Nissan 350z - aug. 23 2010 - v0.5

[theSnail .@y]

Hello everybody - tout le monde

As you've seen in the GT4 specs thread, c14 and I built a GT4 Nissan 350z.
I think it's better to keep the GT4 specs thread for specs and regulations and have a separate thread for the car …

v0.3 has the same engine as v0.1, different suspensions, different swaybars. So the car is less oversteering and more stable as long as you don't floor it in bumps and turns

v0.5 has a less powerful engine, higher front air resistance, slightly stronger suspensions and narrower tires. So, its handling is less easy and its speed now compares with the other GT4s (see the GT4 Specs thread …).

Comments are welcome.

Update : v0.5
Please download here

[A-rod]

Very nice work on the GT4!

...problem is, the regular 350Z crashes for me.

[Tomte]

The included stock version crashes Redline because it references to a non-existent body model (Nissan350zBodyNoWingStock.mdl).

About the engine, you already seem to have some doubts about them...
Brook's .car editor says that the Nissan GT4 engine puts out more than the quoted 385 hp (you might have already checked the power curve). While I don't doubt the 385 hp from a 3.5l engine, 422 Nm are kinda high.
The power curve and the usual formulas show that already at max torque rpm (6500 rpm), the engine develops 385 hp (which it should only do at 8500 rpm).
If that engine where to produce 420 Nm out of 3.5l, then it would need to run a similar compression ratio as an TCC, F3, or F1 engine, but GT4 engines are not that highly tuned.
So your source says the engine produces 43 mkg at 6500 rpm... well, I don't believe it . The rpm seem right given that the max power arrives at 8500 rpm. I think that 370-380 Nm are much more realistic.

[theSnail .@y]

Huh - did I include the stock 350z already ?
It's impossible to live in the future

Well - that's a bug - I forgot to delete the stock .car. Silly me.
I'll make another one and go back to my previous engine settings, which seemed more accurate.

Done - see 1st post to get v0.3.
Sorry for the inconvenience.

[A-rod]

Done - see 1st post to get v0.3.
Sorry for the inconvenience.

Thanks.

I like the GT4--it's a great looking car (although those wheels look more ricer-ish than racer-ish )

I sincerely hope you'll include some sort of radical rear wing, if only for appearance reasons.

As for driving impressions, the car feels, IMO, a lot heavier than it is. There's a lot of understeer going into turns, but then if you try to shift direction immediately after, the car gets real loose, as if inertia is off or CoG is too high?

I dunno...it also just feels less responsive than I think a GT4 should be--more like a solid axle muscle car, perhaps?

[Tomte]

I sincerely hope you'll include some sort of radical rear wing, if only for appearance reasons.

I guess you know my opinion about that.

Intertia and CoG seem to be correct from what I can see in the 350Z's .car. Perhaps lowering the differential lock a tad might help here.

The handling should stay somewhat close to the road cars, the GT4 will be the worst handling of all race cars we have. TCC cars should be able to get very similar lap times with higher cornering speeds compared to GT4 cars. I must say that the GT4 cars in general turned out to be less understeering that I thought they would be, but sure enough, they will understeer.

[theSnail .@y]

Thanks for the comments.

I like the GT4--it's a great looking car (although those wheels look more ricer-ish than racer-ish )

Hehe, the wheels are not the right ones. c14 delivered beautifull wheels I'm having problems with. We're working on this …

I sincerely hope you'll include some sort of radical rear wing, if only for appearance reasons.

Nope, this should be the road version and it will stay like that in its GT4 version.
To tell you the truth, c14 sent me a winged version. So there might be a winged 350z in the future, along with a stock version.

As for driving impressions, the car feels, IMO, a lot heavier than it is. There's a lot of understeer going into turns, but then if you try to shift direction immediately after, the car gets real loose, as if inertia is off or CoG is too high?
I dunno...it also just feels less responsive than I think a GT4 should be--more like a solid axle muscle car, perhaps?

Road cars don't turn well at high speeds. A GT4 is just that after all …
Try a bit of full throttle while turning. It might help in some situations … if you don't loose control

[Tomte]

Road cars don't turn well at high speeds. A GT4 is just that after all …
Try a bit of full throttle while turning. It might help in some situations … if you don't loose control

That's the right attitude: there is nothing wrong with the car, you just need to adapt your driving style

[djpimley]

That's the right attitude: there is nothing wrong with the car, you just need to adapt your driving style

AC Cobra style! "Aerodynamics, downforce? Yeah, we've heard of them. Shut up and drive like you're enjoying it."

[NoNameBrand]

The real thing is not a perfectly balanced car. It understeers. IIRC, Top Gear described it as a muscle car.

[theSnail .@y]

As for driving impressions ...it also just feels ... like a solid axle muscle car

The real thing is not a perfectly balanced car. It understeers. IIRC, Top Gear described it as a muscle car.

... there is nothing wrong with the car, ...

Hehe that's what I call a consensus

[theSnail .@y]

Updated to v0.5 - see 1st post for the link.

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