For you roadster owners, I was to how it handles. Since it doesnt have the rear strut bar (I'm sure you roadster owners know that, for those who don't - it's not in the roadster), hows it corner? The stability on turns at higher speeds? Anyone drive a coupe and roadster and can give a good summery of how it feels?

 

<rant>
There is no reason that they couldn't have put the rear strut bar in the roadster. I sure hope that having a removable top is worth the sacrifices that we are making.

I can't seem to get anyone to tell me whether my car is going to come with 18" wheels. Even if it DID come with the 18 inch wheels, it still wouldn't have the TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system). Rigidity is sacrificed in ragtops. (does the additional bracing on the roadster do any good?) Ragtops are heavier, so has less acceleration. We don't get the other standard 2004 features. (motorized nav door, prewiring for sat radio etc.) No brembo brake option. All for more money. On paper it doesn't look good. I just hope my wait and the car is worth it. I could have bought a coupe (hatchback?) months ago exactly like I want it.

My wife wanted me to have a roadster, bless her heart. ( no she isn't going to be driving it. At least not often. ). I have buyers remorse and I haven't even taken posession of it yet.
</rant>

 

The roadster has more torque than the coupe - to take care of the weight proplem.

All mags that have reported on the roadster have stated that it handles just as well as the coupe, that Nissan made the Z to be a roadster and therefore did not sacrifice drive for loss of top.

The only sacrifice is your wallet.

The gain is your love for open air technology and alot more looks.

 

I have read several reviews of the roadster and they all say there is virtually no additional body flex on the roadster due to the extra bracing (and the original design being for a roadster). The gears are tweaked to give a little more torque to offset the extra weight but not by much.

A highly skilled driver on a serious course might see a difference from the weight (body dynamics in turns, total traction budget, etc) but it seems from the reviews that the difference is slight.

Besides, the roadster should have a lower center of gravity with the roof being lighter and the reinforcements being under the floor. Yeah, that's it! It has a lower center of gravity.

 

I read about the roadster having different gear ratio in magazines but looking at the specs on nissannews.com it seems the same.

 

Nissannews.com just did a copy and past from the coupe specs.

Nissan has been the most clueless company I have ever dealt with when it came to specs on the Z Roadster. They still show on the web site that the touring roadster comes with 17" front and back and 18" front and back. - Go Fig.

 

"open air technology"

I like the sound of that!

 

huh? where?

Aluminum-alloy (7-spoke) FR: 17"x7.5" RR: 17"x8"
S
S

Aluminum-alloy (6-spoke) FR: 18"x8.0"
RR: 18"x8"
-
O

says here it's 17 standard 18 option for the touring(2nd line)

 

Sorry I meant nissanusa.com they state the 2 different wheels

 

that's why I go to nissannews.com

 

Automobile Magazine tested the track model last year and the roadster just recently and the roadster actually had a slightly faster 0 to 60 (i have to assume the gear ratio difference is the cause).

 

Call me stupid, but I thought that they replaced the LARGE sway bar in the back of the coupe with one that was "hidden" underneath the car. Kinda like the one under the hood of the coupe.

 

You are right haanz! The strut bar is built in to the body of the Z on the roadster - so there should be no loss of structural rigidity when compared to the coupe.

~KK

 

Also, there is a beefy bar from side to side of the roadster that is used to mount the roll bars. The two little roll bars go down just lower than the headrest on the seat and join a strong cross member there. This seems like it could fill the same purpose as the other cross member to some degree. (that plus the under-body stuff)

AndyB

 

The roadster has more torque than the coupe?Says who?Also the Roadster has the strut bar built into it.You just can't see it like the coupe.Also the G35 Coupe also has a strut brace built into it.As far as 0-60 times are concerned there is no way the Roadster can be faster if the gear ratios,power,torque etc. are the same with the roadster weighing more.It is just a matter of drivers ability.