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Originally posted by iamchappy
I would like to know how a simular car such as mine with a 3.0 or better stacks up against a boxster or nissan 350z in acceleration.
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If you'll allow me to be an "armchair bozo" for a few minutes, we can look at the numbers.
350Z "track": 287 HP @ 6,200 rpm ; 274 lb-ft @ 4,800 rpm ; 3225 lbs. Nissan claims 5.4 seconds 0-60 MPH.
Pretty even HP and TQ, probably shows a reasonably flexible engine. 11.23 lb/HP is a pretty decent figure.
Base Boxster 2.7L: 225 HP @ 6,300 RPM ; 192 lb-ft @ 4,700 RPM ; 2810 lbs. Porsche claims a 6.4 second 0-62 MPH sprint. (NOTE: 0-60 would be a touch quicker.)
HP is significantly more than TQ, giving us a somewhat rev-happy engine that is a little bit lacking at lower RPMs. You have to work to keep the motor in the "fun zone". 12.48 lb/HP is respectable, but not really in contention with the Z.
Assuming equal gearing (it ain't, but I'm not gonna dig that far into the specs!!) the Z will have a small but definite edge on the Boxster.
914-6 3.0 CIS (all figures estimates) : 190 HP ; 180 lb-ft ; 2200 lbs. Unknown 0-60 time.
This should be a very flexible engine, with HP and torque numbers closely matched. (In the later 911SC, they are equal at 180 in both cases, but the headers required to install the engine in a 914 will add some power. Not sure about peak torque.) However, the 911 engine makes do without the variable-geometry intake manifolds, variable cam timing (and lift and duration in some cases!) that modern engines use to broaden their torque curve, so the Six may be a little less flexible than the numbers show. Still, it should give you pretty decent punch at most engine speeds. At 11.5 lb/HP, this car should do pretty well for itself.
Assuming equal gearing, and a willingness to abuse the machinery, the Six should be able to keep up with the 350Z at lower speeds and probably can pull on the base Boxster for a while. The light weight is what does it--add another couple of hundred pounds and things start looking much worse for the poor 914.
Get to the twisty bits, and the Z should start lagging while the Boxter keeps up or gets ahead. Get into the
really tight stuff, and the Boxster's extra 680 lbs will probably cause it to fall off the pace a little bit.
Of course, this is all nothing but arm-waving... Unless someone has a Z, a Box, and a 3.0 Six for me to play with???
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Has anyone been to a track event and run with a boxster or Nissan, Bmw, Mazda or Honda ? And could you keep up with them on the straights.
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Check Brad Anders' post above. He walks all over some of the Bimmers, including some M3s. Though I think that's more a function of the driver than anything else, but he's within a couple of seconds of his M3 track times in his
stock-engined 2.0 liter 914-4! A 3.0 Six should walk away from most stock BMWs on the track.
--DD