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Nissan 370Z vs. BMW 135i, Mazda RX-8 R3, and Pontiac Solstice GXP
Nissan 370Z vs. BMW 135i, Mazda RX-8 R3, and Pontiac Solstice GXP
Name your game for $37,000 (or less).
Quote:
Wait a minute, who called this meeting? Who are these guys? We’ve got a couple of four-passenger cars, one of ’em with more than two doors. A couple of two-seaters, one with a targa top. There’s also turbocharging, natural aspiration, and an engine with no pistons at all. Besides prices in the low- to mid-$30,000s, what’s the common thread?
Sport. As in “sports coupes cum sports cars.” Granted, that’s an elastic category, but regardless of their differences, all have a little race car baked in. More than a little, usually. They also share a visual swagger. Some may cease being useful when the occupant count exceeds two, but they’re all loaded with style and bad-boy lovability, plus a touch of luxury. These cars make you good-looking—or at least make you feel that you’re good-looking, which is almost the same thing.
Body styles aside, attitude and agility color all the players in this foursome. To what degree—that’s what we went to Southern California to find out.
The starting point was the Mazda RX-8, the defending champ from the last shootout featuring cars of this type [“Four of a Kind,” June 2007] and the one before that as well [“Rotary Revival,” April 2003.] The world’s only rotary-engined production car also hummed its way to three 10Best Car awards (’04, ’05, and ’06) and fortifies its appeal for 2009 with a new R3 sport package designed to put an even finer edge on its gunfighter reflexes.
The 135i seems at a glance to be the least compatible member of this troupe, a formal coupe with only tenuous claim to the title “sports car.” But it has 300 horsepower under its hood, we haven’t found other suitable showdown opponents, and besides, it’s a BMW.
The two other challengers are easier to categorize. Both wear the sports-car mantle comfortably, as two-seaters that are updates on earlier designs. Nissan’s 370Z represents an extensive makeover: updated chassis, new dimensions, new sheetmetal, and new engine. The Pontiac Solstice GXP has acquired a roof, fulfilling the promise of the coupe concept that debuted seven years ago.
We’d hoped to bring an updated Mustang GT, but Ford wasn’t eager to enter its pony in this derby, so we’ll try to herd one into a later starting gate.
After five days of tire abuse, g-load brownouts, and decreasing apexes, we emerged with these rankings:
2009 Pontiac Solstice GXP
Fourth place: Sports center.
The Solstice roadster was the star of the 2002 Detroit auto show, just as GM’s Bob Lutz intended, but the coupe was actually the favorite of the young designer—Franz von Holzhausen, who has since worked for Mazda and now Tesla—whose sketches led to the production droptop. Meanwhile, the coupe languished in GM design limbo until now, as a Pontiac exclusive (GM says there are no plans for a Saturn version).
The concept was a pure hardtop coupe, but Pontiac hedged its bet with the production version. Reasoning that the body shell didn’t need the stiffening that goes with a solid roof—no argument from us—Pontiac gave the coupe a targa top, providing the option of a little roadster ambience.
The removable roof is plastic with magnesium framing, weighs 31 pounds, and uses the same windshield-header latches as the roadster’s softtop. The drawback is that exercising the fresh-air option means leaving the top behind; there’s no place to stow it onboard. Pontiac addressed this by offering a softtop and support bows to plug the hole in case of perverse weather. But the softtop gear consumes much of the storage space behind the seats—negating a key advantage of the coupe versus the roadster. And getting all that stuff rolled up will challenge even those who can coax toothpaste back into the tube.
Another targa problem: wind noise. The Solstice is quiet enough around town, but its sound-level reading at 70 mph tied the RX-8 for tops in test. As with chronic snoring, you don’t want to score high here.
The coupe’s GXP powertrain is a turbocharged and intercooled, 2.0-liter Ecotec four-cylinder making 260 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, hooked up to a five-speed Aisin manual gearbox. It’s the same setup as in the GXP roadster we tested in October 2006. But it’s augmented for ’09 by a limited-slip rear diff—standard on all Solstice models—and our coupe produced nice upticks in straight-ahead performance: zero to 60 in 5.2 seconds versus 5.6 for our 2006 test car, the quarter-mile in 13.7 at 102 versus 14.2 at 98. Pretty quick.
Still, the Solstice trailed the pace set by the BMW and the Z car, and the robust torque band was diluted by the big steps in the five-speed. Memo to GM powertrain: Send these guys a six-speed. Right away.
The logbook reflected a number of other dissatisfactions. That nifty backlight restricts the driver’s rear view, and rear-quarter sightlines are blind. Controls are straightforward, but interior materials look low rent, the seats scored poorly for comfort and lateral support, and there are still no storage pockets in the center console or doors.
