FR-S vs 240Z Automobile Mag 10/2012
 

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Good article hot out of the SnailMail box on the FR-S vs the 240Z. Interesting note, the FR-S stalls in the article and there is a mention of a "cam gear that slips out of alignment" as the fix (right under the "As the backfire" callout on page 74).

Love the comparision of the specs on the last page and the last paragraph.

Also, BRZ joins the Automobile long-term fleet in the BRZ section of the forum here.

Love that the colors match for the article. The photos prove what I thought all along, Nissan should have evolved the 240Z over time into something like the 86 not the 3xxZ family.

I always had a secret longing for a 240Z. This has done nothing to help that!!

it says 0 to 60 in 6.2 secs! ummmm

Excellent article, thanks for sharing. I've always thought that the 86 twins are the modern 240z's.

Very interesting seeing the spec comparison. The weight difference is pretty good for the relative size and additional safety equipment. Interesting that the torque numbers are so similar.

Damn that Z is so sexy... I just love old fashioned sport cars. 70's Celicas, 240Z, E-type, 2000GT, Mercedes 300SL and so on. So it makes me very happy that GT86/BRZ/FRS is so clean and classical looking beauty.

From the silhouette, this has always been the car that the twins remind me of.

I feel the same way as well - the FR-S is throwback car, from a mold we thought automakers threw away.

Next I want to see an E30 M3 vs FR-S/BRZ comparo.

It's so sad that, thanks to pedestrian safety and crash standards, we are unlikely to see cars with as beautiful a silhouette as the old Z, old Jags and the 2000GT.
The closest modern car with that type of long hood/short rear deck profile I can think of, is the departed S2000 (the Corvette up till the C6 fit the bill too, but the latest one not so much). I suppose there is still the Viper.

This article brought tears to my eyes. I've dreamed about owning a 240z for years although refrained from getting one because it was unpractical, and seeing the 86 and the Z together sort of brought closure for me, freakin weird.

I think the 370Z looks more like the 240Z in profile mainly because of the sharp raked roofline and the FRS roofline isn't exactly like that. But the 370Z bloated muscular fenders and sleek headlights and taillights doesn't match up with the old car. I think Nissan should've never made the 370Z so wide and it would've look more like the 240Z.

surely it should be more FR-S and 2000GT rather than a datsun..even though 240's are amazing

That Z is very clean. Do want.

While in high school, a friend's dad had an orange (1970/71?) 240 that was in excellent condition and basically lived in the garage. Really liked the wood shift knob/steering wheel. It was even super clean under the hood. The owner was a lawyer and I have no doubt he paid top dollar to have his car expertly maintained. In fact I remember my friend had to run the car around here and there to various shops. Incidently, the father restored and rebuilt old clocks for a hobby and they had all kinds of amazing ones all over their house. Over 30 years later, I'd be willing to bet that if the father is still alive he still owns that car, really.

When I first got into my FR-S the general seating position and outside view through the windows, seeing the protruding rear fenders immediately made me think this was a modern day 240Z. Even the pointed side rear window, a cue from the Toyota 2000 GT hints of the 240Z.

I owned a 240z for a short time. Absolute dream for me as well. I miss that car...even with all the headaches it gave.

interesting they had the stall and limp mode start. i've had that happen to me. had the CEL too but then it went away before i had a chance to check it. pretty much exactly like they are stating. i was idling waiting to go on track when it happened. guess i should go get that checked huh?

When I read 'Respect your Elders' this went through my head:

http://external.ak.fbcdn.net/safe_im...Fhqdefault.jpg

Yeah, something good to read at lunch for today.

Now compare the 280z turbo

Why? The Z car got farther and farther from it's intended mission every year. I had a spoiled buddy in H.S. that had a new '81 or '82 280 ZX 2 tone red/silver. That wasn't good enough so he got s (15th?) anniversary black/silver 2 tone 2 years later with a subwoofer under the seat.

2 other spoiled guys in my school got; the same black/silver anniversary model and in '84 one guy got a plain Jane new 300ZX.

