AUTOEXPRESS UK: Jaguar XKR-S vs Audi R8 vs Nissan GT-R

aston_martin submitted on 07/02/2008 Official AutoSpies Timestamp: 5:21 PM
from: www.autoexpress.co.uk

Tags: Jaguar XKR-S, Audi R8, Nissan GT-R

Tag Links:

Jaguar XKR-S

Audi R8

Nissan GT-R

AUTOEXPRESS UK: Jaguar XKR-S vs Audi R8 vs Nissan GT-R

BRACE yourselves – an onslaught of new supercars is coming. Despite rising running costs, performance models are the talk of the industry – and Nissan’s is the most eagerly anticipated of the lot.

It’s been seven years since we caught a glimpse of the GT-R concept, and the eyes of the world are now on the roadgoing model. During development at Germany’s Nürburgring circuit, the firm targeted supercars from Porsche, Jaguar, Audi and even Ferrari – so you’d expect the newcomer to be very expensive. Yet the 193mph GT-R starts at £52,900 – nearly half as much as some rivals.

So is it really a giant killer? To find out, we’ve brought it together with a real British bruiser. The XKR-S is Jaguar’s fastest production model with the exception of the XJ220, and offers similar pace to the GT-R in a more laid back grand touring package. The question is whether it can justify its £79,995 asking price. Making up our trio is a model that has already achieved Nissan’s aim: the R8 has managed to launch mainstream marque Audi into the supercar elite. But which is the biggest thriller in the UK? Read Article

Comments:

Images hosted in your AgentSpace can now be posted in the comments section using the following syntax (case matters):
[img]IMAGE URL[/img]
Example: [img]http://agent004.myautospies.com/users/150/Sample-Gallery/sample1.JPG[/img]

Agent63 - 7/3/2008 9:57:16 AMView My AgentSpace

-4 Boost

I can already see what's going to happen. Nissan fanboys vs. the world. I own an R8 so that's my favorite. Other than that the GT-R is the better of the two(GT-R & XKR-S).

reply to this comment

TurboSpyder - 7/3/2008 10:33:46 AMView My AgentSpace

-3 Boost

Nissan won on price again.

"If the Audi was the same price as the GT-R, it would edge ahead simply because it feels more special. However, not many buyers will be able to justify paying over £20,000 more for a model that’s not as exciting to drive."

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/grouptests/224199/audi_r8.html

Agent63 - 7/3/2008 6:25:37 PMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

It doesn't matter. All you fan boys deboost me. I'm happy with my R8 purchase. It doesn't matter what you all say. The GT-R despite it's figures don't appeal to me. In the end of the day when I drive a sports car I don't need to be happy I bought it on a budget.

I'm not taking anything away from the GT-R but it's for a different market. Also who knows if reviewers weren't paid off just to be a bit more biased than they really are. No one will know the truth. I don't doubt the GT-R can dominate but magazines could be handed some money to exaggerate to make it seem like it blew all cars away.

M35MT - 7/7/2008 9:01:19 AMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

Agent63, as you seem to be quite insecure with the R8 losing, I believe you're the one acting like a fanboy.

auto001 - 7/3/2008 10:35:59 AM

+4 Boost

Although Jag and Audi are better looking/sounding vehicles, over $60k difference in price is unjustifiable... that'll pay for a lot of gas/food/bills/vacations/2nd car etc., on top of that, GT-R is probably faster around the track as well. You'd have to be clinically insane to choose one of the others.

reply to this comment

TurboSpyder - 7/3/2008 10:41:37 AMView My AgentSpace

-3 Boost

"You'd have to be clinically insane to choose one of the others."

Not for people with large incomes.

Star - 7/3/2008 12:58:45 PM

+1 Boost

auto001 "You'd have to be clinically insane to choose one of the others"

or you can actually see beyond the hype and don't belong to the boy racer club. Some people have class...the others choose to drive a GT-R.

Hyundai - 7/3/2008 9:43:44 PM

-1 Boost

Staar,

Sometimes, just SOMETIMES, when you are making a large UNNECESSARY purchase, like... say... a SPORTSCAR, it's OK to choose beauty over brains; that's what "excess" money allows you to do if you want to look at the car in your driveway and say "damn, that is the sexiest car I've ever seen... and it's mine! :D", rather than just "fast car; wise purchase". Have a little fun somtime!

There's a time and place for everything. No need to diss somebody because they have a different personality than you. Well, maybe if they were a little ghey..

