2012 Nismo #199

AngryBits

How funny, I had a 135i before my Mustang.

Mustang was a 2011 Mustang GT Premium.
135 was a 2010 135 w/ M Package.
The Z is a 2012 Nismo

Of the 3, the mustang was by far the best balance of track and daily driver.
I could get 20+ mpg in town if I drove it super grandma-ish.
Road feel was informative but not back breaking.
Styling was modernized classic muscle but not too flashy.
Interior on the Premium was high quality, good feel, well placed. The sound... oh my the sound of the engine and exhaust is amazing. I obviously loved the mustang.

However, the mustang was kinda big, had a clunky transmission at lower speeds and needed a little suspension work and new wheels to make perfect. Then of course people tend to think the Mustang is a POS even though it's really f'ng awesome.

135 was small, nice and nimble. Styling was kinda weird at some angles but then better at others. Interior was good but not fantastic. Fuel pump was faulty. Turbo lag was minimal but the car computer would dumb down my power all the time and I was having to do a computer reset every couple of days, so annoying. Fake E-LSD and slight turbo lag made the car a little less predictable for me.

Biggest complaint about the Nismo. Visibility is very poor. Very VERY poor.
I have adjusted the mirrors so that I can see everything and I think there are no blindspots but there is no point in looking over your shoulder because theres nothing to see. Clutch feels funny, late engagement and lumpy. The car does not like low speeds. Careful not to scrape that giant front lip. On the bright side, this car is gorgeous from every angle, the interior is great quality, well thought out and styled nicely like a grown up sports car. Inside and out I feel like I'm driving a car that cost me 2x what I paid. I do want to have an upholsterer replace the Nismo cloth with black suede leather and red stitch for that final touch. Power is good but i wish there was more torque and a little more top-end. The car feels like it runs out of breath around 6k? I think with the suspension and brakes and wide tires of this car, it should be able to safely handle another 100hp. All in all, I'm still getting to know the Nismo, but I do love it and despite the quirks, so far I think with a little tweaking I will love it more than the Mustang GTP.

Wow that was long winded...