Nissan 370z test drive since 2008
Comparative test: Ford Mustang GT against Nissan 370z. Two legends face to face
When we tested the Nissan 370z 2009 model year the last time, he just dealt with the BMW 135i baby. Then we stated that the Nissan 370z raises the stands bar in the sports coupe segment to a new level of excellent quality at an affordable price. The time has come for more serious things. Time for V8. Who are here? So, let's see: Camaro is not, Challenger is also unavailable (do not ask for what reason), so only the recently updated Ford Mustang GT 2010, personifying sports dynamics at an affordable price.
Perhaps the veteran who has gained strength will be able to overthrow from the pedestal of the honor of the new king. Details may vary: two places against four, V8 against V6, but they have one goal. Both Ford Mustang GT and Nissan 370z have a much lower cost difference than you might think.
Build!
We tested the Ford Mustang GT Premium Coupe, equipped with a Track Pack package, which includes improved shock absorbers, a drive with a shorter gear ratio of 3.73: 1, a differential of limited friction, improved brakes, 19-inch wheels, wider summer sports tires And some mounts in the pendant borrowed from Shelby GT500. Add here some pleasant little things in the cabin and options that do not affect the dynamics and handling, and get the tested set for $ 34,775.
As before, in the opposite corner of the ring there is Nissan 370z Touring, which often falls on our comparative tests. It is equipped with a package of Sports Package options, which means enlarged brakes, a mechanical gearbox with a special switch system, a differential of limited friction, 19-inch discs and wider tires. Our 370Z is also equipped with a navigation system for $ 1,850, which actually has Ford, but is not in the machine that we get for the test, so the retail cost of this Nissan 370z, the $ 40 thousand $ 40,320, recommended by the manufacturer.
It should be noted that we decided to consider the most expensive configurations of both models. Not that we really wanted, but it happened. In fact, they can be bought for less money, and much smaller, with all the pleasant details that make them fast. In other words, there are more affordable versions of these cars, which at the same time travel no worse than expensive settings loaded with various options. The basic cost of Mustang GT Premium is $ 30,995, while 370z price tag starts at $ 29 930. If you add this track package to Mustang, its cost will increase to $ 32,494. The desire to have a 370Z Sport Package package will cost you in the end $ 33,625.
But is the new 370z really better than the updated, more affordable Mustang? This is what we will find out.
Green light at the start So, choose a car. Any. They both accelerate from 0 to 96 km/h in 5.2 seconds. On the quota there is practically the same picture: 370z passes in 13.5 s at a speed of 166.90 km/h at the finish line, Mustang for 13.5 s at a speed of 165.6 km/h. If their acceleration in a straight line differed even less, then we would have to split them into atoms to find the difference between these cars. Ahead of your question, we will say that it was refueled by Mustang with high -quality gasoline with an octane number 91, which, according to Fordus, increases the range of maximum torque without changing the peak.
The difference in this case is in the manner of power supply. The lighter 1,530 kg 370z, with clearer shifts, accelerates very naturally. All 7,500 revolutions per minute that can develop its 3.7-liter V6 are really available. Acceleration is very confident and even, without failures, up to the peak 332 hp. At 7,000 revolutions.
Nevertheless, the gross sound and vibration of this V6 mean that you will have to grit your teeth and force yourself to keep speeds of at least 6,000. Like other Nissan models equipped with such a transmission, the gearbox with excessive zeal transfers strong vibration. We really like the early specimens of the VQ series from Nissan, and therefore, in our opinion, some finalization would not have prevented this VQ37HR.
If you are a skeptic, then a 4.6-liter V8 with three valves on a cylinder installed in the Ford Mustang is a slightly charged version of the engine, which made it debuted about 15 years ago (in truth, it is not much older than the VQ series). But his age does not spoil his. The advantage of constant improvement is obvious, it is supple and very vigorous even on ordinary 87th gasoline.
When you press the 315-horsepower Mustang accelerator on the floor and touch the place, it does not knock you down, taking you away with a wild roar to the horizon, as happened in previous times. On the contrary, on the bottom, torque is quite soft, gradually growing along with the number of engine speeds. Only after 3,000 rpm, this V8 begins to sing in full voice.
And he has a voice: Ford engineers did a huge work to recreate the famous laryngeal of the Mustang period of the 1960s, and in this, it is much more than Z with its high-speed trills that do not caress the hearing at all. It is very difficult to resist the desire to drive the Mustang engine up and down, to enjoy its singing.
Turn Despite the presence of a package of Track Package options, including a shortened gear ratio of the leading bridge 3.73: 1, the transmission in 1 620-kg Mustang does not work in the best way. This is a little dulling the acute character of the V8, and the excessively soft engine pillows exacerbate this impression. As a result, the power transmission is good only at low speeds. If you are attentive, you can also notice how it rolls at high speeds, for example, with sharp restructures from one row to another.
Let's go further. Mustang is instantly included in the turn, which sometimes can even be confused, since its steering wheel is lifeless, it does not have an effort that creates a connection with the wheels. The new car in this regard is better than its predecessors of the Mustang family, but it is still very far from the controllability of the Nissan 370z.
Not a single review of Ford Mustang 2010 is complete without discussing its leading axis. It provides him with an advantage at starting and on a perfectly flat covering of the track, but in conditions of ordinary roads, it often forces to compromise. The years of improvements and development have not influenced the laws of physics, and this reminds you of every bump on the road that Mustang flies on, tossing you as if you were a baby with a dad on your knees.
