Going on and on about this is pointless. Its whatever you like. Because almost any make of car can beat anyother car with the right parts and driver. It just comes down to what you like and how deep you wallet is!

You would be dissapointed.

The older M3, a Cayman S, or a 911 996 is going to probably be equal or slower than your car.

My WS6 mauled 996's and squeeked out a win against a Z4M (basically a lighter M3. This was back when they still had the I6 330bhp under the hood).

I ran a 350Z which had dynoed 265whp (full bolt-ons almost), which is a touch less than the 370's and only put about 2 cars on him from 60-120 or so. The 10-15whp advantage the 370 has on that car and more torque would probably put it dead-even with my WS6, depending on the gear. I know it's a total ricer comparison, but I watched a ton of youtube 'vids of the 370Z going up against various cars I have ran and concluded that in MOST cases, my WS6 would have slowly crawled a fender on it or so until I ran out of 4th gear.

Being as my WS6 compared very favorably to a 911 996 even being in the wrong gear (I just wound it out and stomped on him), and edged out the Z4M, I would guess that the Cayman S, E46 M3, and whatnot, I don't think you would gain a darn thing by trading into any of these cars regarding acceleration. You would gain/lose other attributes of course, but if it's speed and handling togather that you are after, get a 02-04 Z06. Bone stock they have run 11's (Albeit with VERY! good drivers, and that is a record), but usually they are mid 12's in the low teens in factory trim. They pull 1G. They are VERY! easy to get cheap power from. They sell in the mid 20's. The late-model Z06's were a perfection of the C5 platform and pretty darn reliable. It's GM's first 2 or so years of a new platform that always seem to bring the ratings down/have issues, except for 1998 in the F-body. Those seem to have been the best ones based on all I have seen posted about owner experiences, etc. My friend ran 12.9@107 stock on stock tires with his. 1.9 60' and he can shift.

Again, sorry for all the ricer-math above.

To sum it up:

For speed and handling and given a 25K budget (about what an E46 in good shape costs, and way less than a cayman S with the newer engine), you are not going to beat an 02-04 C5 Z06. Mod-for-mod, dollar for dollar, you are not going to beat a C5 Z06. I would put myself out there and say that dollar-for-dollar, if you mod, the C5 Z06 is probably the most capable car made. Mods are cheap, and the platform is great. It can do drag, auto X, whatever you ask of it, depending on which way you take the modding process, without being outside of the car's designed forte.

:facepalm:

:bowrofl:

I know, ricer-math fail, on and on, but I was bored.

I bet you've never driven a Cayman S.

Have not. I agree with the next thing you are probably wanting to say, too, it's not all about power. Yes, yes, and yes. The Cayman S is an awesome car, but if the person I quoted is ONLY onsidering it because he is tired of the VQ, I think they would be sad at the lack of acceleration/possible loss of acceleration realized after their trade. The VQ (supposedly) sounds "harsh" at high rpm, but that's about it imo.

Also, the price-range they are looking in is mid 20's, which means one of the older Cayman's. Not the new one.

he drives a G20 with max 117mph but can go faster with a SR20DETT and drift backwards like dorifuto-king.

Yep :tiphat: Good DD if it hadn't been breaking all the time.

Thanks for your longer, comprehensive reply, above. I didn't feel it was "ricer math." I should have emphasized in my original post what my priorities are: agility, handling, supple and planted ride, country/mountain road type driving. All your points were good ones and sounded carefully thought out. Due in part to finances and in part to tastes, if I ever left the Z, it would probably be a downsize to something like an Elise, an MX-5 or an older Boxster. My priorities are definitely on the side of agility and not on drag strip type power. I am an older guy who grew up driving MGs and Austin-Healeys (old British sports cars). Thanks again for your post. Now, if I could have the performance of my Z with the sound of an A-H 100/6 or 3000 Mk. III, that would be just fine...

Jeffrey :tiphat:

If your tastes allow it...

My experiences with the S2000 were good one's, and you won't find a car in that price bracket/segment with more attention to detail regarding the interior. I would get an S2000 before I got an Elise. Service/maintenance, comfort, quality, etc.

*Took one out on a test-drive and knew I wouldn't push the car as all I had driven at that point was my crown-vic and my '95 Trans Am. I was 19. So, had the dealership supply me with a good driver who knew the car (At this point, I worked for Ford. It was late 2004 and our new Mustang had just hit the floor. There was some competition between the dealerships with the S2000 AP2 and the new mustang. Typical testosterone fueled "ours is faster" stuff). He got the back end loose on many occasions and tempted the corners. VERY! agile little car. They are pretty quick, too. Faster than the other cars you mentioned other than the Elise. Raced one in my 5.0 (247whp) and it was about dead-even. They are decently quick little cars, and the interior is just awesome. Typical Honda craftsmanship regarding materials/driving lay-out/quality.

Just my take, but the best little roadster for the money is an S2000. However, I would prefer a 370Z Sport/Touring to that any day, but you seem to want the open-air "roadster" experience, and the S2K delivers that very well, much better than anything you mentioned except the Elise, which is a total 1-trick pony and looks like a toy in person.

With the S2K the clutch and then the rear-end is a weak-point in the factory car, but I know a guy who put down 700+whp on stock internals. The engine is bomb-proof. With stock power the only thing you possibly need to think about doing is upgrading the clutch if you want to drive it aggressively. Honda improved the rear end year-to-year, I belive. Maybe the same with the clutch. WIth any car, buy the newest one possible. I think they stopped making them in 2009 as a 2010YM, or some similar.

Another really nice, detailed and helpful reply. Thanks, Import Convert, I appreciate hearing your thoughts.

if you want a gt get a gt if you want a z get a z if you got a z and now you want a gt get a gt if you have a gt and now you want a z get a z.........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzz

:bowrofl::bowrofl::bowrofl::bowrofl::bowrofl::bowr ofl:

I saw a GT this am. All I remember is the big ares hockey puck of an emblem on the trunk. :D