Does anyone know why the 350z didn't feature in this test?

The press would have you believe this is the latest and greatest thing in sports cars!

 

Does anyone know why the 350z didn't feature in this test?

Because it wasn't sold it here then. The 350Z went on sale in March (or was it Feb), while the PCOTY was run at the end of January. Not only that, but from what I gather it takes good 4+ months to organize.

Besides that only new/chanegd cars that were introduced in 2002 were alegible. I'm sure you'll see the 350Z in this years BFYB (October) and then in the 2004 PCOTY (ie. one year from now).

 

I haven't bought this years magazine and so I haven't seen the article and been able to read the qualifying rules. In previous year's PCOTY they have always published the rules as to which cars qualified. Often it's to do with cars that were released and on sale to the public in the twelve months prior to the commencement of testing for the article. As they must have done the testing at some time in January and/or February in order to be ready for publication early March its quite possible that there were no 350Z's released at that time.

I think you'll find it will be included in next year's PCOTY.

 

Naishou: What cars did the Ferarris make their 1.5L V12 for? That sounds like something that would go into an F1 car.

Honda made turbocharged 1.5L V10s that maxed around 1200hp on maximum boost, during the days of Senna and Prost. It was this engine that dominated that sport for the best part of the 1980s.

 

From what I remember Ferrari were making 1.5L V12 road cars in the 1950s. I think the first engine they made for themselves was a small V12.

The Honda 1.5L was actually a V6 I believe, and it was far from the most powerful F1 engine ever. That was the 1.5L BMW inline 4 that went into Brabhams and made nearly 1500bhp in qualifying trim before boost limiting valves were introduced. Interestingly, the block came from used 320i road cars, preferably with over 100,000km as any cracks that were likely to form would be visible by then. There's a BMW Sports Sedan doing the rounds in NSW with one of these engines in 2L form and it flies!

 

Yup, my mistake... it was a V6 1.5L turbo

 

At least Motor gives lap times in it's PCOTY. The English magazine CAR rented a circuit and didn't even publish lap times, only speed at the end of a straight.

I'd rather have the lap times. If it was just down to straight line speeds an Audi RS4 might've won PCOTY once (it's lap times weren't that quick).