Pontiac touts the Solstice’s monotube Bilstein shocks, but relaxed spring rates allow excessive body motions, compromising transient response. With the stability control shut down, all that pogo action creates disagreements with the diff, which in turn produces some strange handling responses. Disabling the stability control also allows power oversteer at times when the driver isn’t expecting it—exciting, but not exactly fun.
Braking and skidpad performance were at the bottom of the charts, which we attribute mostly to the Goodyear Eagle F1 tires. And the steering’s on-center feel was as vague as a campaign promise.
What’s to love? Comfy spring rates make for the creamiest street ride of this bunch. Interior noise levels are subdued below 60 mph, and midrange throttle response comes on with an addictive surge. Speaking of that, Pontiac offers a $650 dealer-installed Stage II turbo kit (reprogrammed ECU, increased boost) that adds 40 horses, a bargain per pony.
So the real attraction is looking good, and if track days don’t matter, the Solstice makes sense.
2009 Mazda RX-8 R3
Third place: Sports center.
Yes, we’re horsepower freaks, but we also value athletic response. And the RX-8 has long been our poster car in this regard. Mazda’s unique hummer was the slowest sprinter in both of its previous track meets, yet its fancy footwork prevailed on the score cards. Nimble, however, takes you only so far, and the RX-8 enters its seventh year largely unchanged.
Tweaks? Sure. Notably the R3 model ($5495 more than a basic RX-8), which includes a killer 300-watt Bose audio system, Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity, Recaro seats, traction and stability control, a rear wing, rocker-panel extensions, fog lights, xenon headlights, a stiffened front suspension crossmember, higher spring rates, firmer damping via Bilstein shocks, and 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels wearing Bridgestone Potenza RE050A 225/40-19 tires.
It’s the functional elements of that collection that add authority to the RX-8’s sports-car credentials. A little more grip, a little quicker turn-in, a little quicker recovery in transient response. On mountain roads, the RX-8 still holds its own among this more powerful pack, albeit with the driver rowing the six-speed gearbox in search of the cog that will grant maximum thrust.
Thanks to a body shell that verges on race-car rigid—remarkable, considering those rear demi-doors and the absence of B-pillars—plus the location of the engine’s compact mass (low and behind the front axle), the RX-8 has a refined level of balance and grace. The firm embrace of the Recaros and the precision of the electric power steering keep the driver aware of every nuance, creating that rare sense of man-machine partnership that’s the essence of sports-car fun.
The R3 enhancements, however, have provisos. Ride quality, already firm in other RX-8 versions, is firmer still, and there’s porpoising and expansion-joint whacking on patchy stretches of freeway. Plus, a lot of noise comes up through the suspension. Some of us like the turbinesque sounds of the rotary as it spools up and down, but the car can’t be called quiet. Another gripe: The bolstering of the Recaros is welcome on the track but becomes just short of oppressive, for some, on long freeway runs, putting relentless pressure on the hip bones.
The RX-8’s virtues are by now well known. Interior materials are top quality, the rear-hinged half-doors provide easy rear-seat access, and there’s room back there for two adults to travel in reasonable comfort. The combination of the rear door framing and the hefty C-pillars creates rear-quarter blind spots, but forward sightlines are exemplary, and there are no ergonomic mysteries.
Beyond that, the RX-8 still looks snappy with its freshened face and racy add-ons. The price, too, is attractive. But against an opponent that can match its finesse and leave it gasping for breath at the drag strip, the Mazda comes up short. The rotary engine makes the RX-8 unique, but beyond that, its benefits are difficult to perceive. It’s light on torque, short on horsepower, and thirsty when pressed (a dismal 14 mpg in this test). Mazda is reportedly working on a direct-injection rotary that will address these limitations, but that could be a couple of years away. In the meantime, this Mazda icon appears played out.
2009 BMW 135i
Second place: Sports center.
We were surprised by this car’s performance, but we shouldn’t have been. After all, 3-series Bimmers have been C/D favorites for ages, and what is the 1-series if not a downsized 3-series? Shrink a 3-series coupe, employ the same 300-hp, 3.0-liter twin-turbo six and six-speed, and you have a tidy two-door that’s lighter and quicker in every way.
Quick: 4.8 seconds to 60, 13.4 seconds at 105 mph through the quarter-mile, running step for step with the 370Z up to 100 mph. This was a wink slower than the 135i we tested in May 2008, but the distinction is academic. Also worth noting is that the BMW’s torquey turbo six churned up the quickest 5-to-60-mph time, as well as the best passing times despite the second-tallest overall top-gear ratio in the group. It’s a trait that makes the 135i very agreeable around town—leave it in a high gear and treat it like an automatic.
