370Z Sport Package vs Mazdaspeed 3 GT vs S2000 vs Cayman S vs Mazda Rx-8

mook

THE QUEST FOR THE PERFECT CAR.
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WARNING - may be offensive to Z fans, but may be worth a read.

So here it goes for those who care, a review from another racer wanna-be who spent a lot of time researching and test driving in the quest for the perfect car:

After my S2000 got stolen (I miss this car a lot and still think it to be the best all arounder for the money), I was forced to think quick and ended up with 07' Mazdaspeed 3 GT. I was very skeptical because of the front wheel drive, but the car is magically neutral and rotates beautifully. Not to mention the amazing torque and the whistle pop whoosh hiss growl sounds that eggs you on to do something wild all the time.
But the front wheel setup just bothers me because of lack of power play tail happy options, so I have decided to move on. As a result, I went through a few cars lately and thought people would be interested.

The two I actually owned:

07' Mazdaspeed 3 GT - "feels" far faster than any other car of the bunch.
Wheel feel a bit sloppy. But turn in is great and lean is minimal.
Aggressive driving on both straights and corners is encouraged by the car's feel and sounds - wicked smiles a-plenty.
Engine sounds awesome, but the power drops off at the top. Still there is so much torque everywhere in every gear with minimal turbo lag that the whole thing feels like a moderately fast motorcycle.
Brakes feel sloppy and are the worst of the group in terms of pure stomping stopping fun.
Sloppy shifting action is the worst in the group.
Still you forget about all that when you actually drive it - it is that much fun. Relatively light but the weight feels just a tad bit high due to sitting position. Still no affect on stellar handling - just great suspension and probably on of the best rides.
Very fun and feels fastest by far in the group due to plenty torque available almost anywhere. Mazdaspeed outfit delivered a magic pill this time!

S2000 - forget the numbers and listen to this thing at the redline - that's a baby Ferrari. Feels like a soft suspended go-cart due to the lightest weight in the group.
Wheel feel is perfect, but the best was in before 04 models which were much more direct and uncivilized.
Aggressive driving on both straights and corners is encouraged by the car's feel and sounds - wicked smiles a-plenty.
As the speed picks up feels a lot faster than it actually is but can feel a bit sluggish if you are unwilling to rev it up enough, still you always are!
Engine revs very fast and in general just the best in the group in terms of sounds, compression (highest in any production car, same as F1 car), exotic feel and high rev sport motorcycle-like top-end screaming performance.
Breaks are perfect.
The lowest weight of the bunch and it shows. Makes you understand how important the weight is for the fun factor.
Did I mention, I miss this car the most?

The others that I test drove once or more times:

Mazda RX-8
One of the best handling cars in the bunch (and I mean subjective fun factor street feel). The suspension feel is very stiff over bumps but fun wise it is up there with Cayman S (absolute best), S2000 - ( sophisticated, and near perfect but a bit just a bit too soft for my taste which you can mainly feel when you have elevation changes in corners) and Mazdaspeed 3 (I can't believe it's FWD!)
Breaks - one of the best
Composure is Cayman-like like.
Engine .... yawn. Overrated, "who cares", "is this all you got?", "oh that's cute..." stuff.
Driven aggressively it grows on you, but don't lose those revs and don't lose the speed.
Feels slowest of the bunch. S2000 may not be much faster numbers wise but it feels like a rocket in comparison.
Still, I might chose it over 370Z. Well, maybe.... Hold the flames - read on..


370Z - for me was the biggest disappointment of the year. All that hype... and then pfffffffffffft....
Numbers aside, does not feel anywhere as fast as it should be. Since the red line feels like it should be at 6,000 (anything above that makes you feel that you accidentally pushed the self-destruct button), you just don't feel like pushing it. The sound just does not encourage you to rev the living daylights out of it, like in S2000. The engine feels remote and reserved compared to Mazdaspeed 3 swooshing, hissing fire dragon.
It's weird but I did not feel like I want to go fast in this thing.
Handling is respectable but the whole thing feels a little agricultural. You are conscious of the extra weight. The whole thing has the flavor of being a little ponderous and brute forced.
Every other car in the group you can merge with and forget you are driving it, you become part of the machine and start having more and more fun.(Mazdaspeed less so, S2000 the most followed closely by the Cayman). In 370Z you are always conscious of having to drive it. However, I am sure that the Z will grow on you within a year as the engine breaks in and the confidence grows.
Still out of the box, this toy was just the least fun for me, especially jumping into it after getting out of the much livelier Mazdaspeed 3, which is probably the most bang for the buck, FWD aside and having the experience of having owned two S2000 pre and after 04 trim.
Keep in mind that putting go-fast parts into 370Z may not work out because of the whimpy LSD. I believe that the last no BS great sports car Nissan built was 300ZX. Pitty.

08' Cayman S - faster, more practical S2000 for twice the cash that is actually as fast, as it feels. Feels a bit slow in the low end actually, after Mazdaspeed experience. Like S2000 and RX-8 has to be driven quite aggressively to be fully appreciated, although less so since the engine is not exactly weak. Money aside, easily the best car of the bunch overall.
I much prefer the S2000 transmission (Caymans feels a little remote although it has this infaulible perfection feel about it. S2000's gear box is prone to crashing gears once in a while, but it is still more direct and fun if you know how to double clutch and heel-and-toe) and maybe (big maybe actually because I did not spend enough time testing this) the S2000 breaks feel.
Definitely prefer S2000 clutch.
I might also prefer the Mazdaspeed engine (even with no top end and turbo lag). An intercooled and blown S2000 engine with S2000 tranny in a Cayman - now that's perfection!
The handling is just perfect. I did not abuse the car but I felt like I can rotate it any way I want to. Stays so flat and composed - just a wonder.
Weight is not a problem here although much heavier than the s2000.
And hey - with the engine hidden behind the seats there is actually space above it and behind it in the trunk, too - close to 370Z layout.
I confess, I fell in love with Cayman S and will be buying a used one without a doubt!

Bottom line:
if you are tight on cash - I would suggest buying Mazdaspeed 3 GT. Most practical, fastest feeling and going, and one of the most fun. Or consider RX-8 (some great bargains out there, you can pick up a new one for 20k these days at some more desperate dealerships.
) if the FWD just does not do it for you (I considered RX-8 seriously before I drove Cayman S).

if you can spend a bit and don't care about trunk space, I would go for S2000 (if you can get one as they are being discontinued, too expensive to build and priced too low). Most fun value for the money.

if money is available - go for the Cayman S. it's worth every penny.

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How objective is the drivel above? Somewhat. I drive my cars on the street only. I keep it as legal, as I can but am guilty of being less cautious at times.

Skill-wise, by now I taught myself the difference between e-brake tagging, stomping on the go-fast pedal and "proper" drifting. I double clutch (up and down the gears) and heel and toe is second nature to me, I ride crotch rockets and know a few things about using weight transfer.
Still track days are not my thing yet, so numbers don't impress me, as much as the seat of the pants feel and the fun factor.