Many in the automotive enthusiast community are eagerly awaiting the latest all-new production Z car. We know what it will look like already. We also know what kind of powertrain it’s going to sport. What we didn’t know was how well it would put that power down. Today, that changes.
The folks over at NissanZClub have recorded a video of what appears to be a development prototype of the Z in a roll race with what is said to be a modified Subaru STI. The results aren’t exactly competitive either. The Nissan has no trouble whatsoever putting multiple car lengths on the Subaru.
Let’s break down what we know, what we don’t know, and what we can surmise from this short but interesting video. First, the Nissan Z appears to be the same one filmed a few months ago by the YouTube channel Burnt Rubber. They found it in the wild and were treated to a pretty hard launch by the test driver.
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In the same video (check it below), we see that the car has a nine-speed automatic transmission fitted to the twin-turbo V6 under the hood (we’ll also get a six-speed manual). That engine is supposed to ship with 400-horsepower and 350 lb-ft (475 Nm) of torque so we presume this car has at least that much on board.
The Subaru in this new video is largely unknown. Yes, it’s certainly a WRX and very well might be an STI though there’s nothing in the video or the documentation to confirm that. The sound though tells us a little bit more.
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Having driven a highly modified Subaru WRX for a decade, I can confirm that this car isn’t stock. The exhaust is much louder than standard and the way it burbles under partial throttle indicates that as well. At the same time, it’s not some hardcore racer either.
Notice how slowly the STI revs through its gears. That’s a tell-tale example of the top-end power drop-off that WRXs are notorious for. At the heart of the problem is the fairly small turbocharger fitted to the flat-four engine. Larger turbochargers tend to fix this problem but they often create quite a bit of lag below 3,500 rpm.
What can we take away from this video then? The new Nissan Z car looks like it’ll be properly quick right out of the gate. We can’t wait to see it and drive it ourselves.