As with all BMWs, this one delivered terrific braking—158 feet from 70 mph, just a foot more than the 370Z and the Mazda. And inducing fade would have required more track time than we had. The steering is also typical BMW: communicative and accurate, and the 135i’s tidy dimensions—8.4 inches shorter than a 3-series, on a four-inch-shorter wheelbase—make it handy in close quarters.
More plaudits: The seats were the best of the group, supportive when the g-loads were coming at odd angles, comfortable for the long haul. Wouldn’t it be great if BMW specified seats for the entire industry? The Bimmer’s ride quality and general comfort also topped our charts, and on the road, its interior noise levels were the lowest.
So what’s holding it back? All hands agreed that the 1-series isn’t as pretty as its big brother. The proportions aren’t as elegant. Once again, there were remarks about the tight driver’s footwell, cramped rear seats, and uptown pricing. The as-tested ticket for this 135i was $5120 less than the one that appeared in our May 2008 issue, but it was the most expensive of the four cars in this comparo.
The real issue is track dynamics. The Bimmer was competent and utterly predictable at Willow Springs but felt distinctly heavier than its rivals, and the suspension compliance that makes it pleasant on the freeway tempers its responses on the track. The 135i (versus the 128i) includes a stiffer suspension and 18-inch wheels with Bridgestone Potenza RE050A tires, and our test car’s only option was a Sport package ($1100) that adds sport seats with bolster adjustment, an M steering wheel, and a higher top speed. But the Z bettered it on the skidpad, and its basic track trait was understeer, from mild to major.
Thanks to its willing turbo motor, the BMW still got around the course in respectable time, but it lacked the zeal of the Z and the RX-8. This is a lovely car to live with as a daily driver, but it also suggests the difference between a sports coupe and a full-blooded sports car.
2009 Nissan 370Z
First place: Sports center.
In our February road test, we called the new Z “possibly the best sports car on the planet” for the money.
As you see, this shootout validated that statement, albeit by a narrow editor subjective preference (Fun to Drive, Gotta Have It) for the Z over the BMW. But the real litmus test was how the Z stacked up against the Mazda RX-8—our two-time champ—in terms of sports-car virtues. The contrast was striking.
The RX-8 is all about finesse. The 370Z is all about power. Both cars are agile, but the RX-8’s agility is that of the tightrope artist; the Z car moves like an NFL strong safety. Its steering, though accurate, is heavier, and its responses, though quick, have a more deliberate feel.
The Z car’s Bridgestones, the same rubber as on the BMW and the RX-8, delivered eyeball-stretching grip—0.98 g on the skidpad, where it hung on like a bat in a wind tunnel. Super Glue adhesion and major-league brakes added up to sports-car braking—157 feet from 70, identical to the RX-8.
Power. Check. The new Z’s 3.7-liter V-6 whomps up 332 horsepower at 7000 rpm and 270 pound-feet of torque at 5200. It lacks the low-rev grunt that makes the BMW quick off the mark, but power is abundant once everything’s spinning over five grand, and the six-speed manual is beautifully matched to the engine’s output traits. It’s a gratifying device to operate, too, particularly with the SynchroRev Match feature, part of the optional Sport package ($3000), which also includes front and rear spoilers, nifty 19-inch forged aluminum wheels, upgraded brakes, and a limited-slip diff.
Our test car was so equipped, and if we were buying a new Z, we’d check that box in a flash. The diff gives the Z bulldog bite exiting corners, and the rev-matching feature delivers unerring downshifts. You can shut it off and heel-and-toe for yourself—the pedals are well placed for this—but we’ll bet you’ll be seduced by this piece of technology in short order. Resistance is futile.
The Z’s logbook noted reservations. The glass in the back hatch, for example, looks vast, but its angle reduces the driver’s rear view to a narrow horizontal cleft, and there are substantial blind spots in the rear quarters. The steering wheel adjusts only for rake, not reach, mystifying in a car so thoughtfully engineered. And even though Nissan has improved the Z’s noise, vibration, and harshness, there’s still tire boom on some surfaces, and the engine still emits a sense of thrash at higher rpm.
But ample power and a serious sports-car skill set trump those concerns. As does aggressive styling that looks even more purposeful than that of the 350Z. Add a gorgeous interior that maintains the fighter-cockpit feel of the 350 but with much better materials. Improved storage, including the addition of a glove box. Seats rivaling the BMW’s for support and comfort.
It’s a package that’s hard to resist, particularly with the lowest base price in this group and an as-tested ticket that includes a gotta-have array of goodies. The best sports car on the planet for the money? Damn right.
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Video: 
Source: Nissan 370Z vs. BMW 135i, Mazda RX-8 R3, and Pontiac Solstice GXP - Coupes/Comparison Test/Reviews/Car and Driver - Car And Driver
Edited by AK
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02-23-2009, 08:40 PM
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