Styling...Porsche Cayman, 350Z & the 240Z..your thoughts

[Toecutter]

I think you'll all agree the whole retro styling come back for car manufacturers has been big over the last few years. Cars like the new Mustang, Fords new GT40, and recently I've seen magazines showing off a retro concept Lamborghini Miura that looks kick ass. Well I was thinking about this in regards to the look of the 350Z even though it is a nice looking car it's a real shame the Japs did'nt go down the retro path on the 350Z. Perhaps there are issues with the apparent really bad aerodynamics in the S30 as I've recently read on a hybridZ thread but I'm sure they could have worked more closely around the original S30 styling. Having said all that I was admiring the lines on the new Porsche Cayman whilst on the freeway recently and noticed how close the cars rear end styling is to the old S30, take notice of the rear quarter window, the bump over the rear wheel and even the rear hatch glass.

[Natez]

there has been discussion on the next Z34, which i think won't come out till after the gtr, as nissan usualy let there cars sit for a number of years... but id hope that this newer Z looks more retro, and has that top of the they cayrenne look.

 

but the Z33 does look alot like a bigger brother of the Z33, if you look more closely at it as well,

[Toecutter]

Oh this is a nice shape!

http://www.marcos-eng.com/gallery.html

[nat0_240_chevZ]

even though it is a nice looking car it's a real shame the Japs did'nt go down the retro path on the 350Z. Perhaps there are issues with the apparent really bad aerodynamics in the S30 as I've recently read on a hybridZ thread but I'm sure they could have worked more closely around the original S30 styling.

 

id say thats an unfair comment!!

 

id say the aero problems are very miniscule compared to most cars.

the 240z and the rx7 in their time had the most advanced aero package int their time, i do believe the had about a 0.71 Cd aero efficiency, what lets the zed down is the blunt shape of the rear end, as its not the leading edge its the trailing edge which affects the wake, in which a vehichle leaves going through the air!!!!

 

just look at most cars now, all have a nice sharp rear end just look at th caymen above!!

 

And what they talk about hybridz is their tendancy to swallow up exhaust gas whilst driving as we all know!!! all the car needs to aid this is a small wing with a sharp lip, and/or a rear under diffuser, like most other modern cars.

 

nato

[Azon]

Oh this is a nice shape!

http://www.marcos-eng.com/gallery.html

Yeah that looks cool, and another interesting one:

http://www.wiesmann-auto-sport.de/egtfrontc.html

[Toecutter]

Nato, without a decent front spoiler the car lifts quite a bit at the front at high speeds, the steering gets quite light and having to add a rear fin spoiler to stop fuming is very ordinary engineering in my books. I don't know any thing about comprable drag co-efficeints of cars of this time but how good can it be if you've got a small hurricane blowing under the car at 160km/hr?? Don't get me wrong I love these old cars but they were built to a budget for a mass market and it was done by a Japanese company that does what modern Japan has become well known for which is half decent quality mass production knock offs.

Any how I do't mean to stray off the topic but I reckon the Marcos above has pretty nice lines or better still the DB9, now thats one sexy looking car!

[nat0_240_chevZ]

well i also disagree about the 160kmh+ driving experience.

i have personally driven a fairly stock s30 with a pumped motor up our freeway @ 210+kmh (corrected speed). I cant even begin to say how low the front end dropped and felt like it was stuck to the roads like bubble gum on a hot day. Steering was extremly direct and only needed firm fine adjustments to send you where you want to go. It would have to be the most stable car i have ever had at that sort of speed (bar a motorbike). r32gts and z32 tt are close behind but just didnt compare.

 

i would hate however to loose it at speed as the s30's look worse for wear once invloved in a crash.

 

I do aggree with your statements about the japanese markets of the time etc etc, but remember these cars in their day were a great little piece of motoring technology. comparing them to our newer counterparts is unfair on the old girl.

 

I also believe that the side on roof line & body profile (well most of it)was used in the Z33 350z, i do see the olds shape but i just cant get past the uglyness of the front and rear bars etc.

 

i also would love to see a retro restyle of the 240z, utilising an inline 2.4 six with massive turbos. still called the 240z with a few touches from the skyline gtr but rwd.

 

nato

[Toecutter]

hmmm...210 in a stock 240 sounds scary, anyhow I was'nt comparing the 240 to any modern car just the old jag and porsche of the time, but yer the 240 would have been pretty good bang for your buck in it's day and no need to even start on styling, I know we all agree on that point.

I started a similar thread ages ago on classic Z which turned into a discussion on the whole retro thing in car design. I was surprised at how many people thought going retro showed a lack of imagination by car companies and thought it was just a cash in on the nostalgic aspects of some of the older cars. I suppose you could see it that way when you look at how many companies have done it over the last 5 or 6 years. I still reckon it would have been cool to see more retro styling. I like the 350z as a car on it's own but I would prefer to drive something like a DB9 with a Z badge on it! :wink:

[nat0_240_chevZ]

:oops: :oops: :oops: actually in a 2+2 :oops: :oops: :oops:

 

lol

 

had a 240k motor with modified oilpickup and a zed sump, motor was off its face, 10.8:1 comp, 30/70 cam diashed pistons but massively shaved head and larger valves. was in a 2+2 til the dizzy clamp came loose over advanced, and melted cyl #1.