EL34 - 7/3/2008 10:51:50 AM

-2 Boost

What is the pathetic lookin' GT-R doin' in this class?

reply to this comment

auto001 - 7/3/2008 10:59:00 AM

+3 Boost

GT-R is there to serve as "reality check" - that you don't have to spend supercar money to get a super car... and to embarrass the competition.

wedouglas - 7/3/2008 11:33:07 AM

-2 Boost

If you want it to even remotely resemble a supercar you do. No one considers it a supercar. It has the performance of one but doesn't carry the look, the price, or the exclusivness of one.

Say what you will, that's the criteria. No supercars buyers would even consider one for anything other than a beater.

amazinBimmer - 7/3/2008 11:14:38 AM

-2 Boost

Turbo.... clearly says the audi is not as special to drive. its something you can say of all audis. The weak engineering always finds a way through and you cant gussy that up with a badge or a "blade of carbon fibre". the r8 will never hold its value like the big boys.. price it what they may and wait for th efirst 1000 or so idiots to shell out list for this silly car with a RS4 engine.

reply to this comment

wedouglas - 7/3/2008 11:31:01 AM

-1 Boost

List? LOL. If you didn't order one in 06, you are paying way over list for a new one. Mine has 4K miles on it and could sell it tomorrow for atleast 10K over what I paid. That's what I was offered by someone not to long ago because dealers what $150-170 new.

The car is sold out for about 1.5 years here. Price isn't going anywhere.

Besides, no GTR's sell for list anyway and who wants to be seen in a Nissan GTR who isn't an 18 year old who drives a modded Civic? $85-100K is the going rate. Want to see depreciation? Watch the Nissan lose half it's value in a year with moderarte miles.

VISO - 7/3/2008 10:13:23 PM

+1 Boost

Wow! When one thinks you've made the dumbest comment yet, you actually surpass yourself with an even dumber one. Ignorance must be sweet in your little bimmer interior. Still waiting for BMW to create a competitor to the R8.......now let's add the V10 R8 to that soon. Is that why many of the exclusive supercar driving experiences now offer an R8 as part of their fleets? I guess their "rich" clients know a thing or two about supercars. Look around and get your head out of your you know what already. No one is laughing with you but at you. Maybe you use return to community college and get that AA in communications already.

Star - 7/3/2008 12:10:59 PM

-7 Boost

This started to really look ridiculous. OF COURSE you get better performance numbers for your money when you choose to buy an econobox like the GT-R vs cars made by luxury brands. This is not rocket science.
A faster car is NOT a better car, is just that, a faster car. Making a comparison between an econobox(GT-R) and sports cars made by luxury brands is downright retarded. I'm tired of all the s**t that journalists are willing to do in order to sell their mags. The GT-R is NOT a supercar. It is an econobox that goes as fast as a supercar. Don't fool yourself in thinking that Nissan gives you a Ferrari for less. This ain't no Ferrari folks. You get what you pay for..and that's a s**ty Nissan. There are no magic tricks. End of story.

reply to this comment

Htay7500 - 7/3/2008 1:36:38 PM

+3 Boost

what about the corvette? is it "an econobox that goes as fast as a supercar"? it can go 190mph and sells for $45k.

Htay7500 - 7/3/2008 1:48:23 PM

+8 Boost

don't downplay the gtr because it has a nissan badge.

GTR35 - 7/3/2008 2:12:40 PMView My AgentSpace

+6 Boost

"There are no magic tricks"?

Then what is it that makes the GTR outperform all other so called "supercars"? It almost sounds like magic, doesn't it?

Star, I actually enjoy hearing you whine everyday. It just goes to prove that Nissan has succeeded by shaking the whole Automotive world and making little girls like you and the overpriced automakers nervous, mad, jealous and hating to admit that the word "supercar" has a new meaning.

Star - 7/3/2008 2:15:17 PM

-5 Boost

Htay7500,

Same goes for the Corvette.
Again, I NEVER said these cars are bad or that they should not exist but let's stop this madness. If you are a boy racer and want the fastest car for around 70K-100K the GT-R and the Corvette have that covered but if you are a car connoisseur and want a car that offers the total driving experience you will have to look elsewhere. It is not really hard to understand.
These cars are great for what they are.... "fast econoboxes". Let's not try to put them in the mix with sports cars made by luxury makers and keep wondering how the econoboxes(Chevy and Nissan) offer so much more performance for the same money. The answer is simple...because they don't offer anything else.

wedouglas - 7/3/2008 2:21:31 PM

-3 Boost

Bingo. It doesn't matter how fast they are. They aren't even in the same league as other exotics. Hmmm Zonda F for $800K or ZR1 which is faster for $100K?

