After many “hot laps” on the Gunma prefecture mountain roads we could get a feel of the level of performance of the car. Nishihara-san and I came to the conclusion that: despite the numerous efforts brought by Nissan and Nismo on the vehicle, we felt that the real potential had not been unleashed. I was personally expecting much more from the 380RS, of course the car is fast but a lack of power and torque was there.
So what could be the reason? Contrary to the 300ZX and maybe for reliability matters, the 350Z (and 380RS) are naturally aspirated cars, perhaps the relative “lack of boost” was coming from there: no turbo.
But hold on! Before Nissan and Nismo fans start flaming I have to admit that the Nismo 380RS is an excellent car. It has the looks it has the performance and the sane handling makes it a very accessible sports car no matter what your level of driving is. The Nismo Z actually offers the perfect balance between drivability, style and performance.
Read Article