Japanese Performance Mag in the
UK reviews the APS Intercooled
Twin Turbo system for the 350z
APS has obviously had to develop
custom manifolding arrangements for each turbo,
as well as a full 2.5in cat-back stainless steel
exhaust system. The twin pipes eventually meet
at a combined back box, which splits into the
hallmark 350Z twin tailpipes exiting at the rear.
The inner wing-mounted high-flow induction kits are
also clearly visible under here, too. Buried deep
in the front wheelarches, these are well isolated
from engine and turbo heat, although caution must
be taken when driving through deep puddles or
standing water, so as not to suck any of the wet
stuff into the engine, which could lead to disastrous
results.
Meanwhile, with more air being pumped into the
engine, the fuelling has been totally overhauled
to cope with the uprated demands of the twin turbos.
This means a new 255-litres-per-hour in-tank pump,
braided lines, Sard pressure regulator and six
380cc injectors. Injection control remains under
the watchful eye of the original ECU, as is ignition
timing and variable valve timing. However, as
there is no function on the standard ECU for boost
pressure control, this is managed separately by
an electronic boost controller, which is provided
in the kit.
Finally, to aid in the reduction
of turbo lag and to prevent turbo stall off-throttle,
APS provides a blow-off valve. A side effect is
that it also adds that quintessential turbo 'psseeu'
as you go off throttle. And why not? It's never
intrusive and only serves to enhance the new twin-turbo
350Z driving experience. Speaking of which - what
an experience that is!
When editor Vincent drove the standard 350Z on
its launch in Germany in the summer of 2004, he
wrote: 'The latest Nissan coupe is one of those
cars that just seems so effortless. Whatever the
challenge, the 350Z faces it without flinching
and just gets on with the job. This is one of
those cars that somehow does everything well;
it contrives to add up to more than the sum of
its parts. That big, growling V6 provides much
of its character but, perhaps, the biggest draw
is the accessibility of its performance. The chassis
is lithe and responsive and the engine wall-to-wall
torque.
High praise, indeed. And this new APS-fettled
G-Force Motorsport 350Z Twin Turbo is just so
much better again. To summarise the feel of the
new TT 350Z, take all of that quote about the
standard 350Z and magnify it - twice over. Then
add some - and a bit more.
The addition of this twin-turbo
kit has lifted this £25K coupe into supercar-slaying
territory, crucially without taking anything away
from the already superb standard car. The turbochargers
simply add to the 3502's armoury, transporting
it onto a new plateau of brilliance, while still
maintaining all of its original appeal - just
with added zest and zeal. The dyno graph shows
this clearly. It's an almost exact replica of
the standard car's, but with loads more power
and torque available right across the rev range.
A blast out on the road soon proves it. Bury
the throttle and the deep growl and burble of
the V6 engine are enhanced by the induction roar
and a glorious exhaust note when the blowers kick
in. The mid range is simply masterful, building
up to a punchy peak power pull over 5500rpm.
Meanwhile, the additional turbocharger soundtrack
- with the occasional flutter of the wastegates,
the on-boost whine and the hiss of the blow-off
valve - makes the hairs on your neck stand on
end. When you drive the 350Z with the APS turbo
conversion, you wonder why Nissan didn't build
it this way.
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2004-2005 AutoTech Engineering