Considerably better value than its closest rival from Toyota, the Z features a twin-turbo V6 lump, thus bringing it closer to the GT-R than the Z cars before it. Pictured with a full wrap featuring black decals on the lower bodysides, the Japanese coupe in the video below isn't your usual Z.
For starters, this fellow is a Proto Spec, meaning that only 240 examples of the breed were offered for the US market. Owned by George of Sac City Auto Parts, the car had its factory wheels removed in favor of black-painted Gram Lights from RAYS. The intakes and exhaust system are obviously aftermarket as well, meaning that we're dealing with a little bit more than 400 horsepower at the flywheel.
As a brief refresher, Nissan quotes 400 hp (406 ps) at 6,400 revolutions per minute and 350 lb-ft (475 Nm) at 1,600 through 5,200 revolutions per minute. Redlining at 6,800 revs, the VR30DDTT hiding under the hood is connected to a good ol' manual with a modern twist: no-lift shifting.
Feal coilovers and Toyo Proxes R888 sticky rubber also need to be mentioned, along with a claimed 3,599 pounds (1,632 kilograms) instead of 3,536 pounds (1,604 kilograms). Whatever it may be, it's pretty obvious the car weighs in excess of 1.6 metric tons with the driver onboard.
Pictured at the Santa Margarita Ranch private airstrip, the Z has to prove itself worthy against a tastefully modified R34. This generation of the Skyline GT-R was produced between 1999 and 2002, meaning that all versions of the R34 make 276 horsepower on paper. In truth, Nissan couldn’t care less about the gentleman's agreement that limited JDMs to 276 ponies. Rather than Nissan, rival automaker Honda broke said agreement in 2004 with the fourth-generation Legend (advertised with 296 hp/300 ps).
Photo: Hoonigan on YouTube
As implied by the carbon-fiber hood, this 1999 model isn't exactly stock either. Also equipped with a manual (the Getrag V-series transmission that Toyota also used in the fourth-gen Supra), the Skyline boasts HKS camshafts, GReddy aluminum piping, an oil filter relocation kit, Volk TE37 forged monoblock wheels, Yokohama ADVAN Apex tires, HKS suspension, and an aftermarket exhaust.
The list further includes a NISMO rear wing, a MOMO steering wheel, a Pioneer touchscreen head unit, and APEXi Power FC engine management. Gifted with a factory V-Spec diffuser and two child seats in the rear, the Skyline reportedly weighs 3,348 pounds (1,519 kilograms) sans driver. In addition to packing an inline-six rather than six cylinders arranged in a V, the Skyline also differs from the Z through AWD instead of RWD.
Over the course of 1,000 feet, which is almost 305 meters in the metric system, Sean of Toprank Importers makes easy work of George. The R34 asserts dominance twice from a dig and once from a rolling start, but alas, Sean couldn't do anything about that Z in the second of two roll races.
It's easy to imagine the Z doing a better job with AWD. Technically speaking, Nissan could do it tomorrow because the Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400 came with either rear- or all-wheel drive. Given this information, chances are the Z will receive all-wheel-drive at some point in the near future.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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