JAPANESE SPORTS CAR LESS THEN $60,000 (USD)
THE CARS
03 Mazda RX-8 Type S
02 Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type A
03 Nissan 350Z
01 Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec
00 Tommy Kaira ZZ-S
03 Honda S2000 Type V
97 Toyota Supra SZ-R
97 Toyota Supra RZ
Some may be looking for the WRX and Evo in this grouped but i am saving them for another test. Also the 02 Honda NSX Type R is far out of this price range, though i compared the NSX Type R in my last test and will put the date at the bottom. HP numbers are recorded from the garage lineup screen.
Points are awarded for position. Lowest score wins.
PRICE
1- 97 Toyota Supra RZ - $21,950 (used)
2- 97 Toyota Supra SZ-R- $22.099 (used)
3- 03 Mazda RX-8 Type S- $27,500
4- 03 Nissan 350Z- $33,000
5- 03 Honda S2000 Type V- $37,000
6- 02 Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type A- $38,980
7- 01 Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec - $59,500
7- 00 Tommy Kaira ZZ-S- $59,500
----
02 Honda NSX Type R-- $119,570 (8)
POWER/WEIGHT
1- 00 Tommy Kaira ZZ-S- 3.543
2- 02 Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type A- 4.272
3- 97 Toyota Supra RZ - 4.577
4- 03 Mazda RX-8 Type S- 4.597
5- 03 Nissan 350Z- 4.610
6- 01 Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec - 4.641
7- 03 Honda S2000 Type V- 5.185
8- 97 Toyota Supra SZ-R- 6.450
----
02 Honda NSX Type R-- 4.301 (3)
PERFORMANCE TESTS
All tests are run on stock cars. No changes have been made unless otherwise noted. No tuning is aloud between runs. Points are awarded for position. Lowest score wins. Only Fast Laps are shown.
0-400M (3 Attempts)
1- 01 Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec -- 13.290
2- 02 Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type A -- 13.624
3- 03 Nissan 350Z -- 13.666
4- 03 Mazda RX-8 Type S -- 14.580
5- 97 Toyota Supra RZ -- 14.068
6- 00 Tommy Kaira ZZ-S -- 14.578
7- 03 Honda S2000 Type V -- 14.918
8- 97 Toyota Supra SZ-R -- 15.426
----
02 Honda NSX Type R-- 13.266 (1)
0-1000M (3 Attempts)
1- 01 Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec -- 24.378
2- 02 Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type A -- 24.516
3- 03 Nissan 350Z -- 24.695
4- 97 Toyota Supra RZ -- 24.872
5- 03 Mazda RX-8 Type S -- 25.828
6- 00 Tommy Kaira ZZ-S -- 25.998
7- 03 Honda S2000 Type V -- 26.750
8- 97 Toyota Supra SZ-R -- 27.781
----
02 Honda NSX Type R-- 24.007 (1)
Top Speed (1)
1- 97 Toyota Supra RZ -- 179.9mph
2- 03 Nissan 350Z -- 172.71mph
3- 02 Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type A -- 172.51mph (Rev Limit)
4- 01 Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec -- 169.80mph
5- 03 Mazda RX-8 Type S -- 168.49mph
6- 00 Tommy Kaira ZZ-S -- 164.56mph
7- 03 Honda S2000 Type V -- 160.19mph
8- 97 Toyota Supra SZ-R -- 155.49mph
----
02 Honda NSX Type R-- 180.35mph (1)
Trail Mountain Circuit (3 Laps, B-Spec Level 3)
1- 02 Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type A -- 1.43.435
2- 03 Nissan 350Z -- 1.43.987
3- 97 Toyota Supra RZ -- 1.44.246
4- 01 Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec -- 1.44.527
5- 00 Tommy Kaira ZZ-S -- 1.45.708
6- 03 Mazda RX-8 Type S -- 1.45.962
7- 03 Honda S2000 Type V -- 1.46.818
8- 97 Toyota Supra SZ-R -- 1.49.769
----
02 Honda NSX Type R-- 1.42.196 (1)
NOTES:
03 Mazda RX-8 Type S:
Feels Slow at the bottom but moves pretty good over 100.
02 Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type A
Beats its younger brother by nearly a full second in the 1/4mile but runs out of breath in 4th gear and cant extend the lead in he 1000m. Could use another gear. Nearly 2.5sec faster around the road course then the RX-8!
