- 376
- GTP_Reikro
This test was conducted using a DFP wheel. Please note that all cars were equipped with N2 tires and all driver assist systems turned off. Straight line times are the best time of three runs and lap times is the best time of five laps at the chosen circuit.
The Basics:
Price (Cr.), Power (Bhp/rpm) and Torque (Lb ft/rpm)
Nissan 350Z
Price: 33, 00
Power: 276/6200
Torque: 278/4800
Audi TT 3.2 Quattro
Price: 57, 740
Power: 246/6300
Torque: 237/3200
Alfa Romeo GT 3.2 V6 24V
Price: 39, 010
Power: 236/6200
Torque: 221/4800
One of the things a Coupe has to achieve is to look good. And good looks are certainly present with our little international trio. Despite some initial handling issues the Audi TT was an instant hit. And its not difficult to see why. The TT is a very sexy little number, for sexy couples, couples called Tony and Guy. Audi injected the TT with some testosterone by slotting in a 3.2-litre six-cylinder engine producing 246bhp, which it will need because the TT is going up against the Nissan 350Z. With a well sorted chassis and 280bhp, the 350Z will certainly be the car to beat here. For good measure the stunning Alfa Romeo GT will be joining the test, but with front-wheel-drive, will it be able to cope?
As it is the benchmark the 350Z is first on the line. 60 Arrives in 5.9sec, topping out at a very impressive 173mph. The 0-400m time of 14.335sec was hampered though by merely adequate traction. No such trouble in the Audi, with four-wheel-drive you only need to pile on the revs before it launches of the line with minimal fuss. It came as a big surprise then that the Tittie couldnt beat the Zed to 60, taking 6.5sec, a 0-400m time of 15.139sec, and trailing behind with a top speed of 158mph. Traction will always be a concern with the Alfa. Being front-wheel-drive, wheelspin has to be carefully moderated to get any sort of decent times. Setting a 0-400m time of 16.068sec, passing 60mph in 8sec flat it is the slowest car here. Though it did post the same top speed as the Audi, It did get there faster. Indeed, with more space Im sure the Alfa could have beaten the Audi. Evidence of this lies in the 0-1000m time. Where the Alfa was about 1sec behind the Audi at 400 meters, it claws its way up by nearly half a second (Audi: 27.447sec, Alfa: 27.980sec) by the time they reach the 1000m mark. Again its the Nissan posting the fastest time here with 25.436sec.
So things arent looking up for the Alfa and Audi. Maybe a few laps at the East Course of Motegi will change things. The four-wheel-drive of the TT makes it really easy to explore its limits, and at the limit it simply understeers. A lift of the throttle will tuck the nose back into line, but that is about the only interaction you get. You have to go to extreme lengths to make it misbehave. This means that it wont bite you when you least expect it, but also makes for a rather boring driving experience. On the upside the four-wheel-drive gives you great traction out of corners. The engine is a gem. Torquey, eager, smooth, and it makes a lovely muted roar as it gets to the top of the rev range. The Alfa also has a beautifully tuneful engine, though it isnt as smooth or eager to rev as the Audis. And while it was easy to press on in the Audi, you certainly have to have your wits about when driving the Alfa. Push into a corner and, in typical front-wheel-drive fashion, the nose will run wide, and when it does, there is little you can do about it except back off until you lose enough speed to bring the nose back into line. This will either become irritating or it will pose as a challenge for the driver to try and tame that wild front end. It came as quite a surprise then that the Alfas time of 147.006 is faster than the Audi (147.782), but it took a lot more concentration to extract the best from the Alfa. Time for the 350Z to show what its made of, and with rear-wheel-drive it should feel right at home on the track. When charging around on the track, one has to take in consideration the weight of the Z. Delicacy is the key here, as tackling the Z with fists of ham will only result in understeer. It is however possible to hustle the Z along quite nicely, following the correct line, with just a hint of oversteer when power is applied at the exits of corners. Things can get quite interesting though if you fling it into a corner on a trailing throttle and then put on the power as soon as possible, resulting in some glorious slides. While the chassis might inspire confidence, the engine doesnt. Its basically a Renault lump, and feels like it would be more at home in a cruiser rather than a sporty GT. Its got enough power and ample torque, but it doesnt feel particularly eager and smooth, and the noise really is nothing to write home about. Nothing however prepared me for the sheer pace of the Z. Earlier tests shown that the Z is considerably faster than both the TT and the GT. A lap time of 139.942, the Nissan is a full eight seconds quicker than the other two.
I adore the Alfa, it looks gorgeous, has a lovely engine, but its erratic behaviour isnt suited to the track. The Audi also has a brilliant engine, but on the track the chassis, although safe and surefooted, makes for a rather unforgettable experience. The Nissan on the other hand doesnt have the best engine here, but its chassis and sheer pace more than makes up for it. Ad to that the price of the 350Z which is less than the other two, and its not difficult to see why its the car of choice here.
