So here's a little background on why I own two sports cars:
My wife and I decided we could live with just one family-type vehicle, so we got a 4Runner for her and I had the Z. Everything was fine until the job she took requires a couple late nights a week and a few Saturdays every month. She decided that the Z was 'too scary' to drive, and started to encourage me to look for something with a back seat so I could transport our boy home from daycare when needed.

She didn't have to twist my arm very hard, as I love shopping for cars. I knew I wanted something sporty, convertible, and with a back seat. We looked at several different possibilities, but it really looked like a Mustang would be the best fit for our needs.

With the intro out of the way, I'd like to discuss my experience with having been driving both for a few weeks:

I will be mentioning things specific to my cars since they reflect directly to my experience.

When getting in to the 350Z, it feels very small. This is mostly a positive, as it somehow manages to feel like a much smaller and lighter car than the ~3400 lbs. it is (2004 Limited). The interior is certainly cramped, but that doesn't really bother me very much. When I start to drive the Z, the suspension feels super tight, and it really conveys a feeling of confidence in it's ability to handle corners.

To me, the Z is begging to be driven hard. The power and gearing feel very well thought out; you can quickly accelerate in any gear, and the motor moves through the RPMs very quickly. It never has that massive torque feel, but acceleration is still exciting... especially winding out third gear. In my opinion, the best part about the Z's exhaust note can only be appreciated from the outside, or with the windows down in a tunnel-type situation. While there are plenty engine sounds to be heard in the cabin with the windows up, it just sounds like a boomy V6, instead of that unique burble you hear when one passes by.

Speaking of shifting, the Z is very fussy from a cold start, especially notchy when going in 2nd and 5th. Once the transmission is warm, it seems to prefer to be shifted very quickly. The throttle response on this car is excellent. While this car was still under warranty, the 6 CD Changer was replaced 4-5 times, and is out of commission again, as is the factory Bose amp (the 'put pressure on the grey module' fix worked for a while, but it is completely out now).

The suspension is rough, which I feel like is a sacrifice made to have such fantastic road feel. I can appreciate this, but it can really beat you up on rough city roads. The 350Z is the car I would want for track day.

When getting in to my 2008 Mustang GT Premium Convertible, it feels very spacious. I feel like the retro styling works. It reminds me of riding around in my buddies' 69 Skylark back in the '90s. I feel like the entire '60s muscle car' experience was captured well by Ford. The 6 CD changer stereo works, and the speakers have plenty of bass for me, but I find that I rarely have the music turned up much, as I could just listen to that V8 exhaust note all day. The car feels heavy even though there isn't a huge difference in weight between the two, and the suspension is soft.

This car seems to be conveying 'I am awesome at cruising'. The seats are super comfortable, and it is generally very easy going over uneven pavement. There are times where on really rough pavement that you can get some axle hop, which is not very pleasant.

When winding out 2nd or 3rd, it takes longer to move through the revs than the Z, but it feels like the power is never going to stop building. The clutch pedal has this exponential resistance to it; it seems to push out harder the further it is from the floor. This takes some getting used to, but for some reason once you do, it feels unnatural for a clutch pedal not to behave that way. It can be shifted fast, but doesn't seem to mind as much if you shift it slowly versus the Z.

I realize I've probably written more than some will want to read so here is the short: Z is by far the best 'track experience' and the Mustang is very daily driveable.

 

Well written, I do not own a s197 however I was going to buy one two years ago when I got my z. It came down to the s197, the 2011 mustang 5.0, 350 or 370. I drove them all, I work for a ford dealership as a mechanic and I drove around maaaaany mustangs. I was also contemplating the terminator. But the deciding factor is this winding street near where I live. I went around this street hundreds of times in my 300zx and my buddy's hyundai genesis coupe. Every time I took a customers mustang on a test ride, I always felt like I would lose control through those twisties. Working at ford I could have got a brand new 5.0 for 25,000. Or found a 370 with 20-40,000 miles, but when I test drove the hr z I have(13,300 miles for 20K), I raced my buddies 07 gt 4.6 3valve and beat it! I was amazed, the torque is amazing in the gts but getting beat by a 3.5 that weights the same overall is bad, then adding the fact the mustangs do not build confidence in the corner. If I were going across country, I'd take the stang tho. My 07 interior is cheap and still has the rubber plastic coating.... B.S nissan!

 

^^^ 5.0 handle better than 350/370z if you didnt know....Unless you pressed the limits on the car head to head, a feel is just a feel. The 5.0 has a boaty feel but its not going to break lose on you before the Z will

 

5.0s will rip up the track even though it's heavy as hell
my 4.6 S197 still handled great
The top performers at my local mini track are 5.0 s197s, boss 302s

 

I definitely hear what you guys are saying about the Mustang's capability to handle vs. its feel, and from what I've read the 370Z lost some of the road feel that the 350Z has. If the lightning lap times that C&D have are any indication, the Zs and Mustang GTs aren't too far off one another on the track either way. I merely appreciate a car that conveys a feeling of confidence about its ability to go around corners with great road feel vs. a car that doesn't 'feel' like it can do as much as it really can.

A great example of this is a write up one of the car mags did a few years back with an SRT6 Crossfire, 350z, and a Porsche Boxter S. 3 drivers took each car around the track and were asked how they felt like they did in each. Unanimously the Crossfire felt like the worst lap due to having absolutely no road feel while they all felt really good about their lap in the Z & Boxter. It turned out that everyone one of them clocked their fastest lap in the Crossfire.

I can't seem to find the next page button to the article, but here is the first page:
http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-revi...ests/hot-sixes

 

Here is page 2:
http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-revi...-2---hot-sixes

 

hahaha I have that issue of C&D on my desk now...it was a good comparo.

The 5.0 really can pushed way farther than the stock feel presents it self

 

I've got a 2014 Mustang V6 auto and a 2004 350ZR 6 speed. The 350zr is simply a much better handling car even though it's a convertible. The Mustang is much more comfortable and roomy and can be driven like a regular car on speedbumps, potholes, traintracks, etc. Acceleration seems to be about the same between the two. The V6 works really well with the 6 speed auto. I'm not sure which one I like better overall.