Top Gear looking for an unmodified 300ZX for show

top_gear_towers

New Forum User
Dear all,

I'm on the hunt for an unmodified manual 300ZX to come to the Top Gear show next Wednesday to decide which is faster - that or the new 350Z.

If you have an unmodified 300 and fancy coming along as a VIP to the show with your car - please drop me an email.

TG magazine will be down on the day to take photos of the film, so your car will appear there as well.

Even if you dont own an unmodified one, check out this Sundays show, BBC 2 8-9pm as I've got some 400+ bhp 300ZXs tearing up chunks of our airfield.

Kind Regards,

Rowland

rowland.french@bbc.co.uk
0208 752 5043
 
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240z

Club Member
Wow - sounds great! :D

you don't fancy a 325 hp 240z as well do you?!? I wouldn't mind seeing how my car would fare against a 350z....
 

top_gear_towers

New Forum User
We are setting a lot of records straight, including the Escort RS and Focus RS, the Mk1 and Mk IV Golf GTi, the 205Gti 1.9 and 206 Gti 180 - the list goes on.

It will be a top day.

It would be great to get the 300 Vs 350 in, but its down to an owner coming forward as Nissan dont have a 300ZX to loan us.
 

SkylineDave

Well-Known Forum User
hey this sounds great! i reckon the 300 will win (depends if u r asking for a TT or an NA?), but cant wait to see this sundays show!
 

JEZ 280ZX

Well-Known Forum User
Hi,
If the comparison is taken round the airfield course then the 350Z will probably win, stock for stock.The unmodified 300ZXTT isn't any faster or more powerfull and has greater bulk to haul around than the 350Z, with it's sharper handling and better brakes.
If it's just a straight line drag race, then the turbos of a sound 300ZX should see off the 350Z.
JEZ
 

rothon

Well-Known Forum User
I know that the night is still young for posting a reply to this thread but after the last visit of any Z to Top Gear will there be that many willing to put their car up for a slagging as per usual on the show. Dont mean to be offensive but I dont think I've heard a good word regarding any Datsun/Nissan on this show. Oh yeh we heard how the 350z was quick on the track but never got to see it. No doubt the commentary will contain words like "lardy overweight cars" and "driven by old geezers with beards"

Hope you get your Z and yes we will be tunning in to watch, always do ;)
 

Mr.F

Inactive
Comparing stock for stock, on paper, a manual 300ZXTT and a 350Z are pretty closely matched to 60mph from a standing start, but to 100mph the 350Z is nearly a half second quicker. If it's an auto 300ZXTT, then it will be goodbye on both tests. Launch techniques of the parties testing the cars will heavily influence the visual comparison. The "on the move" flat torque curve of the 350Z will probably give it the edge on most X to Y brackets. Round a track, its lower weight and improved suspension should give the 350 a discernable advantage - look at VBH round Angelsey vs the Audi TT - 5 seconds a lap quicker in the 350!

This means that the Top Gear test should be a very valid one and interesting viewing to the converts amongst us.

However, bearing in mind the insulting experience of our last visit, do any Club members really want to subject their pride and joy to the Clarkson biased tirade of insults? Don't kid yourself that he will listen to reason or be impressed by any statistics you might throw his way! Shave before you attend if you still insist on participating (or take a load of mates with huge and obviously false beards with you). You have to ask what the intention of this test will be (because that is already determined before you get there): to have a pop at the only Z left out of the last show or to gain ammunition for his stand alone approach to criticism of the 350Z?:confused: :rolleyes:

BTW, if we don't do this hopefully someone will tell them why?
 

status

Well-Known Forum User
Zeeeeeeeeeeeee

i know mikes got a beard but he aint that much of an old geezer,just looks it as for getting yer car slagged off,i wouldnt worry too much wot someone says about the Zeeees as they only drive one once in a blue moon,so wot do they know,we all know that all the Zeeees are gret cars in their own right
 

JEZ 280ZX

Well-Known Forum User
Hi,
The 300ZX owner hasn't much to lose, as you would expect the 350Z to be quicker on the track.If the 300ZX wins then it will look good for the owner, but will set up JC for a slagging tirade against the newer car.(which is probably what they're hoping).
Just don't wear a beard on the day!
JEZ;)

p.s. Autocar recorded 0-60mph in 5.6secs for the 300ZX in their original road test and 100mph in 14.5secs.Against 5.8 and 14.2 for the 350Z, so there's not much in it.
 