 

but yes 210 was very fast but it did not feel scary.... not sure if its cause of the heaver 2+2 or not???

 

anyways yes the e-type jag, 2000GT and other similar cars of the time were the pinicale of road cars back then!!!!

 

yea the db series cars are a great example of moder sport coupe design. id almost write them off as a modern Z at heart bar the british manufacturer. which is odd, not very british when you think of the morgon and rovers etc!!! lol

 

nato

[sco_aus]

I did 230+kph in mine and although i wasnt scared of the handling, i would rather not do it again without a front bar at least. It was fine around 200 though.

[pauly_adams]

i agree my stock 260 2+2 went 200km/h isnt so bad i didnt even notice i was chasing a mate in a magna yes a magna doing 190k's + and its felt smoth as silk no idea that i was going so quick i didnt even think it would go that quick lol

[nat0_240_chevZ]

yea, well i thought s the car feeling light & twitchy sounded not only incorrect but not like the Zed.

 

Ok, there is the case where if your car is faaark'd, ie small crash, bad wheel alignment, bad bushes, ball joints, tie rods, tyres, shocks etc.

 

but if your car is, well, not good, then dont even try, id prefer to buy the car you would consider attempting it in ant a reduced price of corse before YOU KILL YOURSELF.

 

Just dont try, and sell me your car instead!!!! :lol:

 

nato

[Toecutter]

Yer, nice. Thanks for the encouraging words nato...there's always gotta be a cheeky peanut on every forum hey...well I hope to get the car going as it should over the coming weeks if I get time then hopefully get a cruise organised down the Great Ocean Road so that should give it a good test re handling.

To be honest I have'nt had my Z to those speeds as it has'nt been regoed in over three years now and it's lucky to get started once a month but I've read this many a time at high speeds the S30 lifts. Perhaps putting a figure on it was wrong of me.

Anyhow many reasons for lack of driving like wheel arches needed to be cut, just done recently. Front end needs wheel alignment since bigger wheels were fitted and there are a couple more on the list like bigger brakes that are sitting in a box ready to be fitted front and rear.

I hope to get these sort of minor things done before I tear the back of my house down for an extension as the Z will once again be pushed to the back of the priority list and sit there in the back corner of the warehouse at work!

 

REally got way off the topic now though.

[RBZ 260]

i thought ill make a contibution to this.

 

i love porsches and the cayman even if has the design styling similar to the 240z i dont like the big roudness of the roof at front.

 

Another car that i think pinched some design cues from 240z is the Hyundai Tiburon. After seeing one this morning on the road.

 

i know its a hyundai but it is a failry good looking car. pitty its front wheel drive. it has the similar rear 1/4 window trratment and flowing roof.

 

the blue one is the latest facelifted model but i think the yellow one looks even better and its the previous model.

 

i do agree manufacturers are going back in time looking at sucsessfull models and taking their design cues. as reflected on many new cars.

 

though i wouldnt want to see a 240z copy come again to market but a similar looking one would be nice. the aero issues can easily get fixed. just check the new mustang perfect example new looking like retro.

[620Z]

Well I took my car for a test drive last weekend and up to 200klms in a short burst. Felt as stable and safe as anything. Admittedly a fare bit has been done to mine, not to mention the G-nose which was partly done for the high speed stability. I have always worried about the large open section at the front of the 240 & 260's around the radiator section. This must contribute to a lot of distorted air flow over the car at high speeds. Mind you a stock Zed does tend to wonder or float over 200klm unless you are going in a straight line. Given the age of the car it was certainly setting the pace on performance and styling though. My 20cents worth.

[Toecutter]

Hmmm...200km/hr...keep an out for coppers mate. Well as soon as I get the list of 15 items :? sorted on my car I'll test it out!

 

Just a side note on Z styling, well sort of anyway, I know alot of people hate the sunroof thing on a Z but I saw a good steel one at the Nats on a yellow Z and looking through the gallery noticed the one rbz260 has installed. Looks very neat, like factory! Maybe you could start a thread on this rbz260. If I had a hole in my roof that would be the sort of installation I would want.

 

A that Hyundai does look ok in real life, the badge kills it though!

[RBZ 260]

heheh whats this going over 200km/h thing on here with old z.

 

ill give it a shot on a "race track" :roll: when mine gets on the road but having 4.4 diff may be strugling a bit but hey will get there quite quickly. one way to find out.

 

As for sunroof Toecutter i started to do it the other day but my crapy internet died half way through it and lost all the crap i wrote. so i only added few pics in the gallery ill try again.

 

hyundai yeah very nice looking car pitty its front wheeler and got that badge that looses more money per week than can go fast.

[Mr Camouflage]

I was admiring the lines on the new Porsche Cayman whilst on the freeway recently and noticed how close the cars rear end styling is to the old S30, take notice of the rear quarter window, the bump over the rear wheel and even the rear hatch glass.

 

Old post bump. 

 

I was parked next to the newer model Cayman yesterday, and noticed Porsche had revised the Cayman at some point.

 

It now looks even more like an S30 window shape than the earlier model.