2009 Motor Trend Best Driver's Car

DannyGT · 08-20-2009, 03:46 PM

Sorry if this has been previously posted...

2009 Motor Trend Best Driver's Car - Best driver's car competition - Motor Trend

MC · 08-20-2009, 03:51 PM

nismo was 7th out of 10

7TH PLACE: 2010 NISSAN NISMO 370Z

Based on objective test numbers, Nissan's most wicked two-seater, the all-new NISMO 370Z, appeared poised to secure a top-five finish in this competition. Peruse its specs-350-horsepower V-6, track-tuned suspension, Yokohama ADVAN tires, lateral grip of 0.93 g, and weight-to-power of 9.6 pounds/horsepower, the last better than that of the Cayman S-and picking it for seventh would seem, well, foolish. Plus, all our editors, not to mention hot-shoe Pobst, loved nearly everything about the NISMO, most notably the handling. What hampered the NISMO? Before we delve into that, let's start with what placed it ahead of three formidable challengers.

Impressive characteristics? The NISMO's brake pedal effort is nicely linear, and it resists pitch and roll. But it pays a price in ride quality. Additionally, our testing found other less-than-average results. One wouldn't expect a car as highly strung as the NISMO to have less-than-average on-center steering sensitivity. There was unusual discord between our objective and subjective experiences with understeer. Around the skidpad, understeer was evident, while the Nissan proved looser-handling at Laguna and around our evaluation course.Per Markus, "Very aggressive chassis tuning; bites into turns with little or no slop, roll, or pitch. You need to get the trail-braking just right, or you're drifting the whole corner." Which got Markus wondering, "Perhaps this package was optimized for drifting?" According to Pobst, that's quite possible. "It had an unusual tendency to get loose," he notes. "The tail would come out during the entry phase of the corner; as I was turning, I could feel the tail starting to move, and then it just stopped and that's as far it went." Unwelcome trait? Not to Pobst's race-stoked neurons. "It's a very happy car. It creates its own drifts. I just turn the wheel into the corner at a good rate of speed, and it rotates on its own and takes a set that's in a little bit of a drift. It was a beautiful thing." Even judged against the more race-car-like mid-engine competitors, the NISMO was unbeatable in one regard. "I found that I could confidently drift this car closer to the edge of the track than any other car I've driven today and just know where it was going to be," claims Pobst.

So what exactly didn't we like? Not a lot really, but enough to warrant a less favorable finish. "Seats are disappointing," says Loh. "Flexy in the upper back and soft enough that you can feel the two headrest rods." He also notes the Z is "exceptionally loud on regular roads; ears feel as though they've been stuffed with cotton wool." Unfortunately for Nissan, the NISMO really epitomizes the evolution of our contest from Best-Handling Car to Best Driver's Car. Had it participated in last year's event, which concentrated entirely on handling dynamics, it undoubtedly would have finished in the top half of the field, what with its aggressive, track-happy setup.

But that was then, when there was little to no focus on nuanced intangibles that can break a great-handling car and make a superb driver's car. For instance, in the upper reaches of an engine's rev range, does it sing sweetly and smoothly, leaving you longing for more, or does it grind coffee beans? When grading a car for its handling, this motor NVH criterion isn't really applicable; for rating best driver's car, however, it's critical. After all, if the car's heart can't get yours pounding, how can it be the best? And here's where the NISMO falters-and falters big. "The tractor-grade engine NVH is enough to knock the Z out of contention for the win," declares St. Antoine. Pobst agrees: "It's a fabulous car, but compared with some of the fine engines that we've driven here today, it was definitely on the school bus side of things." School bus and Best Driver's Car? Mutually exclusive, for sure.

RANDY SAYS: "I had SynchroRev Match on and I was doing my own synchro-rev matching, so I had like a safety net. Very good feature for drivers who don't know how to match revs on downshifts because that's so important, especially in track driving. For any high-speed or slippery-condition driving, it's a good feature.

its scorecard

ZzzZz · 08-20-2009, 04:05 PM

Kind of a disappointing review... thought it would be in the top 4 out of 10.

I was trying to justify its 7th place position being that it was a 40k car compared to cars double its price.

However, seeing the Mazda do so well on it shot that justification down. Never driven the Miata... Does it really drive much better than a 370?

wanta370 · 08-20-2009, 04:29 PM

In a head on collision a 370z will win against mx5....
But seriously, I don't like any of the other cars in the test and the ones I like are more than 2X $$$$$$$$$$.
Personally, I don't see any alternatives.