03 Nissan 350Z
Great low end. Feels heavy and slow until you get to the finish line and see your time.
01 Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec
Awesome launch! Fast in a straight line but shows its weight around the road course.
00 Tommy Kaira ZZ-S
Disappointingly slow in a straight line and around the road course. I expected the car to be allot faster with the best power to weight ratio.
03 Honda S2000 Type V
Simply out gunned.
97 Toyota Supra SZ-R
Dont even bother with this one when the RZ is out there.
97 Toyota Supra RZ
Great performance for the possible really really low price.
TOTALS
02 Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type A-- 16
97 Toyota Supra RZ --17
03 Nissan 350Z--20
01 Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec-- 23
03 Mazda RX-8 Type S-- 27
00 Tommy Kaira ZZ-S-- 31
03 Honda S2000 Type V-- 40
97 Toyota Supra SZ-R-- 42
----
02 Honda NSX Type R-- (15)
FINAL THOUGHTS
Forget about anything after the RX-8. The RX-7 is great right out of the box, it handles like a dream , though a little more power never hurt anyone. The Supra is the performance bargain of the group. Find a used one and use the change to make a great car better. The 350Z feels heavy and the handling is numb, but its still fast. The Skyline is to expensive to perform as it does. for that much i would have expected a distinct performance edge but it this test it came in at the middle of the pack. I would take the mazda and use the rest of the $60,000 to mod the car. The RX-8 would be an awesome car with a little more power and a little less weight and with over $30,000 for mods you can do it. The ZZ-S is a joke, dont bother with it. The Honda has lots of potential but the 4 banger just wasn't up the the task here. Though a little pricey, the left over cash sould bring this car up a few levels to be competitive with the others. The SZ-R would be a great car with a Turbo upgrade....ooh ya. The NSX-R wins every single performance test, but at over $100,000 its not worth it. Spend that money on upgrading one the cars here and you will blow the NSX away. It was hard to pick a winner for me it was between the two Mazdas. The RX-8 is cheaper allowing for more upgrades, but the RX-7 was significantly better out of the box and it might take a chunk of cash to get the RX-8 up to its standards. So in the end, i say go with the RX-7.
SS
THE CARS
03 Mazda RX-8 Type S
02 Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type A
03 Nissan 350Z
01 Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec
00 Tommy Kaira ZZ-S
03 Honda S2000 Type V
97 Toyota Supra SZ-R
97 Toyota Supra RZ
Some may be looking for the WRX and Evo in this grouped but i am saving them for another test. Also the 02 Honda NSX Type R is far out of this price range, though i compared the NSX Type R in my last test and will put the date at the bottom. HP numbers are recorded from the garage lineup screen.
Points are awarded for position. Lowest score wins.
PRICE
1- 97 Toyota Supra RZ - $21,950 (used)
2- 97 Toyota Supra SZ-R- $22.099 (used)
3- 03 Mazda RX-8 Type S- $27,500
4- 03 Nissan 350Z- $33,000
5- 03 Honda S2000 Type V- $37,000
6- 02 Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type A- $38,980
7- 01 Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec - $59,500
7- 00 Tommy Kaira ZZ-S- $59,500
----
02 Honda NSX Type R-- $119,570 (8)
POWER/WEIGHT
1- 00 Tommy Kaira ZZ-S- 3.543
2- 02 Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type A- 4.272
3- 97 Toyota Supra RZ - 4.577
4- 03 Mazda RX-8 Type S- 4.597
5- 03 Nissan 350Z- 4.610
6- 01 Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec - 4.641
7- 03 Honda S2000 Type V- 5.185
8- 97 Toyota Supra SZ-R- 6.450
----
02 Honda NSX Type R-- 4.301 (3)
PERFORMANCE TESTS
All tests are run on stock cars. No changes have been made unless otherwise noted. No tuning is aloud between runs. Points are awarded for position. Lowest score wins. Only Fast Laps are shown.