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RickB

Forum User
Hi Guys - sorry new to this forum !!

Given the other cars included in the test (205GTI v 206 GTI and Golf Mk1 v Mk4) - this looks exactly like a test to prove that new cars are worse performers than their earlier counterparts.

The 206 is disappointing to drive compared to the 205, same goes for the Golf in terms of outright handling etc.

I havent driven a 300ZX TT so can't comment on the direct comparison with the 350Z - but given the other cars being compared - I guess the theme is to prove that older cars are better and give JC another opportunity to slate the 350Z for his own 'JC needs a Ford GT' ends.

The Ford Escort RS was never a great car - so my guess is he will say the only manufacturer who has moved forwards is Ford with the Focus RS.

Dont go fall for it guys !!

RickB
 

BarryD

Well-Known Forum User
Where does it say that it must be a UK car? Surely an import would be fairer in terms of "wear and tear". Shame it cannot be a auto, having said that mine is having it's cam belts done on Wednesday (that's a bit like I'm washing my hair I think).
 

Alex C2

New Forum User
Your right, it doesn't stipulte UK it seems, so I would agree an import manual would probably be in better condition.

Didn't Jap specs have slightly more relaxed rear suspension and different tyre specs though? Most import owners upgrade these eventually don't they?
I have only driven Jap spec Z32's when looking for a car to buy, but these were mostly all in a poor state elsewhere (knackered turbo's, flakey interiors etc) so I can't really comment on the finer points of handling as I didn't fling them down country roads.
 

Mr.F

Inactive
Top Gear have always specified UK cars for their tests. They would open themselves wide to unfair comparison criticism if they used an import 300ZX (and don't kid yourself no-one would notice). Look at the discussion on Clarkson's drive of an import 350Z and the fact that this was widely regarded as not being a fair reflection of the (at the time not finalised) U.K. spec.

Mind you, a SWB Z32 manual NA without targa roof would be the most direct comparison.........might have one of those available somewhere!
 

BarryD

Well-Known Forum User
You didn't miss much Steve - just some eggheads trying to do burn outs in a modified Z32. They kept crunching the gears, having said that they managed two reasonable burn outs. Total air time would be about 3 minutes at a guess. :p
 

JEZ 280ZX

Well-Known Forum User
Hi,
Nearly missed the programme as it was on earlier than usual.
The piece involving the 300ZXs was a waste of air-time.I feel sorry for the owners who participated, as they were unwittingly belittled and their cars' abused.If Prof. Heinz Wolfe is on next week's show, don't let him near your 300ZX!:rolleyes:
JEZ
 

Mr.F

Inactive
Having returned from MPH 03 this evening, I'm more than a little unhappy that Clarkson has been allowed to abuse the Z Club volunteers yet again. I was assured that he was contractually "gagged" on this segment and had this confirmed by the organisers before and after the show, but (and I quote an official representative) "he behaves like a loose cannon" when in front of the audience. Nissan are unhappy, the Z Club members will be furious, the organisers are unhappy, the Porsche owners who loaned cars and got similarly abused are unhappy and hopefully no sane Z Club member will now lend a 300ZX for Wednesday's Top Gear shoot!

Tiff Needell did a superb job of making the 350Z look light and nimble in his sideways arena drive and Clarkson stopped short of repeating any criticisms of this model. No praise either, however!

As you might expect, we got the jaded "lardy, lardier, lardiest" comments, this time including the 300ZX TT which was described as "...so heavy it has to keep moving. If it stops it will sink into the magma of the earth's core......". So, no Z apart from the 240Z is immune. Despite the fact that the organisers asked for data, they ignored the fact that the 280ZX is in its 25th anniversary year, that it took the Z series to the best selling sports car title which it held for many years, ignored the fact that a Z31 turbo is faster on paper than a 240Z, that a Z32 TT (despite its bulk) exhibits supercar performance and handling etc., etc........
 

JEZ 280ZX

Well-Known Forum User
Hi,
As we all know, the Z32 TT was no heavier than it's 'supercar' competitors in its day.In fact it was lighter than some, such as the Porsche 928, 3000GTO etc....
Although the Z31 Turbo may not have been the nimblest car in it's day, it was one of the fastest and most powerful cars in it's class.
But then we know all of this...but thanks to Clarkson's ramblings, the general public don't! :mad: :rolleyes:
JEZ
 
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