Those cars liked to squat down when accelerating from a stop. Glad sports cars nowadays have eliminated dive/squat for the most part. Those guys were all lousy students, all liked their blow (bought with allowance money) and all went on to work for their daddys.

Great comparison. Sometimes I wish I was born in another time :)

I owned a 1978 Datsun 280Z about 20 years ago. It was the first sports car I ever owned, and although a bit ratty, I never forgot the very low seating position and the road-hugging handling. I definitely think the BRZ/FRS is a more worthy successor to the 240Z/260Z/280Z than the last few bloated Nissan Z cars.

My thoughts exactly. The late 60s and early 70s were a golden time for Japanese cars.

Thanks for posting this Dadhawk. I thought it would be a natural comparison. I've always wanted a nice clean '70 or '71 240z. When the FR-S came out, I had to have one because it reminded me so much of the original Z car.

Great comparison!
 

http://www.pbase.com/egillis/image/66079231/medium.jpg

I have been driving/autox/drifting a 73 240z with a 280zx turbo driveline for almost ten years. I completely agree with the the author's description of the z chassis, save the EFI car wouldn't have conked out. I have driven the car for great distances, and it does get hot! Very interested in jumping in both cars at an autocross to see differences.

I was similarly pleased to see dimensions/weigh comparos.

Focus SVT for sale soon, FR-S by November (fingers crossed).

Eric G

The 240z was personally my 'one and done' car. I unfortunately just couldn't fork out the money to get one (they're a rare classic in Australia, hard to get a hold of one in good condition), Also my family mechanic made mention of the carbies being unreliable. So I had to move on...enter the 86. But I will always revere the 240z. :cry:

The FR-S/BRZ are the only cars I would sell my 240Z for. As soon as I get the engine up and running again, sad to say but I think she's going up for sale. I never got to enjoy her as much as I wanted to. Like my many attempts to get an AE86, it just wasn't meant to be!

I love my 78 280z! With a more ridged chassis then the 240z and FI it's a great car for DD and spirited back roads. Only issue i have had with the car was rotted hoses when i bought it.

Next month I will be test driving the FR-S and looking forward to the experience.

It was a great article, and reminded me of a comparison Road & Track did 24 years ago between the 240Z and the then just-released 240SX (I still have that Road & Track, that I bought on eBay a few months after picking up my 240SX back in 2002 :)) In so many ways, it'd have been more appropriate to do the comparison between the FR-S/BRZ and the 240SX.

Nissan ESFLOW Electric Sports Car Remains Environmentally Sympathetic
 

It looks like a sports car, handles like a sports car and performs like one too. But ESFLOW is different than every other sports car yet built: It's electric. Using technology pioneered in the award-winning Nissan LEAF, the EV concept shows that driving can still be as much fun tomorrow as it is today.

At a Glance

• ESFLOW - a pure EV sports car concept
• Rear-wheel drive two-seater
• Two electric motors, each driving a rear wheel
• Laminated lithium-ion batteries mounted low for best weight distribution
• Dramatic styling with wraparound windscreen for unobstructed visibility
• 0-100km/h in under 5 seconds
• Over 240kms on one charge

The Nissan ESFLOW
Nissan has a reputation for creating some of the most exhilarating sports cars on the market. Nissan has also developed the world's first practical Zero Emission family car, the Nissan LEAF.

Now Nissan has put that expertise together. It has captured the excitement of a sports car and the environmental benefits of an electric vehicle and blended them into one dramatic two-seater concept: ESFLOW.

ESFLOW has been created from the ground up as a pure electric vehicle, to give an idea how a Zero Emission sports car of the future might look. Living ecologically has often been seen as an act of austerity - to save one's environmental conscience sacrifices must be made. ESFLOW is here to address that misconception.

Owning an ecologically sound car does not have to come at the expense of driving enjoyment. The briefest glance at the ESFLOW is enough to tell you what kind of car it is: a long bonnet leading into a steeply raked, wrap around windscreen, the compact cabin placing the occupants bang on the car's centre of gravity, hunched arches over ultra-low profile tyres wrapped around six spoke wheels. ESFLOW is unmistakably a sports car, and those in the know will recognize its heritage - hints of classic and contemporary Nissan sports cars abound.

