I've seen fairly evenly matched drivers in a stock Z and stock 8 on a high speed track. The Z was in front, but the 8 was on its bumper for the entire 25 minutes.

 

I guess you close up on the turns but the Z pulls away on the straight.

 

you guys sounds as if you know the drivers are equal in skills, which is almost never the case. ive seen rx8 kicking a Z's *** on the track at VIR and vice versa. I can tell you one thing though, its much easier for a unskilled driver to get a faster laptime in a Z than a rx8.

 

Oh god, you got to have some lame duck driving a Z if you want to keep up with a RX-8. Even EVO has a tough time catching up to the Z due to lac of top end on those puppies.

I will be at VIR in two weeks, feel free to watch the Z go on the track. I will try to get a clean lap to see what time I will be pulling there.

Totally agree about the Z being easier to go fast in due to the power.

Time to do the scan and show you people. I weight my car on the track, it came back at 3153lbs with a full tank and full fluid without me in there (only thing changed was wheels/tires/remove spare tire and tools and remove all floor mats)


I know this isn't a fair comparsion, but look at the times of the Z and RX-8 http://www.cartct.com/10-02-06.shtml

 

The one with teh star is the convertible, this came off a 2004 sales brochure that i picked up new. The Enthuaist is loaded similar to the "Sports' model except the 8 has bigger brakes.

 

Why do people always say stupid things like the Evo lacks topend. It simply isn't true and whp is whp whether it's fwd or awd. To say the Evo has a tough time catching up to a Z is stupid as well. The Z gets a better lap time in one mag and suddenly the Evo has a tough time keeping up with the Z on a track? Give me a break...

 

The EVO is a faster car at 99.9% of the tracks, I dont doubt it. The reason why the Z can close up the gap so much is because of the new motor, also the EVO has super short gearings. In places where the Z can do 5th gear at 6000RPM, the EVO is already looking for 6th. At tracks like VIR, it really comes into play on the long straightaway. At Lime Rock, I am sure they can walk away from me.

 

came very very close to buying a black one (always a sucker for a black sports cars)

plus it had the nismo wing which looks really good

 

i agree, the evo should be better at the tighter slow speed type of tracks...

 

You do realize that most Evos don't have a 6th gear right? I also hope you realize that an Evo IX puts down more WHP than a Z and will pull away on the straights stock for stock.

 

You do realize most cars people race on the track are MR edition right, which has a 6 speed. Both cars put out almost the same amount of power with gears being the different in the way the cars are, also don't forget the powerband too. And yes, I think I see them on the race tracks quite a bit. I spent enough time behind and in front of them, I think I can hold my own. Usually they get a 2 to 3 car lengths run off the corner. The gap would stay consistant until I start to pick up on them after 115mph. Oh wait, you probably wouldn't know because you have never raced both cars

2006 - Gear Ratios
EVO & EVO RS.................... EVO MR
1st: 2.785:1 .................... 1st: 2.909:1
2nd: 1.950:1 .................... 2nd: 1.944:1
3rd: 1.444:1 .................... 3rd: 1.434:1
4th: 1.096:1 .................... 4th: 1.100:1
5th: 0.761:1 .................... 5th: 0.868:1
Final drive: 4.529:1 ..........6th: 0.693:1 Final drive: 4.583:1

2004 gear ratios

EVO & EVO RS.................... EVO MR
1st: 2.982:1 .................... 1st: 2.909:1
2nd: 1.950:1 .................... 2nd: 1.944:1
3rd: 1.407:1 .................... 3rd: 1.434:1
4th: 1.031:1 .................... 4th: 1.100:1
5th: 0.720:1 .................... 5th: 0.868:1
Final drive: 4.529:1..........6th: 0.693:1 Final drive: 4.583:1

350Z Gear Ratio

1: 3.794:1
2: 2.324:1
3: 1.624:1
4: 1.271:1
5: 1.000:0
6: 0.794:1
Final drive: 3.538:1

 

hey, this was a RX8 vs. 350 debate

 

what event is it? and whats the exact date and time? if im in the area, id love to come watch.

 

Wow, that a whopper, you lose all credibilty after that completely wrong statement. Most serious track guys and time attack cars started life as a GSR or an RS. You're clueless if you think listing a bunch of gear ratios shows that the Evo lacks topend compared to the Z. A stock 03-04 Evo VIII would be pretty even with a current Z down the straights, an 05 Evo VIII should pull slightly, and an Evo IX will pull more. No, I haven't driven a Z on anything but a fake parking lot track, but you don't need to be on a track to know what car will pull on another on a straightaway.

 

as far as straightline acceleration, even if they start on a roll, anywhere below 100, EVO should be walking away with no problem at all. at least thats what ive been observing.

 

If both are N/A, the Z hands down.

 

uhh duh..... what does that have to do with anything?

 

The Evo is using a cheating turbo.

 

Just face it Ike - the EVO looks like the riced up shopping trolley that it is.
If the 8 was as quick as the Evo there would be no contest because the 8 beats it in every other way (except maybe boot space - which I can totally live with).

oops - off track with the 8 vs 350z theme again .

 

He admitted it!!!

I just wanted to chime in and say that at the end of last year and beginning of this year you could score a brand new RX-8 for $8k under MSRP. Don't know if that's still true, but if it is that's going to put these two cars in different price brackets which changes some things. Also, the insurance on the Z is going to be more no matter what insurance company you've got.

I initially wanted the Z but was put off by the fact that everyone has one. Then I looked at the 8 because it's pure sex but was put off by the fact that I just don't want a car that looks that good that will lose to that many cars in a quick sprint to 60 (I'm insecure -- sue me).

In the end I realized I'd just save my money and wait for something I really liked. As others have said, test drive both, realize what you're getting and what you're not and then make a decision. The information is pretty clear -- you just gotta figure out what works for you.

 

It's on the 20th (Monday) with the R32 club, I will be one of the instructor there.

 

Prove it if you think you are right, I can list a bunch of cars that are MR, not base. Of course most of them are modified too, stock EVOs don't exist anymore i think.

Do you even know how to read the gear ratios? Just a quick lesson, engine goes to transmission, then goes to the rear end (final drive). Based on a quick calculation, 5th gear on the Z is longer than both EVOs. Thank you very much.

I already said the EVO will have an advantage rolling out, but the Z can keep up and even pick up speed as the speed reaches 110+. I have DONE it and see it happen many times.

 

Ike i think you are misunderstanding him when he has expressed that EVO is genreally faster on the tracks. He dosnt mean that just because the Z won 1 comparison its suddenly faster. I do know for a fact that EVO's 5th gear is relatively weaker cmopared to the 5th and 6th gears on the Z, so Z can and will pull on it at triple digit speeds. i cant vouch for whats said about VIR though because Ive never driven it despite going there to watch a few times. So i dont know if the straight is long enough where the Z can catch up at that speed enough to make up the distance lost during the corners. But im certain those conditions do make the 350Z more compeitive vs the Evo, dont know about beating them though.

 

Amen playdoh. I will see how long vir is. At pocono, I pick up ŕhainst evo at about 105 to 110. Since vir has longer straights, I can are why the z can run with the evo. Below 35k new, I still think evo is #1 in terms of speed. STI 2. S2k and z third.

 

well even with a really long straight, i still dont know about running with the evo on even terms. i just dont think you spend enough time at 110mph+ to offset the rest of the track whre the Evo have quite a bit of decisive advantage. i just think its more competitive than usual, but what do i know? :p