From Performance to NISMO

[CPerdomo]

What's the problem, you don't like cruising around in 8th gear at any speed above 40mph?!

Actually, I do. As far as saving the gas is concerned. But that sluggish retarded shift... aaaggghhhh... the reason I've always hated automatic transmissions. I drive mine in Sport.

 

[sdktheway]

Actually, I do. As far as saving the gas is concerned. But that sluggish retarded shift... aaaggghhhh... the reason I've always hated automatic transmissions. I drive mine in Sport.

My favorite is when it does this comical series of steps upshifting when it doesn't detect enough throttle input to want to keep me in a lower gear.

On track I don't think I really use anything other than 3-6. Someone better than me could probably make some use of second in really slow speed corners but the upshift from 2-3 can get a bit squirly at higher RPMS i've noticed so I just keep it in third and try to work on getting the power down. I would probably use 7th at Road America!

 

[chadhunley]

Actually, I do. As far as saving the gas is concerned. But that sluggish retarded shift... aaaggghhhh... the reason I've always hated automatic transmissions. I drive mine in Sport.

I've noticed that unless the transmission temp is at least 150 or above the shifts are sluggish while in standard mode. I've always waited till the oil temp reaches 180 before I really get on the car.

The plus side of having the AT trans in the Nismo is you're always feeling the boost between shifts. The other plus would be that since they have upgraded the clutches in the Nismo, if you wanted to add more power in the after market; the transmission seems to be holding up well. That wasn't the case with previous Z car AT transmissions.

 

[Drago86]

This youtuber does a good job showing the underbody of both cars. The nismo is much cleaner, and even has little wheel well diffusers like race front splitter/diffusers have.

Normal z:

Nismo:



Also, not shown in these videos the Nismo has an extra heat exchanger for the water to air intercooler system on the passengers side and an auxillary radiator on the driver's side, which both vent into the wheel wells (which os why the nismo has vented front wheel splash guards).

I just realized while snooping around the Nissan parts catalogue that the bespoke rear cover the Nismo gets over the normal Z's that contributes to it's front downforce generation..... is the same as the rear engine splash shield for the Nissan Q50 part number 75881-1MA0A. It's also backordered for the Z Nismo but readily available for the Q50....

Rant:
Just Nissan doing Nissan things. They act like molding a new part would literally kill them; 90% of our interior is identical to the 370z,...which is fine it's a nice interior but "all new?....." The only one that really bothers me is the rear 3/4 window which on the outside is big and enlarged from the 370z to try and better match the 240z aesthetic but because Nissan couldn't be bothered to remold anything from the 370z molds it still uses the tiny 370z interior plastic window trim so 75% of that beautiful window is just blacked out,.. the borders aren't even even, they just made it work with the 370z interior plastic because god forbid they remold anything.

370z: Even borders, tiny window

New Z: Uneven boarder, huge blacked out area to keep the identical shape from the 370z to save Nissan $3.50 per car from not needing to redo a single 370z rear interior plastic for the new Z.

P.S. this is a beautiful car

/rant

 

[bpeckham]

...so 75% of that beautiful window is just blacked out...

No kidding. I remember the next time I went to the car wash after getting my windows tinted, after the wash I found a piece of window tint in the passenger seat. The car wash crew must have sucked it from under the seat with the vacuum. I suspect the window tint crew dropped it behind the seat, and it was easier for them to cut a new piece than retrieve the one they dropped. It's smaller than a sheet of Kleenex. I never noticed the inside/outside size discrepancy before, but now I always will.

 

[CPerdomo]

My favorite is when it does this comical series of steps upshifting when it doesn't detect enough throttle input to want to keep me in a lower gear.

On track I don't think I really use anything other than 3-6. Someone better than me could probably make some use of second in really slow speed corners but the upshift from 2-3 can get a bit squirly at higher RPMS i've noticed so I just keep it in third and try to work on getting the power down. I would probably use 7th at Road America!

Yes. Sometimes I have to shift manually so the rpms would get lower...

 

[Nis Mo Z]

I just realized while snooping around the Nissan parts catalogue that the bespoke rear cover the Nismo gets over the normal Z's that contributes to it's front downforce generation..... is the same as the rear engine splash shield for the Nissan Q50 part number 75881-1MA0A. It's also backordered for the Z Nismo but readily available for the Q50....

Rant:
Just Nissan doing Nissan things. They act like molding a new part would literally kill them; 90% of our interior is identical to the 370z,...which is fine it's a nice interior but "all new?....." The only one that really bothers me is the rear 3/4 window which on the outside is big and enlarged from the 370z to try and better match the 240z aesthetic but because Nissan couldn't be bothered to remold anything from the 370z molds it still uses the tiny 370z interior plastic window trim so 75% of that beautiful window is just blacked out,.. the borders aren't even even, they just made it work with the 370z interior plastic because god forbid they remold anything.