Vitally, ESFLOW is not an existing ICE (internal combustion engine) powered vehicle that has been adapted to run on electricity, but a sports car that's been designed from the outset as a Zero Emission vehicle. This means that Nissan's forward thinking designers have had free rein to place the power train and batteries in the optimum positions to benefit the car's handling and performance and enhancing the thrill of driving.

The Car
The ESFLOW is based on existing technology, implemented in innovative ways. An attractive, head turning composite body covers an aluminium chassis, incorporating its own roll cage. The powertrain unit, which employs the same technologies installed in the Nissan LEAF, is tuned to offer a sporty driving experience.

The Powertrain
ESFLOW is rear-wheel drive and it runs on two motors. The car's graceful proportions allow the twin electric motors to be placed above the axis of the rear wheels, in a mid-ship position,. These motors independently control the left and right wheels, and so the torque is optimized to ensure outstanding vehicle stability and control as well as efficient power regeneration. The motors produce enough torque in an instant for it to reach a 100kph in under 5 seconds.

Power for the motors comes from the same laminated lithium-ion battery packs used in the Nissan LEAF, but in ESFLOW the packs are located along the axis of the front and rear wheels. This centralizes the mass of the car, and thus its rotation point, close to the driver's hips. These cleverly positioned batteries enable the car to travel over 240km on one charge.

The Chassis
An aluminium chassis has been built around the drive train, taking full advantage of the opportunities that Zero Emission electric propulsion provides. Power cells are incorporated in such a way that they benefit ESFLOW's strength and poise, not detract from them. Indeed, unlike a conventional fuel tank, batteries do not get lighter as they provide energy, so the car's weight distribution remains constant throughout a drive.

The high waistline afforded by the ESFLOW's classic sports car proportions allows strong, yet unobtrusive roll bars incorporated in to the structure behind the seats to safely take the entire load of the car in the event of a roll over, negating the need for obtrusive, thick, reinforced A-pillars and the blind spots they inevitably create.

This almost unobstructed view ahead will not be unfamiliar to fighter pilots, and just as such pilots speak of "strapping their planes on to their backs", we hope ESFLOW owners will also feel the car to be an extension of their bodies, reacting to their slightest whims. The driver must be at the centre of the sports car both physically and metaphorically.

The Body
The ESFLOW is undoubtedly an attractive car. Crisp, clean lines not only convey the purity of its sporting potential, but suggest the clarity of electric power. The colour scheme chosen for the concept car is inspired by glaciers - highly reflective solidified liquid with blue tints in its shadows. Like its ZEV concept forebears and contemporary stable mate the ESFLOW's headlights and Nissan emblem are tinted cool blue. The six spoke wheels contain blue carbon inserts while the same material adorns the side sill, roof mounted lip spoiler and lower rear bumper.

Blue LEDs accentuate the futuristic lights slashed into the bodywork both front and rear. Where the Nissan LEAF's protrusive headlights are used to guide airflow around the door mirrors, this is not needed on ESFLOW as the mirrors have been replaced with minute rear view cameras at the base of its A-pillars. The ESFLOW's front lights do protect a secret of their own however: flip out charging points built in to the air ducts beneath.

The Interior
Ecological minimalism need not come at the expense of luxury. The cabin of the ESFLOW is clean and open and weight saving has been a priority throughout its design, but it is still a comfortable and pleasant place to sit. By far the heaviest components in modern cars' interiors are the steel framed, thickly upholstered and increasingly motorized seats. In ESFLOW the seats are sculpted into the rear bulkhead of the car, negating the need for a heavy frame. This of course means that they are immobile, but this is of no consequence as the fly-by-wire steering and pedals adjust electrically to the best spot to suit each individual driver's size and preferred driving position.

The seats themselves are upholstered in gold leather and perforated gold suede while the doors are trimmed in dark blue leather and suede. The blue and gold motif, the colour of sparks, is continued across the dashboard, which is also adorned with silver carbon trim, and features four multifunction illuminated LCD displays.