The Times: (Speed measured in mph)
0 - 60, 0 - 100, Top speed, 1 - 400m, 0 - 1000m and Best lap
Nissan 350Z
0 - 60: 5.9
0 - 100: 13.3
Top speed: 173
1 - 400m: 14.335
0 - 1000m: 25.436
Best lap: 139.942
Audi TT 3.2 Quattro
0 - 60: 6.5
0 - 100: 15.1
Top speed: 158
1 - 400m: 15.139
0 - 1000m: 27.447
Best lap: 147.782
Alfa Romeo GT 3.2 V6 24V
0 - 60: 8
0 - 100: 17.5
Top speed: 158
1 - 400m: 16.068
0 - 1000m: 27.980
Best lap: 147.006
The Basics:
Price (Cr.), Power (Bhp/rpm) and Torque (Lb ft/rpm)
Nissan 350Z
Price: 33, 00
Power: 276/6200
Torque: 278/4800
Audi TT 3.2 Quattro
Price: 57, 740
Power: 246/6300
Torque: 237/3200
Alfa Romeo GT 3.2 V6 24V
Price: 39, 010
Power: 236/6200
Torque: 221/4800
One of the things a Coupe has to achieve is to look good. And good looks are certainly present with our little international trio. Despite some initial handling issues the Audi TT was an instant hit. And its not difficult to see why. The TT is a very sexy little number, for sexy couples, couples called Tony and Guy. Audi injected the TT with some testosterone by slotting in a 3.2-litre six-cylinder engine producing 246bhp, which it will need because the TT is going up against the Nissan 350Z. With a well sorted chassis and 280bhp, the 350Z will certainly be the car to beat here. For good measure the stunning Alfa Romeo GT will be joining the test, but with front-wheel-drive, will it be able to cope?
As it is the benchmark the 350Z is first on the line. 60 Arrives in 5.9sec, topping out at a very impressive 173mph. The 0-400m time of 14.335sec was hampered though by merely adequate traction. No such trouble in the Audi, with four-wheel-drive you only need to pile on the revs before it launches of the line with minimal fuss. It came as a big surprise then that the Tittie couldnt beat the Zed to 60, taking 6.5sec, a 0-400m time of 15.139sec, and trailing behind with a top speed of 158mph. Traction will always be a concern with the Alfa. Being front-wheel-drive, wheelspin has to be carefully moderated to get any sort of decent times. Setting a 0-400m time of 16.068sec, passing 60mph in 8sec flat it is the slowest car here. Though it did post the same top speed as the Audi, It did get there faster. Indeed, with more space Im sure the Alfa could have beaten the Audi. Evidence of this lies in the 0-1000m time. Where the Alfa was about 1sec behind the Audi at 400 meters, it claws its way up by nearly half a second (Audi: 27.447sec, Alfa: 27.980sec) by the time they reach the 1000m mark. Again its the Nissan posting the fastest time here with 25.436sec.
So things arent looking up for the Alfa and Audi. Maybe a few laps at the East Course of Motegi will change things. The four-wheel-drive of the TT makes it really easy to explore its limits, and at the limit it simply understeers. A lift of the throttle will tuck the nose back into line, but that is about the only interaction you get. You have to go to extreme lengths to make it misbehave. This means that it wont bite you when you least expect it, but also makes for a rather boring driving experience. On the upside the four-wheel-drive gives you great traction out of corners. The engine is a gem. Torquey, eager, smooth, and it makes a lovely muted roar as it gets to the top of the rev range. The Alfa also has a beautifully tuneful engine, though it isnt as smooth or eager to rev as the Audis. And while it was easy to press on in the Audi, you certainly have to have your wits about when driving the Alfa. Push into a corner and, in typical front-wheel-drive fashion, the nose will run wide, and when it does, there is little you can do about it except back off until you lose enough speed to bring the nose back into line. This will either become irritating or it will pose as a challenge for the driver to try and tame that wild front end. It came as quite a surprise then that the Alfas time of 147.006 is faster than the Audi (147.782), but it took a lot more concentration to extract the best from the Alfa. Time for the 350Z to show what its made of, and with rear-wheel-drive it should feel right at home on the track. When charging around on the track, one has to take in consideration the weight of the Z. Delicacy is the key here, as tackling the Z with fists of ham will only result in understeer. It is however possible to hustle the Z along quite nicely, following the correct line, with just a hint of oversteer when power is applied at the exits of corners. Things can get quite interesting though if you fling it into a corner on a trailing throttle and then put on the power as soon as possible, resulting in some glorious slides. While the chassis might inspire confidence, the engine doesnt. Its basically a Renault lump, and feels like it would be more at home in a cruiser rather than a sporty GT. Its got enough power and ample torque, but it doesnt feel particularly eager and smooth, and the noise really is nothing to write home about. Nothing however prepared me for the sheer pace of the Z. Earlier tests shown that the Z is considerably faster than both the TT and the GT. A lap time of 139.942, the Nissan is a full eight seconds quicker than the other two.
I adore the Alfa, it looks gorgeous, has a lovely engine, but its erratic behaviour isnt suited to the track. The Audi also has a brilliant engine, but on the track the chassis, although safe and surefooted, makes for a rather unforgettable experience. The Nissan on the other hand doesnt have the best engine here, but its chassis and sheer pace more than makes up for it. Ad to that the price of the 350Z which is less than the other two, and its not difficult to see why its the car of choice here.
The Times: (Speed measured in mph)
0 - 60, 0 - 100, Top speed, 1 - 400m, 0 - 1000m and Best lap
Nissan 350Z
0 - 60: 5.9
0 - 100: 13.3
Top speed: 173
1 - 400m: 14.335
0 - 1000m: 25.436
Best lap: 139.942
Audi TT 3.2 Quattro
0 - 60: 6.5
0 - 100: 15.1
Top speed: 158
1 - 400m: 15.139
0 - 1000m: 27.447
Best lap: 147.782
Alfa Romeo GT 3.2 V6 24V
0 - 60: 8
0 - 100: 17.5
Top speed: 158
1 - 400m: 16.068
0 - 1000m: 27.980
Best lap: 147.006