DannyGT · 08-20-2009, 05:38 PM

Eh, you know the more I kept on reading the more I kinda understood the guy, but yes I do think the Z is more 'overall' compared to some in the tests, at least top 5...I mean look at where they put the ZR1, kinda gives you a good idea of what they were looking for.

JoeD · 08-20-2009, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZzzZz

Never driven the Miata... Does it really drive much better than a 370?

The MX-5 is one of the best driver's cars you can buy. Ever.

However, this list is just like every other publicized "list"...somewhat meaningless and purely for entertainment. The fact that the car which came in 1st lacks a clutch-pedal speaks volumes. It's also completely beyond me how they ranked both the Mustang and CTS above the Corvette.

DannyGT · 08-20-2009, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeD

The MX-5 is one of the best driver's cars you can buy. Ever.

However, this list is just like every other publicized "list"...somewhat meaningless and purely for entertainment. The fact that the car which came in 1st lacks a clutch-pedal speaks volumes. It's also completely beyond me how they ranked both the Mustang and CTS above the Corvette.

Not really...ever since the 2010 PDK cayman was spied people were saying that there was something special about it...

About the clutch? Really, every other aspect the Porsche did amazing in was reason enough to give the paddles a pass. Face it, we're all headed there...I'm sure some will make it more fun than others but the fact is, the F1 style transmission will take over and it does make a car quicker, no doubt.

Overall the list can be tweaked a tiny bit, but he's on the right track to what a real drivers car is all about...

JoeD · 08-20-2009, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DannyGT

Face it, we're all headed there...I'm sure some will make it more fun than others but the fact is, the F1 style transmission will take over and it does make a car quicker, no doubt.

Unfortunately, this is true.

By 2020, all performance cars are going to weigh 4400+ lbs., have 9-speed twin-clutch transmission, computer-controlled throttle/brakes/steering/suspension, computer-controlled tire-pressure, and navigation-based, radar-guided track modes where you load up the DVD of the track you are "racing" on and the car drives itself providing the best possible lap-time. The government will also mandate that no one can actually be in the car while racing, so you can watch all this take place from the safety of the paddock area. But they'll all run sub-7 minute lap-times around Nurburgring.

Oh, yeah...sex will be like the way it was in Demolition Man, too.

Forrest · 08-20-2009, 06:42 PM

The review as others stated was not based purely on performance, they even state that some where.

They based it on what they "enjoyed" the most. Honestly corvette would have been alot higher in my book too but hey this was a subjective review.

08-20-2009, 03:46 PM	#1 (permalink)
DannyGT Track Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Jersey Posts: 919 Drives: 370Z (SOLD) Rep Power: 279	2009 Motor Trend Best Driver's Car Sorry if this has been previously posted... 2009 Motor Trend Best Driver's Car - Best driver's car competition - Motor Trend __________________ Performance GTM Stage 1 SC, GTM Res.Test Pipes, Invidia Gemini Exhaust, GTM HD Oil Cooler Wheels & Suspension AME Tracer TM02's 19x9.5F 19x10.5R w/ 265x35F & 305x30R, Hotchkis Sways, BC (BR) Racing Coilovers (Car Sold)

