GT500 vs 370Z

ZKindaGuy · 01-03-2010, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spearfish25

I had a unique opportunity this weekend to drive my friend's new Mustang GT500 around Florida. Having owned my 370 for about 9 months and read quite a bit about the GT500, I was curious how a 540hp hotrod compares to a more refined sports car like the Z. Since I'm sure you guys have probably read about the GT500 as well and perhaps had an owner try to race you, here are some interesting comparisons.

Engine:
Well, the rumble of that V8 is pretty sweet. It's not incredibly loud and is probably on par with a catback and hfc install on our car (in terms of overall loudness). Unfortunately, we'll never replicate that deep rumble. Add the supercharged whine over 4500rpm and it's darn cool to 'get on' this car.

Acceleration:
While the GT500 has incredible power, the weight of the car makes it feel very comparable to the 370Z in terms of butt dyno. There is a more visceral experience with the noise of the V8 though.

Handling:
The car is very responsive to wheel input but doesn't feel connected to the road at all. Despite the low profile 18" tires, I didn't have that sense of the road surface and steering feel of the Z. The size of the car makes it feel cumbersome as well.

Braking:
Those Brembos are nice. Braking is top notch.

Interior 'bits':

Shifter: a very cool pool cue knob and a notchy, extremely short throw shifter. I was amazed at the effort it took to shift gears...you'd think the Z was butter compared to this car. Throws were too short for my liking at maybe 1.5" (unbelievably short). Combining the short throw and force needed to shift, I kept thinking I missed the shift. The throttle response made it very easy to rev match downshifts the traditional way. Clutch 'take' was very much like our car but perhaps even higher off the floor.

Fit and finish:
Pretty darn good. The seats are better than those in the Z. They just fit perfectly and give incredible head, neck and back support. The car is laden with plastic around the dash and center console which reminds you that you're still in a Ford.

Lighting:
I can't believe Nissan didn't do something like this for the Z. You guys tearing apart your cars to change your interior lighting colors would die with envy. All the lighting in the GT500 is customizable (ambient feet, doors, cupholders, and ALL dash lighting). The car's computer lets you change the LED color of all these lit areas and you even have three custom options where you can mix up your own colors. Why a Z doesn't have this is beyond me.

Nav:
Ford put a voice controlled nav in the car which seems to work pretty well. The shining upside is that you can always input a new route using voice commands, but have to stop like every other nav to do it by hand. Gone are the days of pulling over to put your destination in. It couldn't figure out long street or town names, but gives you the ability to verbally spell things which makes up for the shortcoming.

Overall, I like my Z better. We won't be able to compete with the V8 sound, I'd bet our cars are quicker in a straight line unless the GT500 is driven by a very skilled person. In corners, there's no question. Most GT500 owners will be worrying about spinning out while you zip past them given the loads of power, lack of road feel, and beefiness of the car. The GT500 feels large, heavy, and lacks the finesse of the Z.

If you can get a chance to drive one though...go for it

.

If you have a chance to ever test drive a 2007 Shelby GT (not the GT500) give it a try. The handling on it is supurb as the Shelby GT has a completely modified rear-end which the GT500 did not happen to get until this 2010 model year. The Shelby GT is lowered and loaded to keep the rear wheels planted onto the group over bumps, snow or ice.

When I traded mine for the 370Z Tour+Sport I was expecting the 370Z rear-end to handle at least equal to the Shelby GT. I was slightly disappointed to find the Shelby GT holds the road far better. However I suspect that alot has to do with the stock tires for the 370Z Tour+Sport package. The Shelby GT had BF Goodrich KDWS G-Force T/A High Performance tires.

Though I am sure that some folks will disagree with me but the BF Goodrich KDWS G-Force T/A High Performance tires are supiorior in handling and wear and tear compared to the 370's Tour+ Sport stock tires. Trust, having driven both the KDWS are far superior and I will be replacing my stock 370Z T+S tires with KDWS this upcoming summer.

The 2010 Shelby GT500 suspension has been upgraded to the same one that was on the 2007 Shelby GT. It still may not handle nearly as well as the 2007 Shelby GT given the weight and balance differences between the cars.

As for the 370Z being faster in a straight-line over a GT500 due to hookup problems the GT500 would pass you by...don't even kid yourself about that one. With a set of Nitto 315's or larger that GT500 will hook up just fine and he will catch you at the 1/8 mile marker and finish at least a 1/16 of a mile ahead of you.

I know that for a fact because I raced a 2006 350Z with my 2003 Mustang Terminator which was putting down 452 RWHP and 422 ft-lbs RWTQ. I had a hookup problem but I managed to catch up to the 350Z at the 3/4 mark and still finish about 3 car lengths ahead. I have no doubt the GT500 would do the same.

Our 370Z are refined sports cars, not brute force muscle cars...and there is quite a differrence in each when comparing them by way of performance. Keep that in mind and you will not have any reason to doubt the 370Z performance as the class of these cars are worlds apart.