Top Gear 370Z v. Cayman article

imag · 06-10-2009, 10:50 AM

One thing that none of the bench racing ever addresses - fit and feel.

I sat in, and drove, everything from a Miata to a Z06. The Z fit me the best. I expected I would like the Cayman S, but it just didn't work for me. For one thing, the cockpit didn't feel nearly as expensive as I would have expected - the dials and plastic wheels feel surprisingly Japanese - not a bad thing, but not really awe inspiring either.

The Z06 surprised me because, while it was technically impressive and clearly fast, it just didn't put a grin on my face, the way I thought it would. I drove a 308 once and I just had that grin plastered across my face the whole time, despite the low speed. Too bad about the maintainance ; ).

What surprised me is that I actually liked the old Viper GTS a lot. It's brawny, absurd, and just flat out awesome, even if it is kind of a cobbled-together heap. The massive center column, that unreal motor, the sound with Corsa exhausts... it's like something from another planet, and it's a good planet. However, I don't have a garage, and it just didn't seem to make sense to have a car like that on the street, not to mention trying to daily drive it.

My brother has an NSX, which is an amazing car. I've spend a ton of time in S2000s, and I have a soft spot for them too. But the NSX is another car that just doesn't fit me right - I'm too leggy. And the s2000 would have required a hard top almost all the time in Oakland, which just kind of sucks.

I guess I'm saying that the intangibles matter, as do simple things like the shifter position and steering wheel size/location. The Z is absolutely perfect for me right now - I'm happy with it every time I drive it. I also love the fact that relatively cheap mods will make it even better...

Nice article though...

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06-10-2009, 10:50 AM	#1 (permalink)
imag Enthusiast Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Oakland, CA Posts: 446 Drives: up the wall Rep Power: 18	One thing that none of the bench racing ever addresses - fit and feel. I sat in, and drove, everything from a Miata to a Z06. The Z fit me the best. I expected I would like the Cayman S, but it just didn't work for me. For one thing, the cockpit didn't feel nearly as expensive as I would have expected - the dials and plastic wheels feel surprisingly Japanese - not a bad thing, but not really awe inspiring either. The Z06 surprised me because, while it was technically impressive and clearly fast, it just didn't put a grin on my face, the way I thought it would. I drove a 308 once and I just had that grin plastered across my face the whole time, despite the low speed. Too bad about the maintainance ; ). What surprised me is that I actually liked the old Viper GTS a lot. It's brawny, absurd, and just flat out awesome, even if it is kind of a cobbled-together heap. The massive center column, that unreal motor, the sound with Corsa exhausts... it's like something from another planet, and it's a good planet. However, I don't have a garage, and it just didn't seem to make sense to have a car like that on the street, not to mention trying to daily drive it. My brother has an NSX, which is an amazing car. I've spend a ton of time in S2000s, and I have a soft spot for them too. But the NSX is another car that just doesn't fit me right - I'm too leggy. And the s2000 would have required a hard top almost all the time in Oakland, which just kind of sucks. I guess I'm saying that the intangibles matter, as do simple things like the shifter position and steering wheel size/location. The Z is absolutely perfect for me right now - I'm happy with it every time I drive it. I also love the fact that relatively cheap mods will make it even better... Nice article though...