370z vs 335i Coupe

BLM

So then a sports car needs to be less than 3000 lbs? A sport base Z weights 40 pounds more than a Porsche gt2. Miata's, elise's, and s2k's are nice and light and that makes them easier to drive and handle better. I think it's philosophical semantics.

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K&N // GTM // BERK

Red__Zed

If you're going to call it a pure sports car, I expect 10lbs/horse, and no unnecessary things like AC.

BLM

Ok then. So every Porsche except a GT3RS is not a pure sports car. Got it...

I think youre confusing a pure sports car with a track prepped race car. Anyone who seriously races a car will remove the AC, power steering, ABS, etc. But you can do that to any race prepped track car and call it race ready. Doesn't make it a sports car.

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K&N // GTM // BERK

Red__Zed

Nope. A sports car can still have things like a full interior.


You can keep believing your nissan is a purebred sports car if you want. The S2000 came a whole lot closer to being a real sports car than this Z ever will, and I still wouldn't call it a pure sports car.

Push370zzz

And the guy with a budget sport coupe is? A sports car it is, but a "pure sports car" it is not. A GT3/GT2 and/or the RS variants, F430, 458 Italia, Viper ACR-X, GT-R, etc... would be a pure sports car in my opinion. What do these all have in common? They aren't $29,000.

The Z can't even last on a race track more than a few laps without putting on an oil cooler and upgraded brake pads! Even my pathetic little girly 1 series lasted for a good 25 minutes on the track with stock everything...and an extra 80 hp meaning additional heat everywhere.

So you tell me, does a "purebred sports car in every sense of the word" not come with adequate cooling and stopping components from the factory? Or does that just mean that Nissan doesn't believe it is, either?

That being said, I still love the 370z. It is a great package for the money, and I'd say the best thing under Cayman S prices if you're looking for an attractive, quick, and reasonably comfortable sports car.

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Range Rover Sport Supercharged
Nissan 370z Touring + Sport

BLM

I'm not going to argue with you man. If you think price is what determines a pure sports car that's fine. Anyone taking any car on a track that doesn't come standard with drilled/slotted rotors is still going to upgrade the lines, fluids, and cooling system. And even still, with pads, stainless lines, and an oil cooler, you're tacking a grand total of $1000 onto the price of the car. Why didn't Nissan add an OEM oil cooler to the Z? I really don't know. All I do know is that I bought my car from the largest volume Nissan dealer in PA and even they had trouble locating a hard-top, manual model for me. Why? Because they were getting flooded with people (lots of women) looking for automatic convertible models, and that's what the factory was pumping out. I have yet to see a female in a 370Z, but that's what they were telling me. So if you're never pushing the car and just using it as a cheap roadster, you can get away without an oil cooler. Why the Nismo didn't have one, that I can't explain at all. It should have at least been available as a dealer option.

I do agree that all the cars you mentioned are pure sports cars. But I also think this has taken such a ridiculous turn in terms of semantics. The 370Z is a sports car. The Lotus elise is certainly more "pure" in the sense that it is stripped down and has no real interior. So is the GT2/GT3/RS models.

Oh and Red Zed...you say the s2k is more of a pure sports car? Why would anyone build a "sports car" with the only model being a convertible. You're automatically weaking the chassis by doing that, and if you choose to add chassis re-inforcement under the car, you're adding weight. So, just because the s2k is small, light, and makes 120 hp/liter, I would contest that the fact it is only offered as a convertible kind of kills it as a pure sports car.

Cars like the Porsche 918 and Audi R8 spyder's have extra chassis re-inforcement but it adds weight. They can obviously make up for the power:weight ratio by offering well over 500 bhp. And if a pure sports car belongs on a track, why then would it be a convertible (more drag, less chassis rigidity, less safety). Of course adding a roll cage makes this a moot point, but last time I checked the s2k doesn't come with a cage as a factory option. And the aforementioned supercar sypders were actually designed in wind tunnels to incorporate the structure into the aerodynamics. I just don't know who would want to have the wind whipping around them going 140 mph.

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K&N // GTM // BERK

Push370zzz

The point is, the 370z is just a budget sports car. You called it a "pure sports car in every sense of the word", to which we were just pointing out that it's not in any way a pure sports car. Nissan had a chance to make the Nismo a real track/sports car, but instead added a marginal power increase, barely stiffer suspension, and a weird body kit. That says to me that Nissan really is just catering to the masses (namely women, just like the 1 series ) with the 370 and the looks of the car are the most important part. I love the looks of the 370 and it has a real presence on the road, but Nissan clearly doesn't feel that it is a car that is supposed to be on the racetrack (if at all) more than the street.

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Range Rover Sport Supercharged
Nissan 370z Touring + Sport

Red__Zed

The s handles and feels more like a pure sports car. Some people will argue that a car must be a roadster to qualify as a sports car, asl well.

If you agree the lotus is more pure, I think we are done here. I was just responding to your "pure sports car in every sense" comment.