Please forgive me if this is a well-trod area:

Are there any kits that actually reduce the coefficient of drag on the 350z? From looking at some of the other posts elsewhere on the site, it appears that the .32(?) drag of the 350 is the limiting factor on the upper end of its speed, as well as a drain on performance at highway+ speeds. Anybody know if any of the kits out there actually improve the drag numbers?

 

I would say the 350z stock is pretty much as good as its going to get. The design of the Z with the rear body being so wide makes it difficult to improve much. The lowest co. drag of a car today is the HONDA Insight. The shape of that car is like a bullet making it the lowest co. of drag vehicle(production) to date. I doubt any kit would improve much where noticable gains would be seen. Top secret's front lip looks decent but overall doubt you will see any gains... I wouldn't really worry about something like this as it wouldn't matter much in street driving, now racing is a different story if that's where your going to use it where every .1 counts. Im sure a cold air intake will make up for that drag...

 

They say the NISMO kit is tested and functional. Whether functional means helpful or harmful I do not know but I would start my search with the NISMO kit and the idea that a raindrop is the most aerodynamic shape.

 

actually the koenigsegg cc is has the lowest coefficient of drag, but idk if u would consider that a production car

 

I guess you didn't read the Honda specs before posting this...

Went to your website read the specs on the Koenigsegg "Aerodynamic drag coeffiency: 0.29 Cd."

Honda insight is at 0.25

Honda Insight

 

according to my "Secrets of the Z Revealed" the Track model is .29 are all the rest are .30 ... so it would seem the factory aero kit on the Track model works.

I don't have numbers, but I'd guess the Nismo kit adds downforce in the front and rear at the expense of overall cd.

 

omg the koenigsegg goes 0-100 in 3.2 seconds!


...!



Blah, kilometers haha!

 

Heres a great link to a video of the koenigsegg CC.

http://www.polarisuk.com/video/auto/Koenigsegg.wmv

 

ok back ontopic, so the best is factory aero kit?

 

The best ones are the kits that were designed to use on the race track or has been tested in the wind tunnel. NISMO, C-WEST, ING, Fabulous,....etc.

 

C-West, Ing, Fabulous tested???

 

NISMO was tested in Wind Tunnel, C-WEST, ING, and FABULOUS were tested on the track in Japan. However, some are better than the others. Most of the kits from C-West were developed with alot of data from race track in Japan, so their kits not only improve aero dynamic functions, but also the cooling abilities. You can check their website to learn more. C-west's N1 bumper is acutally the same one that they used on their race car.

 

didnt know that fabulous was raced

 

C-West, Varis, Top Secret kits are all circuit tested. I'm sure others are too but these are companies that I've seen back their stuff. I have never been given any numbers but I've seen them take a car with the stock body and run it on tsukuba, add the aero parts one-by-one and run the car each times and you could see definative reductions in time. (keep in mind this was a pro driver)

 

Fabulous kit was used by 5-zigen's racing team

 

Smells like BS to me. You can add whatever you want to the car, run in around track and call it circuit tested. Unless they use a wind tunnel, it most probably will be bad aerodynamics/bad downforce combination.

It's time to admit that all kits are made for looks only. To proove it I'll mention the fact that no kit producer (except probably Nismo) offer any real aerodynamic data on their kits. So if you buying those kits for aerodynamics it's like looking for a safe car without checking safety tests ratings

 

You can go to C-West japan's website, and check. They do have test data up there.

2ndly, professional racing team won't just add whatever they want and ran the track. It has to be functional for them to put it on. Remeber, they are there to compete to win. Kit's like C-west, Ing, Varis were used by other teams also.

Most of the kit that aren't test are usually the one that made here in US, like Stillen, Kamanari, Wing West, or kit's that we oftenly see on Hondas.

 

I guess you never been in the business of selling something... If it's heavely sponsored team it'll run any bodykit sponsor tells it to run. After all it can't screw aerodynamics too badly. Good driver can win in any car.

All both racing teams in Grand Am series use Nismo kit. I'm not sure what racing teams you reffering to. Where they compete?

 

cwest, varis, top secret, air walker use thier aero parts gymkhana, jgtc, super taikyu, and time attack

 

Nissans Aero package which is the front chin spoiler and rear spoiler get drag to .30 and additonally the rear underbody diffusers as come standard in the track model reduce drag to .29

I don't think you can expect too much more given the Z's bulging body features.