Okay so I'm flipping through my new issue of Maxim, looking at the Milla Jovovich 'interview', when I flipped to page 142.

There's an ad for the 2005 WRX. Same 227 hp, but the ad goes a little something like this:

0-60 mph in 5.4 seconds -------- faster than:

Porsche Boxster
BMW Z4
Audi TT Quattro
BMW 330i
Nissan 350Z

I am not trying to start a war - but it left me a little befuddled. I know the published specs are around 5.6 for the 350Z and depending on the magazine you subscribe to, you see 5.8 (Road and Track) to 5.3 (Motor Trend).

My question is - should a 227 hp WRX really be faster than our 287 hp 350Z? My buddy just got a WRX and he wants to give it a few goes from the traffic light (not street racing - there are streets here that are 55mph and have traffic lights.. so we'd go 0-60). I thought I would beat him no problem... but now ???!?!

What about top end? We'll kill them on passing on the highway right?

 

we own them 1/4 mile just dont try the sti i made that mistake in glen burnie 2 days ago with my buddies sti and i got owned some people on here say they can take them but they must be excellent drivers cuz i got eaten those things launch like crazy grab and go but as for the wrx u should win.

 

AWD wins all on a launch. he's gonna gain about .3-.4sec on the 60foot. thats gonna give him an early lead and itll take you till about 60 to keep adding speed on him, pass him by and continue on for a sound lead.

just insist on best of 100races. youll be goin strong in the 80s while he asks for a break to replace his clutch.

if you look at 5-60 times, youll find the Z's drops about .5 to 6.0sec. the wrx comes in well over 7sec. even if you look at the STI its like 5.9, the evo was 6.7 if memory serves. without the launch its a very different story.

 

STI is a low 13sec car easy. doesnt take much finnese to launch AWD. you cant really screw up the launch, just your clutch. and aside from its launch lead, it has a HP advantage as well. maybe nullified by its AWD loss. but even so, its a FASSSST car.

 

what about top end? AWD cars tend to lose that...i remember comparing the eclipse GS-T (2wd turbo) vs the GSX
(4wd turbo) and the GST was like 4 seconds faster from 0-100mph

 

Well I have an 03 WRX and love it....And yes it is faster than the 350! It's hard to believe, but it is true. The WRX is faster than a lot of cars out there with more HP. It is by far the best "bang for your buck" you can buy!?!? I personally love to look of the Z, and still want one even with the tire issues! I would be giving up a little performance going to the Z! But damn that Z is sexy!?!? Subaru has come a long way, and they continue to make great machines!

 

all depends how far you are racing. Stop light to stoplight your gonna be even or loose only a bit to the rex

 

turbo cars notoriously always feel faster than they actually are. this is due to the fact of turbo lag from the turbo spool up. whereas a NA car's power delivery is usually a linear line, a turbo car usually shoots up around 3k or so depending on turbo/engine size/etc. so, in a NA car you're not getting the little extra "somethin" around 3k as you are in the turbo which tends to make it feel faster. i really have to doubt a 227hp (@6kRPM) 217 ft./lb (@4kRPM) 3085 lb. 4 door sports sedan is faster than a 287hp (6.2kRPM) 274ft./lb (@4800RPM) 3188 lb. sportscar. Subarus also have a transmission akin to glass. Never a plus. I will admit that turbo cars do feel faster, but just aren't. Anyway, it doesn't matter how fast you go if your car is always in the shop, anyhow.

 

ok? The Z will destroy a WRX from a roll. From a stop it should be even until 60, where the Z WILL walk the WRX hard. I should also add that a Celica GT-S/RSX Type-S can also walk away from a WRX once they hit 60mph+. There's no question the Z is faster.

 

^^^^ What he said...

 

The problem with these ads is that Nissan publishes a 5.9 second 0-60 for the 350Z... a little disappointing for a near 300HP car... Subaru published a 5.8 or so 0-60 until C&D ripped off a 5.4 in their review.. Subaru quickly edited their ads to match this confirmed 5.4.... that being said... my slow *** Subaru rips off a 0-60 in about 7.7 secs... but looks better than a WRX doing it :lol:

 

Sport Compact Car got a 5.8 second 0-60 out of an Enthusiast model and Motor Trend got a 5.3 out of a Track model.

Those WRX really struggle on the top end. Motor Trend trapped at 93.0 to the 350Z Track's 100.9. However the STi posted a 104.6 mph in stock trim. So pick your fights carefully. I would suspect though, that a 350Z with plenum and exhuast would slowly reel in a stock Sti around 130 mph. I believe the coeffeicient of drag becomes an issue with those Subies around those speeds.

 

Test drove a Scooby WRX before I bought my Z. Gotta be honest, I wasn't real impressed, but maybe it gets faster after the engine breaks in.

Speaking of crazy ads, there was a radio ad here in Tallahassee for the Mazda RX-8 that claimed 'the new RX-8, way faster than the Nissan 350Z.' I thought that was pretty funny.

 

When i first bought my Z, Car and Driver timed the Z's 0 to 60 at 5.4 and the quarter mile at 14.1@101 mph.The street start ,5 to 60 mph...5.7 seconds.that was over a year ago they timed the z.to me the only advantage i see with these little 4 bangers is awd in the freeway its all on the driver

 

Mag times are old news . . lol . . .I am have been under 5 seconds moded up on a perfect launch and getting to second ASAP. Confirmed with Gtech and nissan ODB-ii diagnostics. Most of the WRX owners I know will say, I can beat you off the line to XX mph, but wont do it. I know they can do it too, but we both have more respect for their car to try. It aint worth it to break the car trying. On avg my 0-60 was in the low 5 seconds. I cant tell a difference between a 4.98 and a 5.3x so it does not really matter anyway. I could make the car faster but I don’t think my 0-60 will get too much better, as wheel spin is already a big problem. There is something to be said about AWD consistency.

 

It's very simple....a WRX in stock form will beat a 350 to about 70 to 75 miles an hour by about two car lengths.

 

Well said, with even drivers the WRX will always have a lead until 60 or so there is no ands what ifs about it. Some just have never witnessed or seem to grasp the AWD launch advantage.

 

lowest mag time for a z is 5.3 sec 0-60, lowest mag time for a wrx is 5.4 sec 0-60. so it's a driver's race 0-60 only due to awd. from a roll, it shouldn't be close. similarly weighted cars and a 60hp difference.