#03#We're all for 'skunk works' projects, especially when the result sees the light of day and somebody lets us loose for a few days at the wheel. Such is the case with the Nissan 350Z GT-S you see pictured before you.
It's been a while since Nissan revealed this one-off prototype at the 2006 Goodwood Festival of Speed. Fear not though; one-off or not, this car was destined to be driven from the outset, with its debut marked by a high-speed blast up the famous Goodwood Hill. We've waited in a long line of eager journalists to get our chance to try out the GT-S and finally, just ahead of the launch of the latest iteration of the regular 350Z, here it is.
To refresh your memory, the GT-S project was kicked off by the Nissan UK press team with the technical expertise of the Nissan Technical Centre Europe (NTCE) in Cranfield, Bedfordshire. Apparently, a team of car nuts formed and spent mostly their own time developing the car. The aim was for an even higher performance version of the 350Z, but maintaining the regular car's drivability, along with a bias for road use, not track.
A supercharger was chosen to provide cost-effective power, without losing low-speed drivability. A single-stage, radial flow centrifugal compressor from Swiss firm, Novidem was installed, along with an electrically operated clutch. The latter disconnects the charger automatically at idle (to save fuel) and can be operated by the driver via a toggle switch on the centre console.
Needless to say; the supercharger completely alters the driving experience. Peak power jumps from 296bhp to 378bhp, while the torque curve has been flattened out at a much higher maximum of 313lb.ft (up from 260lb.ft in the
regular 350Z). We wouldn't argue with those figures either; the GT-S feels savagely quick, especially in the mid-range. Nissan suggests that the 0-62mph sprint time has been reduced from 5.8 to 4.8 seconds, with 2.5 seconds shaved off the 0-100mph time.
Obviously that's with the charger engaged. It's difficult to say for sure, but the prototype didn't feel as quick as the regular 350Z when the supercharger was not operational. It is possible that the compression ratio was reduced to allow higher boost levels, though Nissan makes no reference to that in its technical specifications. Regardless, we have to remind ourselves that this car is a one-off and not at all ready for production.
#p##05#
For the same reason, we can ignore other black marks against this particular car's refinement, such as driveline shunt and an over eager ABS system. A regular car does well to stand up to the rigours of the automotive media, never mind a prototype that has been designed to be driven hard...
Obliging the car's makers may frighten onlookers; such is the noise that this car makes. The exhaust has been upgraded and now includes an electronically-controlled bypass valve for the main silencer, so the full might of the supercharged V6 can be unleashed on the world at the flex of your right foot. Not only that, the induction side takes on a distinct howl at elevated engine speeds, egging the driver on even further.
Our favourite 350Z to date, in terms of dynamics anyway, is the
S-Tune GT, a car that we found to be sensational on track and on bumpy B-roads. With the brief for the 350Z GT-S being that of a fast road car we had high hopes for it on our favourite B-roads. Ultimately, it disappointed. Maybe its dampers or bushes were tired, but it was not as rewarding to drive as the regular 350Z, never mind the S-Tune. It's fast of course and capable too, but the front-end never quite felt keyed into the road and the rear end of the car rolled too much for our liking. Once trust had been established, it made sense to get on the power early while exiting corners, as this has the effect of balancing the whole car and as such 'steering' it out of tight corners with the rear tyres, but it felt like a chassis still in need of work
We're picking holes of course... What we have here is a tremendous concept, built by an enthusiastic team of skilled people in a short amount of time and on a miniscule budget. The GT-S does prove that the 350Z chassis has the potential to handle a lot more power. With the launch of the new and improved 350Z only a month away, we have to wonder if such a car will ever be developed any further. Sadly, with the launch of a new performance flagship later this year (in the shape of the new GT-R) we seriously doubt it. Still, you have to wonder what the lads from the NTCE will come up with next.
