While the Toyota Supra was dormant, Nissan Z-Cars were waiting for their main competition to return. Now, we can put the Nissan Z up against the Toyota Supra.
The battle of the Japanese performance cars is three decades in the making, although the Supra took much of that time off. The Nissan Z is the latest and greatest evolution of the Z-Car family that began with the Datsun 240Z. The Supra returned with a build and powertrain made to be extremely similar to the BMW Z4. Which of these two sports cars is the one you’ll want to drive and enjoy? Let’s find out.
How do these two cars compare in size?
The Nissan is 0.1 inch shorter in overall length than the Supra, putting these two sports cars extremely close in terms of size. The Nissan is 0.4 inches narrower and 0.9 inches taller than the Supra, which makes the Toyota a sportier car than the Nissan. The biggest difference in measurements is found in the wheelbase. The Nissan Z has a wheelbase of 100.4 inches. The Toyota Supra has a shorter wheelbase, measuring 97.2 inches.
Which car has more power?
When comparing the Nissan Z with the Toyota Supra, one car stands out as having more power. The Nissan Z was almost named the 400Z because it uses a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine that’s rated at 400 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. The Toyota Supra uses a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline 6-cylinder engine that’s supplied by BMW. This engine makes 382 horsepower and 368 lb-ft of torque. Clearly, the Nissan Z is the more powerful of these two incredible Japanese sports cars.
How does the balance and weight compare?
Power and size don’t mean much if its not balanced properly. These two impressive sports cars masterfully handle both wight and balance to make driving more fun. The Nissan tips the scales at 3507 pounds while the Toyota comes in at a slender 3382 pounds. This means the lighter Supra might be able to outperform the Z on the track.
The other side of this coin is how the weight is balanced. The Nissan has 56.4 percent of its weight on the front tires, while the Toyota has 51.7 percent up front. The Supra is a more balanced car, which could translate to better track handling.
Which car hits 60 mph sooner?
The sprint from 0-60 mph is one of the most important tests of any car and these two are impressively- quick. The Nissan Z and Toyota Supra are two exciting cars to take to any track for some testing. The Z hits 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, which is pretty quick, but not quite as fast as the Supra. The Toyota sports car hits the same mark in only 3.7 seconds, making it faster.
It’s important to note that the comparison of these two models was done with the Nissan using a 6-speed manual transmission while the Toyota has an 8-speed automatic for the shifting.
The differences between these two cars stay consistent when the race extends to a quarter-mile run. The Nissan Z finishes this sprint in 13.0 seconds at 111 mph compared to the Toyota Supra, which finishes in 12.2 seconds at 114 mph.
Which car has better handling on the road?
The Toyota Supra benefits from BMW’s driving prowess and technology as a sharp and precise performer on the winding roads. The suspension is tuned to handle every road perfectly. The playfulness of the Supra is incredible, putting a huge smile on your face when you’ve completed a canyon run and finally emerge on a straightaway.
When faced with the same challenges, the Nissan Z doesn’t have the same confidence as the Supra. The downhill drive makes things a bit more challenging in the Nissan, where the front contact patch can lose some grip. The Nissan sports car has much more tire noise than the Toyota, especially when rolling through the turns.
Which car is more affordable?
The base Nissan Z starts at $41,015 for the Sport trim while the Toyota Supra begins at $44,565. This base Supra model has the 2.0-liter engine that generates 255 horsepower, which isn’t in the same ballpark as the Nissan.
If you want the 6-cylinder Supra, you’ll need to pay $52,915, which is only slightly more affordable than the Z Performance trim, which costs $53,610. If you upgrade the Supra to the Premium trim, you’ll pay $57,260.
The Nissan Z and Toyota Supra make for an excellent comparison. The Supra is faster and more agile, but you’ll pay $8,000 more for its performance and won’t have the fun of the 6-speed manual transmission found in the Nissan Z.
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