2009 Nissan 370Z: Open Thread

I'd like to see it head-to-head on the track against the Camaro.

Can you tell us more about how you handle the clutch when using the syncro rev match function? Do you still have to ease it out, do you let off of it quickly, can you just dump it with no issues because of the rev matching?

YES Jaeger1!

head to head vs the camaro!!!

objective and subjectively

+ 1 jaeger

I realize that they are different cars with different missions, but a comparison wouldn't be too much of a stretch. They both offer affordable performance, and they are both a bit flawed. The Mustang was compared with the Z and beaten, and the Mustang also lost to the Camaro. The logical progression then is Z vs Camaro.

^and throw the Audi S5 in there with the Camaro comparo

If you had to drive the same car everyday would you rather drive this or the Prius. Bumpy ride, but good handling and performance vs. slow, good gas mileage, a back seat, and a "luxurious" ride. Using the term luxurious VERY loosely it is no LS460 or even Jaguar XFR.

Can we get a audio/video recording of the Exhaust Note and compare it to other sport coupes/roadsters like the Camaro, 135i, Miata, etc.?

Long time reader, first post!

Three weeks ago, I test drove a manual transmission 370z w/o Sport Package. See, I'm in the market for a new car and, until the test drive, I had been considering the 370z.

The car was pure fuel for the soul. It was like a natural extension of my body. It was fast and powerful in all the right ways and turned, as the saying goes, on a dime. Yet, the ride was surprisingly supple and compliant. The interior was much more sumptuous than I expected for a sports car. Heel-and-toe was simple: perfect pedal placement. The car's exterior, IMHO, drips sex.

But. . .

I can only afford one car, and so my vehicle must be daily driver capable. The 370z is not such a car:
- On the test drive, I drove to my home and parked in the driveway. When backing out, I *could not* see the street. I had to take it on faith that there were no cars approaching or no children in the street. Yikes!
- I took the car above 5K RPM once—on a freeway onramp. As many of you longtime readers know, the result was not pretty. It sounded like a tractor, no joke. This by itself, however, is not enough reason to pass on the car.
- Driving the car on the freeway exposed a whole new side of the car that, had I only test driven city streets, I wouldn't have noticed. Wow it is loud in the cabin! Tire roar is, well, the main sound. The thwump, thwump, thwump from hitting the Botts Dots could be headache inducing. I had to raise my voice to talk with my wife while we were on the freeway, not because I was mad at her, but just so I could be heard. Not daily driver material. No way, no how.

That was my 370z experience.

BTW, for those of you wondering, I have ordered a 2010 WRX Hatchback and am awaiting its arrival at the local Subaru dealership.

I would like to see the 370Z compared against the 2011 Mustang with the 3.7L V6 and the Camero V6. I've driven a manual 370Z Touring and I like everything about it. The quality is alot better it's easier to drive than the 350Z. The syncro rev match is great for some1 who doesn't know how to heel-toe. What I hated was rear visibility and I actually prefer the sound of the 350Z over the 370Z. The 370Z sounds like a V6 Mustang with a flowmaster exhaust otherwise it's a great vehicle and I would consider it if I were on the market for sports coupe

+1 on an audio / video recording of the exhaust note.

+1 crowb... plus, how fast does it rev match? does it make shifting that much faster, and does it sort of feel like it's cheating? if so, is it so sweet that you just don't care? what happens when you're cruising at say 65 in 6th, then move to 4th but quickly decide you want 3rd (without letting clutch out) ... will it continue matching? what happens if you try a 75mph 6th->2nd (assuming 75mph is far and away beyond the reach of 2nd)?

I imagine the 370z will eat the Camaro for breakfast on a track No one has been impressed with Camaro handling. The handling advantage of the Z coupled with the weight advantage will likely more than make up the power differential.

To answer all of these rev-matching questions:

1) If you move from 6th to 4th and then decide to go to 3rd, the rev-matching will blip to the appropriate rpm and if you move around it will keep shifting the rpms to match

2) As for moving to 2nd when the it will overrev the engine, from my experience it just won't rev-match at all - does anyone else have experience with this?

3) When you downshift, you don't have to baby the clutch, you can just dump it quick and punch the throttle or keep braking

I'd love to see a comparo between the Z, Camero, and Mustang: IL Git-R-Done!!