I had the fortunate duty of delivering a beautiful Brickyard Touring 6 speed last week about 20 miles outside of Seattle when in my rearview mirror appeared a bright yellow S2000 shredding traffic. He slowed and pulled along side. Do you know the feeling when the hair on the back of your neck stands up and you get that surge of adrenaline? I was in the right lane on 520 heading east and he was to my left. I had a car ahead about 100 feet and a lane merging from the right. The lane to the right was clear with an exit about a quarter mile ahead. I was taking the next exit to 405 south anyway. Does anyone want to guess what happened next?

The sun was out, the streets where dry and traffic was light. I had been on the road for a half-hour so it was at full operating temperatures so I had no fear of hurting the car. I droped down a gear as I heard the Honda do the same. The lane to the right was clear so I took it and…. Okay I let him go, it wasn’t my car damn it! Did I mention I was delivering a customer his new 350Z?

I’ve driven a S2000 at the limit and when it’s wound up above 6500 rpm I found it to be capable and certainly wouldn’t what to have to chase it through long set of twisties. I was able to get comfortable with the handling of the Honda’s within a mater of minuets. Please don’t misunderstand me; I am not a Honda fan. I sell Nissan ’s for a living, and I truly love my cars but not having the opportunity to push a 350Z, yet, as I have the other car, and I didn’t say competition on purpose, and I can’t say what the Z will be like when pushed. The S2000, in my book, is a poor comparison to the 350Z because they have nothing in common accept for rear wheel drive. Torque is what sets the two cars apart because torque is what gets you out of the corners and that is what also makes the Z such a driveble car. Even with the crummy weather we have in the northwest I wouldn’t have any reservations driving the new Z accept the VDC makes it tough to get the back to step out and NO I not going to turn it off, the Z’s are much faster with it on!!!

There is a lot more to going fast than mashing your foot down on the go pedal. Here a thought, Instead of racing on the streets, takes your car to the track. At Pacific Raceway, aka Seattle International Raceway, Don Kitch runs the ProFormance Racing School. He has been racing more years than he is willing to admit. Spend the $ 400 bucks on the class instead of the ticket. After completion of the class you are eligible to run on the afternoon lapping practice. His instructors teach you how to push your car without tearing it up. At one time in his racing career the Nissan factory sponsored Don’s racing effort. If anyone is interested in allowing him the opportunity to drive their car around he track for a few laps, Don will write a review for us and give us a guideline on how to get the most from the 350Z. You will go along for the ride of course and I guarantee you’ll learn techniques you can use every day on the street and let me know if you beat my lap time of 1:42.6 in my Kart.

Richard.

 

If you supercharge a car, and add 118hp, but can only get .1 second off the 1/4 mile time... learn to drive.

The S2k's with JUST the vortech kit are running around 12.6-12.8 at best off the top of my head. Some have reinforced diff/driveshafts, and better clutch. But other than that, a decent driver with the vortech will break 12's.

The quickest TC'd S2k's are running 11.9 or so, from what I've heard. And several members of s2ki.com are hitting low low 12's off of 10psi. 12.1 is one I know of offhand.

 

http://www.s2ki.com/forums/showthrea...threadid=95163

That's a great example of what will happen when two smart capable drivers with broken in cars race. The 350Z vs. S2K comes down to driver, and that's the bottom line. As far as on an auto-x course, well this is what happened at the local auto-x when the 350z's and the S2ks went at it:

http://www.s2ki.com/forums/showthrea...threadid=92669

I don't know why you hate hondas stillen350Z. Is it because they last 200,000 miles, or is it because they make sub 2.0liter 4-cylinder engines that easily run with V6s and V8s?

 

yeah, auto X is very driver dependent

 

a stock 350z versus a stock S2000 would be somewhat close but if drivers are equal the 350z should be able to pull on him especially once you get past 60mph, if the s2000 launches correctly, at 60mph the s2000 loses some steam but the 350z still has plenty of strength left in it. I'd bet on the 350z if the driver knows how to drive.

teknics.

 

that's ridiculous, the s2000 loses "steam" after 60mph. I'm sorry but you're dead wrong about that and have obviously never driven an S2000....if anything it's the complete opposite, the s2000 is much weaker 0-60 compared to what it can do from a highway roll. Did you read the link I posted? That race between the S2000 and 350Z was all the way up to 140mph, and the S2000 did not let the 350Z pass. Also note in that story that the Z driver had beaten 2 previous S2000s with ease, and that's because the s2000 is much harder to drive at the limits and is a driver dependent car. The car requires lots of concentration and skill, but this concentration is what I personally feel make cars fun to drive and give them "personality." I'm a gambling man, but given equal drivers I would not have the ***** to bet my money on either car. WAY too close.

 

gastons2k:

Ok perhaps i should give you my background, i work/have worked at both englishtown and atco so I've seen my fair share of rides whether stock or not, and can give an average of what most cars can do. Not only this but my father-in-law happens to own a stock yellow s-2000 that is in mint condition, and yes in fact i have driven it.

Perhaps my word is not enough? Do you care to see the actual figures that, guess what, happen to match up with my experiences seeing.driving them? Alright here they are:

(350z on left, s2000 on right)


0-30 mph, 2 s 2.4 s
0-40 mph, 3.3 s 3.3 s
0-50 mph, 4.3 s 4.2 s
0-60 mph, 5.5 s 6.2 s
0-70 mph, 7.6 s 7.6 s
0-80 mph, 9.2 s 10.1 s
0-90 mph, 11.8 s 12.4 s
0-100 mph, 14.3 s 14.8 s
1/4 mile, 14.3 s 14.6 s
100 ft, 3 s 3.2 s
500 ft, 7.9 s 8.0 s


Now what does this show? It shows the 350z and s2k are equal except for getting between 50mph and 70mph where the 350z takes the crown in this competition.


Perhaps i should've been more clear "going to 60 the s2k will seem to lose steam as compared to the 350z which will continue to pull" is that a better phrasing of the same thing for you?

As for this quote:
"I'm a gambling man, but given equal drivers I would not have the ***** to bet my money on either car"

perhaps you just dont have the ***** to drive properly?

And quite honestly if you're in my area i'll gladly show you a race if you have either of the two cars and will gladly show you an all stock car, mine, destroying yours, not only due to driver ability but due to car abilities as well...only i pad $10,000 for my car and i run in the 13's, how much did you pay and have you ever broken 13's stock?

Now please don't try to make up facts or even experiences, I've seen both cars in stock form multiple times be pushed to the limits, I know what both are capable of doing if they're put in the correct hands. Quite honestly I believed this to be a good race, and it turned out how I expected it to turn out. I simply said given the abilities and weaknesses of each car the 350z, given a capable driver, should be able to walk away from the s2000 slowly but surely.

g'day and i await your response, lol,

teknics.

 

S2000 at 14.6mph? Where did you get that from? car and drivel?

S2000 shines on top end, and has a GREAT 3rd gear. It's weakness is launching, though S2k's have been tested as quick as 5.4 seconds in 0-60 or so.

And if you or your dad drove his S2000 and got a 14.6? lol You need to learn to drive that car the right way.

 

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