• 
• 
• --Select Make-- AcuraAston MartinAudiBentleyBMWBuickCadillacChevroletChryslerDodgeFerrariFordGMCHondaHUMMERHyundaiInfinitiIsuzuJaguarJeepKiaLamborghiniLand RoverLexusLincolnLotusMaseratiMaybachMazdaMercedes-BenzMercuryMINIMitsubishiNissanPontiacPorscheRolls-RoyceSaabSaturnScionSmartSubaruSuzukiTeslaToyotaVolkswagenVolvo
• 
• Home
• 
• New Cars
• 
• Used Cars
• 
• Car Dealers
• 
• Buying Guides
• 
• Research
• 
• Community
• 
• 
• 

Nissan GT-R

While many new car tuners have been awaiting the prospect to turn their ingenuity loose on the all-new 2009 Nissan 370Z, the Japanese auto maker allowed their in-house, racing-based performance group the earliest honor to interpret the mid-level sports car in tuner form. Released for the summer of 2009, the all-new Nissan Nismo Z improves on the theme set by a Nismo-outfitted 350Z. Bringing more power and edge than the predecessor, the new Nissan Nismo Z is a well-stated performance package to the already stunning Nissan 370Z.

Nissan Nismo Z Exterior and Interior Appearance

The Nissan Nismo Z exterior enjoys some gentle manicuring over the 370Z coupe’s front and rear body contours to improve the sport car’s hold to the ground. Starting from the simplified front fascia, the lower portion of the Nismo Z is wrapped with downforce-inducing body kit. The sloping rear deck lid is topped by a large racing style double spoiler which has more than a passing resemblance to a Porsche 911 GT3’s aerodynamic device. Through careful aerodynamic tuning for increasing downforce, the Nissan Nismo Z retains a 0.30 drag coefficient present on the new 370Z coupe.

Closer to the ground, the Nissan Nismo Z rides on standard five-spoke forged alloy wheels developed by Rays in Japan, which emphasize weight savings as well as allows the 14 inch front and 13.8 inch rear disc brakes to be viewable, well-vented area through large openings. Framing these special lightweight wheels, Yokohama ADVAN Sport Y-rated rubber features a fat 285mm width rear wheel for distributing the power within the Nismo Z’s rear wheel axle.

Using two-tone coloring throughout the interior, the Nissan Nismo Z cabin richly captures racing life. Including a set of cloth bucket seats, the Nismo-badged seats features side bolstering and anti-slip material to competently keep the driver and passenger secured through driving. A Nismo authenticating plaque vividly rests between the seats as a reminder to the vehicle’s performance capabilities. Behind the wheel, the engine ignites with a simple press of a button thanks to the standard intelligent key. Along with the clearly readable gauge viewable through the steering wheel, a three pod center gauge is found within the middle of the dash panel showing oil pressure, electrical voltage, and time. Lacking a rear passenger seat, the larger rear cargo area opens possibilities to an experienced few tuners in providing aftermarket add-ons such as upgraded stereo equipment or fitting a nitrous oxide system.

Nissan Nismo Z Engine and Transmission

Just like the Nissan 370Z, the Nismo Z features a 3.7 liter dual overhead cam V6 engine mounted just behind the front axle (technically making the sports car a mid-engine vehicle). Thanks to changes to the engine’s electronic control module as well as the Nismo exclusive tuned dual exhaust setup, the Nismo Z breathes out with 350 horsepower and 276 pounds feet of torque. An improvement of 34 horsepower over the outgoing Nissan 350Z-based Nismo, performance of the new Nissan Nismo Z favors the engine’s top end.

True to its performance design, the Nissan Nismo Z’s gear selection is driver-controlled through a manual transmission. Advertised as a SynchroRev Match 6-speed manual, this transmission is well-monitored for shifting movement and vehicle speed. During shifting, the SynchroRev match transmission intuitively bumps the engine’s RPM to make smooth gear changes.

Nissan Nismo Z Performance

With the Nissan 370Z achieving 0 to 60 miles per hour times in 4.9 seconds, it may be reason to expect the 350 horsepower Nissan Nismo Z to run this test in a one or two tenths less seconds.