Find a section of the flaw base road, and Mustang will be magnificent, although we expected more acute control of the side roll and demolition from Track Package. There is a balance, but only until you interfere with the chassis. In this case, you can easily move from mild insufficient rotation to controlled slopes. This cheerful game is characteristic of all Mustang, with the only difference being that now there is a little more control in it.
A sharp braking on Mustang leads to a strong nod forward and a rather serious speed reduction of at 96 km/h/hour to a complete stop it requires only 32.61 m, which exceeds the result Z is only 30.5 cm. But we like the 370Z brakes, unlike From Mustang, the brake pedal in Z does not lose its information content and effectiveness either on steep mountain roads or in traffic.
We increase the gap If you call the mustang handling unexpectedly good, then z in relation to it is in another dimension. This is evident in the test for lateral acceleration, where 370z develops 0.94G against 0.91g Mustang, but this difference is felt even stronger on slalom test. Here, Z changes directions easily and quickly, accelerating to 116 km/h against 110 km/h Mustang.
Even if you do not take into account the numbers and test results, the sports character Z is felt even before you move out. The anatomical structure of the steering wheel hints at its agility in the passage of a steep turn. The steering wheel 370Z is a revelation, it is faster and more acute than that of Mustang, it has the right mass and responsiveness. Loading tires in the bend creates a proportional force on the steering wheel and the corresponding angle of entrance to the turn intuitively and confidently. It is unlikely that you will be able to find something better. Sit down 370z, and begin to guess why Mustang is so raw in this regard.
Z reacts quickly and clearly, which is not accompanied by traditional driving stiffness. The suspension of this model is ideal by the car is always assembled and balanced.
He also has a system Synchrorev Match should strive to reproduce every self -respecting automaker. It allows you not only to fully concentrate on choosing a braking point, but also provides optimal braking with an engine in a tight flow. In other words, this is the most brilliant modernization of manual labor since the invention of a rubber woman.
This, however, does not mean that the Nissan 370Z transmission is ideal in everything. Switching upwards are somewhat tight, and the clutch leaves much to be desired. These details cannot be called brilliant, but bringing them to perfection can build z to the rank of sports cars.
Stylish life
Significant improvements as finishing materials and soundproofing in the new Ford Mustang GT were discussed at the design stage, and this can be felt: pleasant to the touch of panels and lack of road noise in the cabin.
Nevertheless, some things of the Mustang interior are annoying us: sensors in the style of the 1960s, from which it is difficult to read information, they glance. The cruise control interface looked wretched 10 years ago. Plus, the steering wheel is too large, the knitting needles are located awkwardly on it, which complicates the optimal seizure of nine or three. But on the other hand, you can choose from several dozen color combinations of the salon backlight ... No, seriously, when it comes to the designer nuances of a sports car, then the backlight does not come to mind.
Of the advantages, one can also mention the feeling of the spaciousness of the Mustang cabin, which cannot be said about the Nissan 370z, and the sitting in Mustang is much more convenient than in Z, although the latter’s side support is better. Well, we will not even talk about practicality: there is a rear seat in Mustang, and no matter how small it is, this is a big plus from the point of view of the car for every day. If you did not like a 350Z plastic, you can safely sit in 370z. The Nissan 370z salon is finished in accordance with higher standards, here is artificial suede and high -quality details. Inside Z, the mass of sensors that are easily read, in the center of the dashboard there is a large tachometer that dominates other sensors like the eye of a cyclops.
At the same time, in the Z salon there is intimacy that you do not feel in Mustang, so before you call on a girlfriend, you should take a shower (do not ask where we know this). It is also worth being attentive, leaking back on the driveway near the house of your passion, a monolithic rear stand may prevent you from seeing a truck approaching on the main highway.
The final
A large, popular, carrying a lot of pleasure for millions of Americans Ford Mustang, despite some shortcomings, retained the title of conservative among cars. Nissan 370z could leave him far behind, but Mustang is still indispensable due to its special charm. The price of $ 35,000, however, makes its sales difficult. If you are ready to abandon some amenities, you can find Mustang GT, similar in dynamics with the sample we tested, but for less money. And this is exactly the Mustang we would choose.
When it comes to discussing the best moments in sports cars, Z turns out to be a ten -sided, who jumps above, throws a spear further and swims better than the rest. If you do not stir up, the Nissan 370z will provide you with everything that you can wish for a car. Opinion of the senior editor, Ed Hallwig:
It is just as difficult as choosing a wedding date. Nissan 370z? Excellent for short annealing, not very suitable for everyday use. Ford Mustang? Baby on those roads where you need to enjoy dashing driving, but shocking comfortable in any other place.
What would I choose if I had to buy a car personally for my own money? Sorry, but this is Ford. I am not ready to spend money on 370z.
Do not agree? Well, let's compare them. If you are going to buy a car of this class, then there is no talk of practicality and comfort. Mustang and 370z are equivalent to a straight line, but on the first turn Nissan will go far ahead.
Maybe someone can explain why 370z seems so controlled in urban conditions with its practical and accessible power, and Mustang is too sluggish below 3,500 rpm? Shouldn't it be different?
And the Mustang brakes? And management? And the lever of the manual transmission? Yes, all this with Z is not even worth comparing ...
I do not argue, I support the American automakers, and I enjoy the sound of the V8, but Nissan 370z is the car that can show me that my money is really something.
A source: Insideline