370z: Even borders, tiny window

New Z: Uneven boarder, huge blacked out area to keep the identical shape from the 370z to save Nissan $3.50 per car from not needing to redo a single 370z rear interior plastic for the new Z.

P.S. this is a beautiful car

/rant

I don't see a 90 percent similarity. More like 25-30 percent at best.

 

[CPerdomo]

The NISMO is so precise that a MT would hinder what the Auto does for it's performance. IMHO

I agree...

 

[Nis Mo Z]

I find my Nismo to be a near perfect car. I only have one gripe with the car and that's the 3704 lb curb weight.

I love the 9 speed responsiveness in Sport +
I love the aero additions
I love the 15 inch Akebono, Rays Wheels and Dunlop tires
I love the track tuned suspension and bracing additions
I love the Recaro's, best seats I ever owned
Steering is sharp and responsive and the rest of the car has that feel
The car has that Goldilocks size (low 170 + inch length)
I love the VR30 so far for its smooth torqueyness

But I wish it was about 300-400 lbs lighter despite the car not feeling 3700 lbs.

 

[sdktheway]

I find my Nismo to be a near perfect car. I only have one gripe with the car and that's the 3704 lb curb weight.

I love the 9 speed responsiveness in Sport +
I love the aero additions
I love the 15 inch Akebono, Rays Wheels and Dunlop tires
I love the track tuned suspension and bracing additions
I love the Recaro's, best seats I ever owned
Steering is sharp and responsive and the rest of the car has that feel
The car has that Goldilocks size (low 170 + inch length)
I love the VR30 so far for its smooth torqueyness

But I wish it was about 300-400 lbs lighter despite the car not feeling 3700 lbs.

I've managed to shave ~100 pounds out of it mostly with a different front brake kit, a lithium ion battery and taking the subwoofer/ other stuff out of the back (subwoofer is light, probably 10 pound) Not exactly supra weight still but its a decent start. I still daily the car more or less so I dont want to strip it out too much but the sub is easy to remove for track days.
I actually went to a scale to weigh it one day but I screwed up parking only on one weight pad.

 

[CPerdomo]

I find my Nismo to be a near perfect car. I only have one gripe with the car and that's the 3704 lb curb weight.

I love the 9 speed responsiveness in Sport +
I love the aero additions
I love the 15 inch Akebono, Rays Wheels and Dunlop tires
I love the track tuned suspension and bracing additions
I love the Recaro's, best seats I ever owned
Steering is sharp and responsive and the rest of the car has that feel
The car has that Goldilocks size (low 170 + inch length)
I love the VR30 so far for its smooth torqueyness

But I wish it was about 300-400 lbs lighter despite the car not feeling 3700 lbs.

I wonder how it would behave with 400lbs off... wow... I actually look forward to corners now... like a kid in a roller coaster...

 

[sdktheway]

I've often wondered the same... Long term my goal is to just dedicate this car to track use and strip it out completely one day but that'll be a few years down the road at least. I would love to see what someone competent could do in my car with lap times because 100 pounds lighter with ~60hp more makes for a damn quick ride!

 

[sdktheway]

I wonder how it would behave with 400lbs off... wow... I actually look forward to corners now... like a kid in a roller coaster...

Move to Western NC and you'll be in heaven. This is my drive home from work and it makes it hard not to drive the Nismo damn near every day

 

[Drago86]

I don't see a 90 percent similarity. More like 25-30 percent at best.

Look closer, only the sections of the dash with new screens were re-molded, along with the center console and just the very top part of the door cards. Steering wheel is also different. Everything else is identical with some color changes. The entire rear hatch area is 370z, the door cards and armrests are exactly the same below where they had to mold the new top section only. The demister vents-same and same location, door handles - same just a different color, all the lower dash and kick panels are identical. The fobgina is even still there with a new plastic plug, visable in you photos. Even the non-nismo seats are just reupholstered 370z seats with the wonky seat cusion power controls intact.

Beyond the interior, every part of the suspension except the spring/bar rates and shock rates are identical. Every part of the chassis except the new outer "skin" is identical. Rear end and rear subframe, identical. Front subframe identical. Companies are literally copy pasting their 370z parts for the RZ34.

I love the car to death, but there is no denying it is 370z with and engine swap, a (great)face lift, and some new interior creature comforts.

 

[Drago86]

No kidding. I remember the next time I went to the car wash after getting my windows tinted, after the wash I found a piece of window tint in the passenger seat. The car wash crew must have sucked it from under the seat with the vacuum. I suspect the window tint crew dropped it behind the seat, and it was easier for them to cut a new piece than retrieve the one they dropped. It's smaller than a sheet of Kleenex. I never noticed the inside/outside size discrepancy before, but now I always will.

Apologies, I too can never unsee it and had to share my burden