0-400M (3 Attempts)
1- 01 Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec -- 13.290
2- 02 Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type A -- 13.624
3- 03 Nissan 350Z -- 13.666
4- 03 Mazda RX-8 Type S -- 14.580
5- 97 Toyota Supra RZ -- 14.068
6- 00 Tommy Kaira ZZ-S -- 14.578
7- 03 Honda S2000 Type V -- 14.918
8- 97 Toyota Supra SZ-R -- 15.426
----
02 Honda NSX Type R-- 13.266 (1)
0-1000M (3 Attempts)
1- 01 Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec -- 24.378
2- 02 Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type A -- 24.516
3- 03 Nissan 350Z -- 24.695
4- 97 Toyota Supra RZ -- 24.872
5- 03 Mazda RX-8 Type S -- 25.828
6- 00 Tommy Kaira ZZ-S -- 25.998
7- 03 Honda S2000 Type V -- 26.750
8- 97 Toyota Supra SZ-R -- 27.781
----
02 Honda NSX Type R-- 24.007 (1)
Top Speed (1)
1- 97 Toyota Supra RZ -- 179.9mph
2- 03 Nissan 350Z -- 172.71mph
3- 02 Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type A -- 172.51mph (Rev Limit)
4- 01 Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec -- 169.80mph
5- 03 Mazda RX-8 Type S -- 168.49mph
6- 00 Tommy Kaira ZZ-S -- 164.56mph
7- 03 Honda S2000 Type V -- 160.19mph
8- 97 Toyota Supra SZ-R -- 155.49mph
----
02 Honda NSX Type R-- 180.35mph (1)
Trail Mountain Circuit (3 Laps, B-Spec Level 3)
1- 02 Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type A -- 1.43.435
2- 03 Nissan 350Z -- 1.43.987
3- 97 Toyota Supra RZ -- 1.44.246
4- 01 Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec -- 1.44.527
5- 00 Tommy Kaira ZZ-S -- 1.45.708
6- 03 Mazda RX-8 Type S -- 1.45.962
7- 03 Honda S2000 Type V -- 1.46.818
8- 97 Toyota Supra SZ-R -- 1.49.769
----
02 Honda NSX Type R-- 1.42.196 (1)
NOTES:
03 Mazda RX-8 Type S:
Feels Slow at the bottom but moves pretty good over 100.
02 Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type A
Beats its younger brother by nearly a full second in the 1/4mile but runs out of breath in 4th gear and cant extend the lead in he 1000m. Could use another gear. Nearly 2.5sec faster around the road course then the RX-8!
03 Nissan 350Z
Great low end. Feels heavy and slow until you get to the finish line and see your time.
01 Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec
Awesome launch! Fast in a straight line but shows its weight around the road course.
00 Tommy Kaira ZZ-S
Disappointingly slow in a straight line and around the road course. I expected the car to be allot faster with the best power to weight ratio.
03 Honda S2000 Type V
Simply out gunned.
97 Toyota Supra SZ-R
Dont even bother with this one when the RZ is out there.
97 Toyota Supra RZ
Great performance for the possible really really low price.
TOTALS
02 Mazda RX-7 Spirit R Type A-- 16
97 Toyota Supra RZ --17
03 Nissan 350Z--20
01 Nissan Skyline GT-R M-Spec-- 23
03 Mazda RX-8 Type S-- 27
00 Tommy Kaira ZZ-S-- 31
03 Honda S2000 Type V-- 40
97 Toyota Supra SZ-R-- 42
----
02 Honda NSX Type R-- (15)
FINAL THOUGHTS
Forget about anything after the RX-8. The RX-7 is great right out of the box, it handles like a dream , though a little more power never hurt anyone. The Supra is the performance bargain of the group. Find a used one and use the change to make a great car better. The 350Z feels heavy and the handling is numb, but its still fast. The Skyline is to expensive to perform as it does. for that much i would have expected a distinct performance edge but it this test it came in at the middle of the pack. I would take the mazda and use the rest of the $60,000 to mod the car. The RX-8 would be an awesome car with a little more power and a little less weight and with over $30,000 for mods you can do it. The ZZ-S is a joke, dont bother with it. The Honda has lots of potential but the 4 banger just wasn't up the the task here. Though a little pricey, the left over cash sould bring this car up a few levels to be competitive with the others. The SZ-R would be a great car with a Turbo upgrade....ooh ya. The NSX-R wins every single performance test, but at over $100,000 its not worth it. Spend that money on upgrading one the cars here and you will blow the NSX away. It was hard to pick a winner for me it was between the two Mazdas. The RX-8 is cheaper allowing for more upgrades, but the RX-7 was significantly better out of the box and it might take a chunk of cash to get the RX-8 up to its standards. So in the end, i say go with the RX-7.
SS
