Ekona

I should bloody well hope it beats cars that are 10 years older! I suspect that a lot of those cars will have been on road rubber, and IIRC the CTR was on PSC2s, which would make a massive difference. The removal of the AC, stereo and pax seat would help too, plus the installation of the roll cage... I'm guessing a standard car wouldn't get anywhere near that time, more like 8:10 to 8:20. No accounting for driver knowledge and weather conditions either in comparisons, and in the older days the Ring time wasn't as important to marketing so they didn't always go to the nth degree. That's not to say it's not still an impressive time though!

BTCC has some very odd rules to keep things competitive, the RWD cars are hugely disadvantaged with regards to that so I never expect them to be the popular choice. Besides, they're building cars to win, not to be enjoyable. As I said, suspension and chassis work has come a long way, but it still can't beat physics. I have no doubt it'll be quick, but how much time you spend fighting the car as opposed to driving the car remains to be seen. I'm as keen as anyone to drive one, but very little could persuade me to buy one.

Ultimately, you can't ask wheels tyres to do two things at once. They can either turn the car, or power the car. Certainly things have gotten much better over the years with regards to FWD cars getting the power down, but they all still scrabble like crazy when you add boost. The Mini CS does it, the FST does it, the MRS does it. Some people find it endearing, I find it a pain in the ass. Once moving it'll be very rapid in a straight line, but if you ask it to do too much in the corners I suspect it'll struggle like all FWD cars do.

I bet it would also get hideously frustrating when you keep spinning the power away. Nope, I'd rather go slower and have more fun.

911 UK. I don't trouble myself with the poor man's Pork.

Nah, just spray it on from a distance and don't go too mad with it.

Most of them spend their time slating the car, ironically!

Master cylinder also a very strong possibility.

Bet you can't wait to own a car that doesn't need the driver to wear a brown paper bag for fear of embarrassment over the looks* ;) Great choice, I suspect you'll have a massive amount of fun with that. Any ideas on when in 2016? *Yes, just like 6 series owners have to!

What is this PC Powah nonsense? That drifter bloke just needed a better solicitor, if he hadn't coughed up then there's no way they could've found him guilty.

Awww, give them a cuddle and they might not do that quite so much

Try that again: No ex-owner has slated the 350Z at all.

Just test one at a dealer.

Production isn't the big cost, it's design. Choosing leather that doesn't wear and can be sourced for the same quality over millions of cars, that doesn't fade or stain or crack. Metal that doesn't rub or tarnish or creak. Enough carpet put in the right place that isn't going to make everything bulge or add loads of weight. Japs are tight, that's why they like plastic and cloth. They also like ripping the car to bits, so why pay more for expensive bits you're only going to throw away? It's why Jap cars aren't as popular over here in the EU as they used to be, we don't want that any more: We want cars that have all the toys and lots of lovely leather bits and we're prepared to pay for that.

And after all that it would cost twice as much, and no-one would buy it.

Manual RWD V8 with a loud exhaust is far from dull, trust me I didn't hate anything about my 350, once I'd finished modifying it, and if it hadn't been for the opportunity to move in to the 911 I'd have kept it for many years. It's just that everything the Zed does, the 6er does too, but slightly better. I'd definitely not categorise the 6 series as a sports car though, waaaaaay more a sporty GT. Comfy on the long run? Check. Fuel economy? Better on the V8. Noise? Not even close. Gearshift? The BMW has the better 'box. Steering? Actually, this one is a draw, but only because the 645 can tighten the steering as otherwise the Zed would have this category. Outright pace? Nowt in it, 6er pulls better from low down and pulls harder at the top end. Sliding? Okay, easy win for the Zed, the BMW has no LSD! That said, if I didn't have the MR2 I wouldn't enjoy the BMW as much. It's only because I still have the proper sports car in the garage that I can enjoy the BMW as much as I do, as otherwise it would be a little too big and heavy for an only car. The 350Z is absolutely amazing and I miss mine so much, and came *this close* to buying another instead of the 645. But, y'know, V8.

It's designed for use on the body, it'll be fine As always though, avoid letting it dry or applying in direct sunlight to hot panels.

Probably time for a second breath

Try using a different pressure gauge, and/or run them at a lower PSI. Excessive wear over the centres can only be caused by over inflation, or possibly excessive toe but that's unlikely on the rears. Is wear excessive, or is it actually fairly even across the centre 3/4? Most people suffer with wear on the outside edges due to running aggressive camber, so you might find yours are actually wearing quite nicely.

Well obviously that bit will still need doing so the remote option is either impossible or needs a motor attaching to the handle, but I assumed that the remote operation was the least useful part of the conversion.

Anything is possible. It's fairly simple to override the system that says the car is at standstill for the roof function (I imagine the correct resistor would do), once you've done that you're sorted. Check my350z.com, I'd be amazed if no-one had done it already.

I'm amazed I stayed awake for Hungary, normally it's a snoozefest. Great racing from Seb, no idea where he got that pace from but good on him. And god bless the Honey Badger for giving The New Hated German Driver that puncture!

350 to 997 was cheaper for me, so I'm guessing nothing in it.

2/20

987 is no more expensive to run than a 350.