Well, there's no way in hell I'll be driving a car that 100K other people are driving.

Star - 7/3/2008 2:37:54 PM

-3 Boost

"Then what is it that makes the GTR outperform all other so called "supercars"? It almost sounds like magic, doesn't it?"

No, it doesn't. Nissan and Chevy for that matter know that nobody can make better cars than the Germans. They had only one choice, to beat them in numbers(which impresses mostly sheep when it comes to street cars). What they did is put all the effort in making these cars fast by cutting corners in everything else. Is it hard to make a fast car? Of course not. You can stick a turbo in a Honda Civic SI and it will go 0 to 60 in 4 seconds. All for 7000 dollars.
Making fast cars is easy, making great cars is not and that's where Chevy and Nissan fail miserably.
The EVO, STI, Corvette and GT-R have their own segment(let's call it cheap and trashy)and are there to offer cheap thrills for people who cannot afford the REAL THING.

Htay7500 - 7/3/2008 3:11:39 PM

+5 Boost

"You can stick a turbo in a Honda Civic SI and it will go 0 to 60 in 4 seconds. All for 7000 dollars."

where did that come from and how does that have to do with anything? theres a difference between stock and modified. the f430 has 483 and the vettes base engine has 436 hp. does that make the ferrari a boy racer? many reviewers praise it for how quick it is and how its able to achieve top speeds very quickly. if it can it reach that top speed, then its barely an "econobox". and that same thing applies with the GTR.

Star - 7/3/2008 3:28:52 PM

-3 Boost

Htay7500 "if it can it reach that top speed, then its barely an "econobox"

That pretty much sums up what you "know" about cars. Why are you here kid? Do you even realise how aberrant you sound? What does speed have to do with a car being an econobox or not? Go drive a Corvette, then a Ferrari get back to me and let me know how they compare. Oh, you have access only to your 10 years old Hyundai. Well let me tell you. They don't compare kid. One is a supercar(Ferrari) the other one is a pile of s**t that goes fast. Reading mags doesn't make you a specialist when it comes to cars. Remember that.

Htay7500 - 7/3/2008 3:53:12 PM

+2 Boost

"Well let me tell you. They don't compare kid. One is a supercar(Ferrari) the other one is a pile of s**t that goes fast."

and why is it a pile of s**t? is it because its less than $100k? and have you driven one? you just want to bash cars because it doesn't have a fancy name along with it.

"Reading mags doesn't make you a specialist when it comes to cars. Remember that."

neither does bashing a car you haven't driven.

sulev - 7/3/2008 11:09:44 PM

+4 Boost

Star,
Actually, you sound more like a sophomore who is pissed because you cannot accept the idea of supercar can come from manufacturers like Nissan and Chevrolet. Well, grow up kiddo! Any given established car manufacturers are able to build a car that gives what you called “total driving experience”. The GT-R and Corvette are the living testimony. Try to put a keyword of those two cars in any search engine, you will find praises and excellent reviews from many car-related publications. If you are a true car connoisseur, you should see a car (or anything for that matter) beyond the brand. And one more thing kid, give respect where it is due, that’s all.

Agent63 - 7/4/2008 6:04:27 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

Staar,

Where did you get the idea of BMW being an Econobox brand? Are you bashing it because you're envious? I know you want an M3, M5 or M6 but your parents won't buy you one.

The big III in Europe have been used as cabs or police cars over the years but still are premium brands. I also don't see where BMW is rebadging. The king of rebadging I would have to say is General Motors. The only respectable brand from GM is Cadillac, the only brand that's worth mentioning.

Htay7500 - 7/3/2008 3:02:26 PM

+3 Boost

Let’s look at the F430 and the C6 vette. they both have:

Aluminum frames
Carbon fiber body parts (z06)
Extensive use of magnesium and titanium
Dry sump oiling (z06)...

how does that make the vette a boy racer? price doesn't matter. get a grip. I've driven a vette already and it was a great drive. its been around for a half century and has beat ferrari and aston in the alms. if you don't mind all the costs for a ferrari and the extensive waiting list, then its good for you.

reply to this comment

Htay7500 - 7/3/2008 9:30:55 PM

+3 Boost

because dictionary.com doesn't have the term "boy-racer", heres wikis:
"Boy racer is now a New Zealand, British and Irish colloquial term for a person, usually a male in his late teens or early twenties, who drives his car in an intimidating or dangerous way for fun. Their cars are most often regular models customised with spoilers, wide tires, flared fenders and go-faster stripes. Cars driven by boy racers are often small, and it's not uncommon that they are "all show and no go", in that the cars are not the highest performance model in the range or would not be considered competitive against "genuine" sports cars."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boy_racer_%28sub-culture%29
"In the United States, Boy Racer is more often used to describe a car (not a person) which has a sporty or "racy" character, despite being completely stock and not very fast. This is because the car may stereotypically appeal to young ladies who want to race the boys. Their cars, then, are "boy racers." Such cars would include the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, and Dodge Avenger."