08-20-2009, 03:51 PM	#2 (permalink)
MC Moderator Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: NC Posts: 3,238 Drives: 2015 GTR NISMO Rep Power: 23	nismo was 7th out of 10 7TH PLACE: 2010 NISSAN NISMO 370Z Based on objective test numbers, Nissan's most wicked two-seater, the all-new NISMO 370Z, appeared poised to secure a top-five finish in this competition. Peruse its specs-350-horsepower V-6, track-tuned suspension, Yokohama ADVAN tires, lateral grip of 0.93 g, and weight-to-power of 9.6 pounds/horsepower, the last better than that of the Cayman S-and picking it for seventh would seem, well, foolish. Plus, all our editors, not to mention hot-shoe Pobst, loved nearly everything about the NISMO, most notably the handling. What hampered the NISMO? Before we delve into that, let's start with what placed it ahead of three formidable challengers. Impressive characteristics? The NISMO's brake pedal effort is nicely linear, and it resists pitch and roll. But it pays a price in ride quality. Additionally, our testing found other less-than-average results. One wouldn't expect a car as highly strung as the NISMO to have less-than-average on-center steering sensitivity. There was unusual discord between our objective and subjective experiences with understeer. Around the skidpad, understeer was evident, while the Nissan proved looser-handling at Laguna and around our evaluation course.Per Markus, "Very aggressive chassis tuning; bites into turns with little or no slop, roll, or pitch. You need to get the trail-braking just right, or you're drifting the whole corner." Which got Markus wondering, "Perhaps this package was optimized for drifting?" According to Pobst, that's quite possible. "It had an unusual tendency to get loose," he notes. "The tail would come out during the entry phase of the corner; as I was turning, I could feel the tail starting to move, and then it just stopped and that's as far it went." Unwelcome trait? Not to Pobst's race-stoked neurons. "It's a very happy car. It creates its own drifts. I just turn the wheel into the corner at a good rate of speed, and it rotates on its own and takes a set that's in a little bit of a drift. It was a beautiful thing." Even judged against the more race-car-like mid-engine competitors, the NISMO was unbeatable in one regard. "I found that I could confidently drift this car closer to the edge of the track than any other car I've driven today and just know where it was going to be," claims Pobst. So what exactly didn't we like? Not a lot really, but enough to warrant a less favorable finish. "Seats are disappointing," says Loh. "Flexy in the upper back and soft enough that you can feel the two headrest rods." He also notes the Z is "exceptionally loud on regular roads; ears feel as though they've been stuffed with cotton wool." Unfortunately for Nissan, the NISMO really epitomizes the evolution of our contest from Best-Handling Car to Best Driver's Car. Had it participated in last year's event, which concentrated entirely on handling dynamics, it undoubtedly would have finished in the top half of the field, what with its aggressive, track-happy setup. But that was then, when there was little to no focus on nuanced intangibles that can break a great-handling car and make a superb driver's car. For instance, in the upper reaches of an engine's rev range, does it sing sweetly and smoothly, leaving you longing for more, or does it grind coffee beans? When grading a car for its handling, this motor NVH criterion isn't really applicable; for rating best driver's car, however, it's critical. After all, if the car's heart can't get yours pounding, how can it be the best? And here's where the NISMO falters-and falters big. "The tractor-grade engine NVH is enough to knock the Z out of contention for the win," declares St. Antoine. Pobst agrees: "It's a fabulous car, but compared with some of the fine engines that we've driven here today, it was definitely on the school bus side of things." School bus and Best Driver's Car? Mutually exclusive, for sure. RANDY SAYS: "I had SynchroRev Match on and I was doing my own synchro-rev matching, so I had like a safety net. Very good feature for drivers who don't know how to match revs on downshifts because that's so important, especially in track driving. For any high-speed or slippery-condition driving, it's a good feature. its scorecard __________________ 2015 GT-R N1SMO "THE ONE" Instagram MCGTRN1SMO Youtube MCGTRNISMO Last edited by MC; 08-20-2009 at 04:10 PM.

08-20-2009, 04:05 PM	#3 (permalink)
ZzzZz Base Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: SoCal Posts: 125 Drives: PG370, MT Rep Power: 16	Kind of a disappointing review... thought it would be in the top 4 out of 10. I was trying to justify its 7th place position being that it was a 40k car compared to cars double its price. However, seeing the Mazda do so well on it shot that justification down. Never driven the Miata... Does it really drive much better than a 370? Last edited by ZzzZz; 08-20-2009 at 04:37 PM.

08-20-2009, 05:38 PM	#5 (permalink)
DannyGT Track Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Jersey Posts: 919 Drives: 370Z (SOLD) Rep Power: 279	Eh, you know the more I kept on reading the more I kinda understood the guy, but yes I do think the Z is more 'overall' compared to some in the tests, at least top 5...I mean look at where they put the ZR1, kinda gives you a good idea of what they were looking for. __________________ Performance GTM Stage 1 SC, GTM Res.Test Pipes, Invidia Gemini Exhaust, GTM HD Oil Cooler Wheels & Suspension AME Tracer TM02's 19x9.5F 19x10.5R w/ 265x35F & 305x30R, Hotchkis Sways, BC (BR) Racing Coilovers (Car Sold)

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08-20-2009, 04:29 PM	#4 (permalink)
wanta370 Base Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: usa Posts: 30 Drives: 325i Rep Power: 15	In a head on collision a 370z will win against mx5.... But seriously, I don't like any of the other cars in the test and the ones I like are more than 2X $$$$$$$$$$. Personally, I don't see any alternatives.

08-20-2009, 06:42 PM	#9 (permalink)
Forrest Track Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: california 707! Posts: 677 Drives: 09 370z Blk 6mt sprt Rep Power: 258	The review as others stated was not based purely on performance, they even state that some where. They based it on what they "enjoyed" the most. Honestly corvette would have been alot higher in my book too but hey this was a subjective review.