HKS GT Supercharger For The '03-'04 Nissan 350zAsk anyone and they'll tell ya: HKS is a powerhouse for developing turbocharging products for a lot of Japanese applications over the years (count 'em: 35), giving tuners and folks like you nothing but the best. And 2008 is going to be huge for HKS as it marks the addition of its GT Supercharger to its stellar lineup, giving you an alternative that's just as reliable, efficient and best of all, smog legal (CARB pending) in comparison to some of its turbo components. Whereas a turbocharged system relies on exhaust gases to power a compressor, a supercharger draws its power from the crankshaft and is driven by either a belt or chain. On the HKS GT supercharger, it's a belt drive that uses an accessory belt to rotate the supercharger's compressor. The compressor sucks air in, crams it down and sends it out to the intake manifold-and as you all know, the more air you can give your engine, the more power you can create. Best of all, a supercharger won't lag like a turbo and can actually be more efficient in certain rpm.
One of the first kits to be released from the GT Supercharger series is for Nissan's 350Z, which will also work on the Infiniti G35 coupe and FX35 models, all of which share the same VQ35DE engine platform. Each GT kit is surprisingly easy to bolt-in, even for the beginning DIYer (provided you have a day to kill), but here's the big kicker: only Authorized Installers or Pro Dealers certified by HKS are approved to install the blower onto your car. While it's a bummer that you won't be able to bolt on a HKS supercharger on your own time, it doesn't mean you can't see what's involved in the actual process. You'll even thank us after for giving you the condensed version, supposing you live in some alternate reality and are given the option to install this thing on your own. HKS' technicians walked us through a GT supercharger install and took it for a few dyno passes on their in-house Dynojet to show us how much power it can produce without tuning.
Break It Down
MSRP Inquire for your application
Pros You get instantaneous power right out of the box; HKS' Torque Response Traction Drive also kills the noise that's often associated with a gear-driven supercharger
Cons Only HKS approved outlets can install this
Install Difficulty Intermediate
Verdict 50 hp without flinching, no lag and monster torque? You had us at "hello."