|
I've read somewhere that the TTZ is also good to about 600. A lot of minor differences exist between the two cars that favor the Supra ever so slightly. Since it's an inline 6 instead of a V6, the Supra develops a bit more torque. The turbo develops about 300 at 2,000rpm, and continues to put that out all the way to redline. A stock TTZ maxes out around 274 lbft, then falls back off. This continuous power output gives the Supra a 4.6 sec 0-60 time. Nissan chose a V configuration to move the center of mass further back, giving the Z a 55/45 weight distribution. But the turbo and non-turbo Supra's offer 53/47 and 51/49 respectively, despite the inline 6. Supras and RX-7's don't have the reputation for reliability that the MR2 and Z cars have, but the Supra's hood is just as packed as the TTZ. I think supply/demand is the biggest reason for the price difference, but if I were designing a sports car from scratch, it would look more like the Supra, or even Acura's NSX. The Supra's inline 6 engine allows its twin turbos to be placed sequentially, giving it fast revs and oodles of torque all along the power band. If I were designing a sports car, I would place an inline 6 in the middle (to remove much of the power loss you have in the drive train of a FR car like the Z), and pair a stage I turbo with a disengageable supercharger (like the MkI MR2). The super boosts low end torque while the turbo helps boost top end output. An air-water intercooler would help boost the efficiency of that forced induction setup, and the inline configuration reduces weight by cutting down on the number of intake and exhaust components. It also simplifies CVVTiming slightly. A low center of mass coupled with a high roll center gives you one heck of a skid pad!
--Albert "Maxx" Abramson |
21:51:15 10/21/02
