if Nissan broke that agreement.

 

isn't the gentleman agreement in japan only let you mark the car to 280? that's what they have in japan~yes, 280 horsepowers, 7 hp less than US

 

I've heard some of this before also. I know for a fact the ECU limits your top speed to 155, and if you can re-program it, or override it, you should max MUCH higher. I know that because I've heard that from a bunch of reliable sources, as far as 287, I also heard it was almost 305, but not reliable source. Anyone here willing to get a dyno test done? That would put this issue to rest.

 

I've always read the gentleman's agreement was 280hp, even though everyone knew it was bogus. The Skyline GTR was rated at 280 hp! Even Japanese grandmothers knew it was putting out close to, if not more than, 380-420hp. I heard this years ago, in several car mags so my estimates are based on pretty old data.

My 82 Mustang GT, rated with 157hp was one of the first "performance" cars built after the '70s oil crisis detuned most
of the cars made in the US. My 'Stang should have been rated closer to 170 or 180hp, but insurance companies were still mired in a world view where everyone drove a sensible car with a power to weight ratio of 25:1 or more. My wife and I test drove a 76 or77 Olds Cutlass with a V6 putting out 105hp w/a 3 spd AT weighing about 3300lbs, it had a Buick engine which was shared with Olds. With my wife and I and the salesman aboard, I floored the accelerator and the car took 1/2 a city block to get to 30mph!! I am not exaggerating, some of our older members like me remember how shitty the performance of most cars you could buy in the US were.

I have to laugh at the gentleman's agreement the Japanese have held onto for so long its become a farce. I would not be surprised if the 350 does have more than 287hp. Actually, I was surprised it wasn't officially rated at 280hp. The 1983 Mustang GT was rated at 175hp and probably had closer to 200 hp if the truth were told. This all second hand info from all kinds of sources and I can't vouch for anything other than what I experienced myself but there may have been quite a bit of truth in the "rumors". The Z may be one of the truths. I will say, the first time my wife rode in the Z as a passenger, I rounded a corner at 20mph and jabbed the throttle and we were going 40mph almost before she could catch her breath and yell,"slow down!" I said why? We are only going the speed limit, 40. She said she was so startled by how fast we went 20-40, she thought we were going 60. That was 1/2 throttle.

I can't wait much longer to open it up and I only have 81 miles on it.

Boomer--I know the 300TT ZX had 300hp and the SupraTT had 320hp in the US, but I don't think they were rated that in Japan, anybody know?

 

You are definetly correct, if the car has 305 fwhp then it should have around 259 give or take to the wheels. 244 rwhp is right @ 280 fwhp.

 

I don't understand where the phrase "gentleman's agreement" came into place. If I remember correctly, this is official policy by Japanese government. Manufacturers/owners(???) actually get fined/taxed on vehicles that exceed the set amount. Sort of like the gaz-guzzlers tax here in the states.

 

dont you mean rwhp?

 

The 350Z does have a carbon-fiber composite driveshaft. Wouldn't that decrease the drivetrain loss and possibly be the reason we are seeing similar rwhp numbers as the Z32?

 

Every car has a different drivetrain loss so it's impossible to accurately calucate this.