The Driver
Daniel, an ESFLOW owner, works in tech, but lives for the weekend. On Friday night after work, he gets behind the wheels of his ESFLOW which instantly links with his pocket PDA and determines the fastest route to his girlfriend's home. Finding street side parking is a synch as the ESFLOW's compact dimensions allow it to slip in to the narrowest of spaces. On Saturday he drives to a popular club to exhibit his DJ skills and his friends are impressed by his cool EV sports car.

On Sunday he drives through the mountains for leisure. ESFLOW's superb weight distribution and unobstructed view ahead enables him to effortlessly nail every apex, every time. His descent from the mountains is more relaxed and he allows the ESFLOW to overrun on the long sweeping curves, turning the potential energy he and the car gained climbing up the gradients back in to electrical energy he can use once he hits the roads around Barcelona.

As his ESFLOW sips energy in its garage Daniel prepares himself for the week ahead, batteries fully recharged.


Geneva Motor Show
The ESFLOW concept will be unveiled at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show (3-13 March) where it will share the Nissan stand with a number of other innovative and exciting newcomers - but with one major difference: these are production ready.

Zero and low emission mobility is represented by Nissan LEAF, the 2011 European Car of The Year and the first pure electric CoTY winner, and the advanced Micra DIG-S. The latest version of Nissan's definitive city car is powered by a supercharged 1.2-litre direct injection petrol three-cylinder engine which produces just 95 g/km CO2.

Sports car excitement is reflected in the latest version of the GT-R supercar and a special version of its baby brother, the 370Z GT Edition. Underlining the breadth and depth of the Nissan range, the stand will also feature Nissan's best selling segment-busting crossovers - Juke, QASHQAI and Murano - as well as city cars Note and Pixo and the X-TRAIL, Pathfinder and Navara 4x4s.

The full article is now online: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews...13_scion_fr_s/

http://image.automobilemag.com/f/391...R-S-parked.jpg

I am a Datsun enthusiast. I own and track 240Zs. I think Toyobaru/Subyota have hit the mark with this relatively cheap/ lightweight, modestly powered sports car. This is a modern S-30 for sure.

I learned to drive on a 240z that the family bought in Puerto Rico. We dragged that car to Canada, Europe and finally Florida where it got sold. Wish I could have it back.

The FRS was a blatant attempt to recapture that car and I would say that it pretty much does the job. I do however keep eyeing 240Z to add to the classic fleet of MGB GT and Bugeye Sprite.

I would buy this, right now.

http://uncrate.com/p/2012/05/72-datsun-240z-xl.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/n...b7eacb88_b.jpg

Nissan would sell them by the boatload. Some moron in the design department would be unable to resist shitting on it with some "aggressiveness", though.

I love Z cars, I will give this a read soon

240Z
1s gen RX7
Toyota 2000
Beautiful!

My series-1 240Z

Only thing I could think of I would buy faster is this.....damn you Nissan for not producing the MID4....

http://www.carstyling.ru/resources/c...concept_01.jpg

Interesting...I never would have thought wheel covers like that could look so good. That would have been a beautiful car, indeed. Good call @Dadhawk! You made me look it up and I agree it would have been fantastic!

The 240Z in the article looks damn near identical to my father's 280Z. It was the fun and affordable sports car of his generation and we still love to drive it. A lot of my 86 does seem very familiar after driving the Z.

I love that Z car but I will say it was a cruel teacher compared to the 86. The Z isn't nearly as forgiving, when learning to drive I got a harsh lesson in snap-oversteer from the Z and was lucky to not have any oncoming traffic.

One thing I wish the 86 had from the Z is the headroom. The seat is so much lower in the Z that you have all the headroom in the world. Shorter people can't really drive the car at all. I have yet to find a way to sit in my 86 where I don't have to worry about spine compression injuries on every bump.

Now I want to take them both out for a weekend drive somewhere, hooray for spring!

these are the specs from motortrends first test of the 2013 model.

http://www.motortrend.com/news/2013-...-s-first-test/