did anyone else see the motor trend (i think) episode this past weekend on speed TV where they compared 5 sport coupes against each other in a pseudo-survivor type fashion. The show started with a Porsche (cant recall which model, never been a big porsche fan), the Mazda rx-8, Suburu STI, 350Z roadster, and a BMW (again cant recall which series of beemer). Anyway, the show started off with a host, and a collection of drivers who spoke on the comparison of each car in certain categories. after each 5 minute segment a car got "voted off". The first to go was the BMW for several reasons. Well the next segment was a track comparison and believe it or not the next car gone was the 350Z roadster. I was stunned. Specially when the Z is supposed to excel in track conditions. Well I was so pissed I turned the show off, plus I was late for a party cause I wanted to watch this. I am curious if anyone else saw this (it probably wasnt even a first run show). I want to know which car won. If i had to guess it was the porsche cause they were on its "jock" from the get go. I could live with it if the Z came in second to that cause the Porsche costs damn near 3x's as much. But to lose to the RX-8, and the STI, jeez. These drivers seemed to really like the STI.

 

Nissan doesnt pay magazines to test their cars. Notice how much they love mazda, honda, and subaru?

 

lettem have them pizzant toys....around here my Z gets all the attention.....DEEEETROIT....BAYBEEEEEEEE....

 

so far 90% of the days i drive my car i get a thumbs up, a wave, or asked about my car. I was waiting in downtown chicago on a sidestreet and one guy came up and asked how much my car was, cause "It looks like 100,000" I said "thanks, i try to keep her clean." noone looks at an STI and says, wow amazing. They think its a kit car, boy toy. Its damn fast, damn fun, but its looks arent all there. The RX-8 is to small of an interior for me when i sat in one, but having four seats is nice. Thats why we have the G35 i say.

 

I took my Z in the Woodward dream cruise.....all them 60.s muscle junkers...and my Black Z with Chromed g35 wheels and my BOZE pumpin lowd.....i went slow n easy and all the kids were thumbs up and all da old fartz just staring..lololol...never had so much fun in my life....and im 65...lolol....yaya ...when i was 30 i had fun....snort...but in the 60.s i hada 428 cobra jet ford....took it to pamona and ontario NHRA style......them wuz da dayz.....sigh

 

This was the Road & Track Readers' Choice Poll.

STI won, RX-8 2nd, 911 GT-3 3rd, Z Roadster 4th, BMW 5-series 5th.

Nothing more than a popularity contest from R&T's website.

Although, a little surprised the STI won. Wasn't too surprised that the Z Roadster was behind the RX-8, only because the 8 is the latest thing. I think if they had done this poll last year, the Z coupe would have won.

A little unfair that the GT-3 was in this, but their criteria included cars under $100K, and the Porsche came in at $99,900 or something like that.

 

thanks for the info. the only thing that confused me was that they were having opinions of pro drivers and the mags editors reported. then despite that they were using public opinion to vote the cars off. the main reason they gave for why the roadster was voted off so early was that maybe it was too similar in performance to the coupe. what?? isnt that supposed to be a good thing. you get the added asthetics and dont loose performance, and thats supposed to be a bad thing? I think you hit the nail on the head when the RX-8 was just the latest fad. I do feel bad for the porsche, shouldnt even have been in this contest if it was the public's opinion. oh well no biggy. just wanted to see what others here thought.

 

So, let me get this straight...they compared a 911 GT-3 to a ZR?! Nissan didn't produce it to compare. I'll take this as a compliment to our Z's. RZ-8 is a good car & more in line with what they should have been comparing to, but they should be lining it up against a Z coupe & putting them through 'the paces' to see which is better. Glad to see the ZR outlasted the BMW 5 Series, but again totally different type/class of car...it's not fair to us or the 5 Series owners to compare these two. I don't know much about the STI, other than it's a good looking car, so I can't comment on that one.
I'll keep my ZR & keep loving it! Porshe's are like **sholes, everyone has one, and they all stink! IF I had $100K to spend on a car, it wouldn't be a 911, too many of them on the road already.

 

Pardon me... RX-8. Freudian slip!!!

 

I'm pretty sure this entire R&T Readers' Choice was done via webpoll. The R&T writers started out with 32 or so 'new' cars and the readers whittled those down to the top 5. Which were then voted on again.

But, I agree, it's a huge compliment that so many people would compare the ZR to the GT-3. Compliment to any of the other finalists really.

 

funny how in rx-8 forums they had links to speedvision poll it was like VOTE OUR CAR #1 or sum crap... but its ok cause within the past week, either in a mag or tv again i saw them compare strictly the 350z vs rx-8 i think it was tv now that i think... and the 350z won better handling, "sport look" they commented on, and speed.. and didnt use no stupid i-net poll

 

If that was the case I would've like to see where the ranked the NSX...

 

The R&T poll was only for 'new' cars. Cars that were new or had undergone some signifcant changes from the prior MY.

Only reason the Z was eligible was because of the roadster.

STi was new, RX-8 definitely new, GT-3 is new (or returned), and I suppose the 5-series had some change to it.

 

O, i see.....