It’s only fitting that a lot of automotive speed tests are conducted on runways. They provide plenty of straight road for those fearless enough to max out high-horsepower cars whose aerodynamic add-ons make them look as if they’re ready for flight.
Automobile Magazine brought the car with the right looks to the right place. The 2013 Nissan 370Z Nismo was cleared for takeoff and standing mile timing at the Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport in Michigan.
A lucky driver revved the factory special’s raspy 350-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 in preparation for the world’s lowest flyover.
More than 3,300 pounds squatted down on the rear Bridgestone Potenzas and then the $46,370 Z was off.
It looked at home among other fast, white machines with wings as it accelerated through 5,280 feet of clear skies ahead. The high-pitched whine made while the car was at speed helped it blend in even more. Luckily, its ground effects and wind tunnel tuning kept it earthbound.
Hit the video below to find out how quickly a mile-long trip in the 2013 Nissan 370Z Nismo goes by. Be sure you’re chewing gum when you watch it.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
