DJSang

The reason why the Z is so damn heavy is because instead of an ingenious X frame like in our cars, it has a crap frame with a bunch of extra metal welded on as bracing to stiffen up the chassis, which the G35s do not have.

That plus a truck motor, and you get a Nissan "sports car" that Americans love. It has torque, looks really big, and has a great (imho obnoxious) exhaust note.

btw, I don't like Nissan 350Zs

Rob Nance

I swear, every thread here turns into the S2K weight police vs. the world

The S2K is very light, and it's an awesome part about it. Nobody is debating that, move on!

Nobody

Anyone ever see any 350Z model against model lap time comparison?

MrClean

The 350Z offers so much for about $30k.

I believe, in order to get everything you guys are asking for, in terms of optimum weight and performance, you'd spend $50k or more.

I have experienced the 350Z on a track. The weight does not inhibit the car's ability to go around a track fast. In fact, with the right driver, the car hangs with a 911. I have seen this.

MDXLuvr

Hey Rob- I don't even own a s2k. I just hate the weight of today's "Sportscars". It really, really irks me that my NSX weighs more than 3000lbs. At track weight- its about 3060lbs. That is pathetic. It bothers me to the point that I have seriously considered gutting it or dumping it for an Elise. Just imagine the handling of a 2500lb s2k, or a 3000 lb 350z, or 3000 lb 911 or corvette.

Did you read the new C&D. As tested weights for the 911/C6 are over 3200 lbs. That mean a Carrera S will be around 3350lbs. How ridiculous is that. The classic 911, The definition of a sports car, and it weighs 3350lbs.

btw, I will stand by my comment that a Track 350z is 3400 lbs. Curb weight may mean 1 gallon of gas, and a bit of wiper fluid, and full oil/tranny fluid to Nissan. I have seen many car mags list the as tested weight of the 350z at 3400+. I kept thinking that it was the weight with the driver. But, when I looked at the other cars in the C&D comparo, none of them had the same weight increase. Either than mean they used a bunch of females(as some of the weight increases were around 110lbs) or the test equipment is a 100lbs. Neither seems to be a plausible answer.

jankemi

A far cry from my '71 911's 2300 lbs. I can't figure out why - with all of todays technology and high tech materials - that we can't build lighter cars.

Cubs2k

Safety equipment and structural engineering accounts for the increased weight.
If you were to build a sports car with '71 technology and still include modern levels of performance and safety, it would probably weight 4000 lbs..............

I can tell you for sure, I'd rather be in a safe modern car with its higher weight.

Elistan

MDX, while I cannot explain the weights that the magazines list, I seriously think they're wrong. First, check out this thread: https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=235671 It has actual weights of two 350Zs from this year's Solo II nationals. One Enthusiast model came in at 3074 lbs, and a Performance model at 3243. The Enthusiast is 105 lbs lighter than Nissan claims, and the Perf is 26 lbs heavier. I think it's entirely reasonable to conclude that Nissan's claimed weights are accurate, and all the magazines who list 3400 lbs are somehow mistaken.

PedalFaster

Some caveats about the Nationals weighing results:

Those weights are competition weights, so they'll be with low fluids. Depending on how low you can run the gas in a 350Z, that could account for 60+ lbs. of weight difference right there.

Those cars are prepped within the allowances of SCCA Stock class competition. If I recall correctly, both still had stock wheels, but one had a straight pipe. I don't know how much a stock 350Z exhaust weighs, but that was probably worth a few dozen pounds.

The scales at Nationals were widely believed to be reading about twenty pounds heavy.

Having said that -- 3400 for a Track model in track-ready trim? I doubt it, unless you're weighing with the driver in the car.

Steve

ADiSKOTEC