2026 Nissan Z Heritage edition

[XutvJet]

A current gen Miata is not slow. It will outrun 98% of the vehicles on the road in a straight line. It runs 14.2-14.5@96-97mph 1/4 mile times. There aren't a ton of new cars and trucks out there that can claim those numbers. Sure there are some, but you make it sound like all new cars are as fast or faster and that simply isn't true at all.

HP and torque are very important to you. It's ok, but don't let it blind you into believing that something like a Miata isn't a sports car just because it has 181hp. It is one of the few true sports cars on the market and has been for a very long time. It might be one of the slowest sports cars but it doesn't make it any less than a sports car.

[RM7]

It's more than a Celica had in 2000.

And still a good 20-25 more lb/ft of torque than the more powerful Celica engine from the same year.

And yes, I realize that 99% of drivers just care about going fast in a straight line. That's why they don't understand it.

[RM7]

Originally Posted by BlkGS

I don't care what a bunch of Miata fan it's say on Google. If you're getting gapped by Samantha in her Honda Odyssey on the way to pick her kids up from school, you aren't a sports car.

All you care about is straight line. By this measure, Tesla is the ultimate sports car.

[Phillies8008]

It kinda sounds like he wants a dragster, not a sports car. Straight line speed doesn't help you too much on twisty roads, which are kind of the definition of sports car fun.

[MisanoblueZ4]

Originally Posted by BlkGS

HP isn't above all else... You just have to meet a minimum amount to be a sports car. The Miata does not meet this minimum requirement. It's SLOW. It has ALWAYS been slow. At a stop light it would get embarassed by a minivan or a full size truck. You don't get to call yourself a sports car when you get gapped by a Home Depot rental with bags of mulch in the back.

I don't care what a bunch of Miata fan it's say on Google. If you're getting gapped by Samantha in her Honda Odyssey on the way to pick her kids up from school, you aren't a sports car.

So what your saying is despite the Miata fitting the vast and overwhelming definition of a Sports Car….you don’t agree. That’s your right to be wrong.

There is more to life then straight line acceleration, luckily for car enthusiasts sports cars like the Miata are still built which are an absolute blast to drive on winding roads.

BTW getting back to this Nissan Z thread topic, despite a 400hp engine, Nissan has expressly said on record the Z was built to be a GT. So you have a fast 2 door 2 seat car that Nissan engineers won’t call a sports car….how about those apples lol.

[BlkGS]

I I'm fact don't like dragster cars. I like BALANCED cars that do everything. A Miata is a 5.7 second to 60 car. An F150 with the V6 in the remote (read: big lifted truck) super crew cab is 5.3 to 60. My wife's Expedition is 5.5 to 60.

I don't care about having a 2 second 0-60 time, but you can't call yourself a sports car when you're that slow. It's slower than a Honda Accord 2.0t which is just traffic. Even the Elantra N is significantly faster, clocking off 5 second 0-60 sprints.

I get it, Miata puts all its eggs in the "lightness" basket. But it's slow, and it doesn't have great grip. I get it, people like light cars. So do I. But they need to be more than just light, having some actual performance characteristics is what makes a car a sports car instead of slow but light roadster

[25 V8 IS]

If I cared about HP and 0-60 times I certainly would not have purchased an IS500. It's slower than every other car in its class, but when you get that sweet V8 sound, it just doesn't matter anymore.

[LH44]

LOL

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by BlkGS

I I'm fact don't like dragster cars. I like BALANCED cars that do everything. A Miata is a 5.7 second to 60 car. An F150 with the V6 in the remote (read: big lifted truck) super crew cab is 5.3 to 60. My wife's Expedition is 5.5 to 60.

I don't care about having a 2 second 0-60 time, but you can't call yourself a sports car when you're that slow. It's slower than a Honda Accord 2.0t which is just traffic. Even the Elantra N is significantly faster, clocking off 5 second 0-60 sprints.

I get it, Miata puts all its eggs in the "lightness" basket. But it's slow, and it doesn't have great grip. I get it, people like light cars. So do I. But they need to be more than just light, having some actual performance characteristics is what makes a car a sports car instead of slow but light roadster

Sure, a Miata is slower in a straight line than a $60K+ Ecoboost 3.5 F150 or Expedition. An $80K 5.0L Tremor only can manage 6.0 second though.

Miatas have always been lower grip sports cars. Again, it's a sports car aimed at the larger group of sports car buyers that don't want a stiff ride or to be replacing tires every 15K-20K miles. The fix is really simple with a set of proper tires, springs/shocks, sway bars, and perhaps some brake pads and fluid. Literally $2K in mods will get you 1+ g of lateral grip and much better body control if that's what you want. Mods and expendables are damn cheap on these cars.

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by MisanoblueZ4

BTW getting back to this Nissan Z thread topic, despite a 400hp engine, Nissan has expressly said on record the Z was built to be a GT. So you have a fast 2 door 2 seat car that Nissan engineers won’t call a sports car….how about those apples lol.

Yep. The Z is not a sports car. Too much chassis compromise and a lot of weight for such a small car. Weight management is a characteristic of the sports car definition. If the Z was on it's own chassis, it would be significantly lighter.

[Alfisti]

I think your roads really matter, the Miata does well on absolute shitty roads where more stifly sprung cars just drive you insane. My 997 is a great car on a good road, i mean it's a joy to flog and it LOVES being flogged but fuck me on bad roads (of which there are plenty around) it's an ox cart.

[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by Alfisti

I think your roads really matter, the Miata does well on absolute shitty roads where more stifly sprung cars just drive you insane. My 997 is a great car on a good road, i mean it's a joy to flog and it LOVES being flogged but fuck me on bad roads (of which there are plenty around) it's an ox cart.

Put some Koni Sport adjustable shocks on it. The OEM 997/987 Porsche/Bilstein shocks do not do well on pavement cut, brittle roads, etc. The Koni's are a world of difference. Even with stiffer and lower Cayman R springs on my Cayman. The car has no business riding and handling so good while being as low as it is.