Taking the sports car through the twists and turns of a closed circuit, Nismo’s suspension system enhancement makes this modified Nissan 370Z into a much more aggressive handler. With virtually any component stiffened beyond the specs of the 370Z, the Nissan Nismo Z sport suspension provides better body rolling resistance and car control through higher speed maneuvering.

Stickered at $39,130 as a starting price, the limited edition Nissan Nismo Z is fitted with a capable amount of racing-quality parts and accessories at a little less the half the cost of the Nissan GT-R.

Thinking about a 2009 Chevrolet Corvette? Drive these cars before you buy!

It’s an icon of American sports car design, it boasts heart-stopping performance numbers and it is surprisingly affordable. Starting at $73,925, the 2009 Corvette Z06 is what fans of the fiberglass-bodied performance vehicle have been waiting for their entire lives, a fire-breathing dragon of a car that can hold its own with any vehicle on the road, no matter how exotic the design or how high the price tag. At the heart of this beast is its engine – a 7.0 liter, aluminum V8 that cranks out a sublime 505 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. When matched with the vehicle’s 6-speed manual transmission, the Corvette Z06 can accelerate to 60 miles per hour from a standing start in just 3.6 seconds – faster than it took for you to read this entire sentence. The quarter mile disappears in just 11.3 seconds, and the car’s top speed is rated at a lofty 200 miles per hour.

Speed isn’t the only characteristic that puts the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 into supercar territory. The attention to creating a light yet stiff chassis and suspension system ensures that the vehicle’s handling can keep up with its long legs. The Corvette is more than just a muscular behemoth, it is a veritable Cheetah, with incredible cornering capabilities and phenomenal brakes. It also boasts gee-whiz features like a heads-up display that projects important vehicle information onto the windshield in front of the driver to help keep their eyes stuck on the road during adrenaline-laced redline runs.

The 2009 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 has become the attainable dream car of many automobile enthusiasts. Unsurprisingly, however, there are a number of other vehicle which boast similar performance specs vying for the attentions of the speed-obsessed. While some might be priced a bit higher, or take a different route to their dizzying performance levels, this article mentions 4 other cars you must drive before putting a deposit on a Z06.

2009 Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe – MSRP $89,340

The 2009 Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe is the latest in a long line of king snakes that have been the Corvette’s closest competition for dominance on America’s streets. Until the emergence of the Z06 model just past the turn of the millennium, the Viper enjoyed nearly a decade of unchallenged performance domination. Although the gap between the two vehicles has been greatly narrowed, the Dodge can still boast advantages in a number of areas. Its 8.4 liter V10 engine produces an astronomical 600 horsepower and 560 lb-ft of torque, which is shunted through a 6-speed manual transmission to massive 19 inch rear tires. In addition to almost 100 extra horsepower, the Viper is also 0.1 seconds quicker when launching to 60 miles per hour – although quarter mile performance is approximately 0.3 seconds slower. Top speed of the Viper is given by Dodge to be 202 miles per hour.

Even a cursory examination of these performance statistics indicate that the Viper and the Corvette are separated by no more than a hair when it comes to raw numbers. What truly differentiates the two sports cars are their radically different driving experiences. While the Corvette is refined and livable on a daily basis thanks to its excellent traction and stability control system and its comfortable suspension, the Viper is an absolute handful, especially when driven near the limit. With no electronic safety nets on hand, the 2009 Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe relies solely on the skill of the driver to keep it pointed in the right direction. Great care must be exercised with the right foot, especially in the rain, so as to avoid upsetting the extremely powerful car.

The 2009 Dodge Viper SRT10 Coupe is a raw and visceral automobile that feels more connected to the road than the more civilized Corvette. If pure potential and explosive response are favored over predictability, then the Viper makes an excellent, although pricier alternative to the Z06.