wedouglas - 7/3/2008 3:34:02 PM

+2 Boost

Give it up Star. They don't realize that it has nothing to do with bang for buck. We don't drive 6 figure cars because they offer bang for buck, we drive them because the look better and others can't afford them. They are exlcusive and that's the point.

reply to this comment

bintintin - 7/3/2008 4:47:27 PM

+1 Boost

This site has some of the most idiotic people and comment's that I've ever come across. These are all fantastic cars that are for different people. If I had the money, I'd be all over the R8 (all black).

reply to this comment

PerformanceGuy - 7/3/2008 5:34:33 PM

+2 Boost

All 3 are amazing cars!! However, in my opinion, the GT-R will still continue to reign supreme over the competition!! Not to mention what will happen when the V-Spec GT-R comes out!!

reply to this comment

Agent63 - 7/3/2008 10:44:47 PMView My AgentSpace

-1 Boost

All these arguments are getting ridiculous. You fanboys make it seem like it's the first time a Skyline GT-R has ever been fast. It was fast before and it's not like it never was tuned to have 1000hp the same as a Bugatti Veyron but it's in a different league. Any car can be made to be as fast as a Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, or GT Supercars like Aston's or SLR's but it still isn't any of those.

Whether you want to call it a super car or not it lacks all the sounds and looks except the heritage which I respect greatly. It has got to the point where I'm beginning to hate Nissan's accomplishment here with this GT-R. It's superb but when it's all said and done it's no Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Pagani, and etc.

When I drive a sports car I want something to be proud of. You're supposed to spend ridiculous amounts of money on a sports car it makes it all more worthwhile. It's the sounds, reaction, looks that gives you that adrenaline rush. The GT-R simply doesn't do that. It's technically a marvel but it lacks personality of a true supercar.

I think the next NSX and the new LF-A is better described as 'super cars' than the GT-R is. The sound those two cars create is unlike any other Japanese car i've heard (STOCK that is).

I'm expecting the deboosting right now lol.

reply to this comment

ILikeLambo - 7/4/2008 4:51:05 AM

+2 Boost

Next comparision(hopefully)

Audi R8 vs Nissan GT-R vs Corvette ZR1

reply to this comment

mpls - 7/4/2008 8:32:35 AM

+3 Boost

On price ? If the R8 had to be priced the same as a GTR, Audi would be losing money otherwise they's cut corners and the R8 would fall to pieces afte a few runs..

reply to this comment

Agent63 - 7/4/2008 6:06:39 PMView My AgentSpace

-1 Boost

It's cheaper to build a base car and dump in some performance upgrades (purchased from tuning companies) and call it stock rather than engineering it yourself. That's why I said in my comment above I still like my R8 better despite it's performance differences. I found no signs of Audi cutting corners in my car nor should I ever expect them to in the future. I haven't seen GT-R's interior but it's undoubtedly better than the 350z cheap plastic interior bits but it's no Porsche or Audi interior that's for sure.

Jagexpert2 - 7/6/2008 2:34:09 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

This is stupid the XKR isn't in this market. As well they needed to wait till the 500HP version is releases next year to do this comparo

reply to this comment

ubercool - 7/8/2008 1:15:42 PM

+1 Boost

I'd take the Jag XKR-S over any of them, it's so good looking and seriously fast aswell...

reply to this comment

yaalossha77 - 8/6/2008 6:24:08 PM

+1 Boost

stop the whininnggg all you jags and audi fans.

Nissan WON. Jaguar and Audi LOST. PERIOD.

at the end of the day, all you jaguar and audi drivers will be smelling my gt-r exhaust smoke, crying and whining cause you guys didnt get first place, while i'll be happily cruising in front of you guys, thinking, these jags and audis lozzzzerrrs....hahha!!!

rememeber... we got 1st place. jaguars and audi got the lozerrrrzz 2nd and 3rd placess!

nissan is the best. period. period.

who wants a 2nd and 3rd place car?????? not me!!!

I only want 1st place car for 1st place people like me!!

reply to this comment

To post a comment for this story, you must first Login.

If you do not have an account, you will need to Register (It's Free!).

	aston_martin
	View My AgentPage