2009 Cadillac XLR-V – MSRP $104,215

Stretching the budget into the stratosphere is the 2009 Cadillac XLR-V (XLR pictured). This vehicle rounds out the trio of domestic supercar competitors and is also included due to the fact that it is based on the same platform as the Corvette. Replacing the naturally-aspirated V8 of the 'Vette is a 443 horsepower supercharged Northstar engine, whose 8-cylinders also produce 414 lb-ft of torque. The Cadillac is slower than the Z06, as it reaches 60 miles per hour in 4.6 seconds, with a quarter mile time of 13 seconds. A 6-speed automatic transmission handles the gear shifting duties, and the vehicle can reach an electronically limited top speed of 155 miles per hour.

While it is clear that the 2009 Cadillac XLR-V does not offer quite the same level of performance as the 'Vette or the Viper, what it does provide are a boatload of luxury features such as a power retractable hard top, a voice activated navigation system, hand wrapped leather seats, steering wheel and trim, as well as beautiful wood interior accents. While a large percentage of driving enthusiasts could care less about how comfortable their cockpit accoutrements are, there are still some out there who value this level of luxury a great deal – and they also usually happen to be in a position to spend 6 figures on an automobile.

The 2009 Cadillac XLR-V might be a sheep in wolf’s clothing to some, but the suit that it wears is striking, and the driving experience afforded by its more forgiving setup will endear it to anyone who prefers “nine tenths” performance over having to make sacrifices to touch the edge of the envelope.

2010 Nissan GT-R – MSRP $76,840

Returning close to the economic orbit of the Z06 is the only Japanese competitor on this list, the 2010 Nissan GT-R. The GT-R also happens to be a vehicle which doesn’t approach the question of how to add more speed simply by throwing an enormous engine between the two front fenders. Instead, the Nissan GT-R is outfitted a 3.8 liter V6 that employs twin turbochargers to squeeze out a stout 485 horsepower and 434 lb-ft of torque. The GT-R is also unique in that its transmission is a 6-speed dual clutch unit that can be set to Normal, R or Snow modes in order to adapt to the driving conditions at hand. The transmission can also be set to fully automatic mode.

Thanks to the phenomenal grip of its all-wheel drive system and a special launch control transmission feature, the 2010 Nissan GT-R can reach 60 miles per hour in a scant 3.2 seconds, as well as see the end of the quarter mile in only 11.5 seconds. Top speed of the GT-R has been recorded as 195 miles per hour. Although heavy when compared to its rear-wheel drive competitors, the Nissan is a technological tour de force that is an incredible performer both on the street and the track, having equaled or bettered previous lap times set by supercars from Ferrari and Porsche at several prominent race circuits.

The 2010 Nissan GT-R’s video-game inspired styling isn’t for everyone, not will all sports car fans have their pulse quickened by a turbocharged V6 engine, but for those willing to accept the vehicle based on its performance merits, the GT-R is more than a match for the only slightly cheaper Z06.

2009 Porsche 911 Carrera S – MSRP $87,000

There are almost as many versions of the Porsche 911 as there are letters in the alphabet, but the model whose price fits best with the other vehicles mentioned in this article is the 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera S. Close to the entry level position on the 911 pagoda, the Carrera S features an inline 6-cylinder engine that displaces 3.8 liters and develops 385 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. The vehicle can be ordered with either a traditional 6-speed manual transmission or Porsche’s PDK double-clutch automatic, which boasts a quicker 0 to 60 mile per hour time (4.3 seconds) but a lower top speed (186 versus 188 miles per hour). The quarter mile elapses in around 12 seconds, and the slightly more expensive 4S model adds all-wheel drive which can be helpful when the going gets slippery.

The 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera S might seem out of place when compared to the other vehicles mentioned here due to its somewhat lower power output, but its saving grace is its handling. With the engine mounted at the rear of the car, the 911 Carrera S is an entirely different animal than the Corvette, and some prefer the more refined feel of its suspension and chassis design. The output from the inline 6 is also incredibly smooth and linear, with an almost effortless feeling of acceleration accompanying any depression of the loud pedal.

The 2009 Porsche 911 Carrera S is not as fast or as ostentatious as a 'Vette or a Viper, but it does provide a classic European sports car experience wrapped in a very classy package. The nimbleness of the vehicle’s design more than makes up for any perceived power deficit, and the timeless styling will turn just as many heads as any other supercar, but for entirely different reasons.