27 Votes

Comparison Test: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 vs. 2009 Nissan GT-R

inspirion7 submitted on 10/28/2008 Official Bell & Ross Timestamp: 10:40:05 AM

35 user comments | Category: New Cars | Source: | SOURCE: www.edmunds.com

The King Kong of Corvettes Versus the Godzilla of Japan

It's already hot at 11 a.

m. as we pull our 2009 Nissan GT-R into the visitor's parking lot at GM's proving grounds in Arizona. The Japanese supercar looks like a spaceship next to the aging, 1960s-era brick buildings that front the massive desert test facility on the outskirts of Phoenix.

Although the few GM employees who see the GT-R barely pay it any attention, we suspect they know why it's here. Somewhere deep inside this test facility there's a 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 getting prepped for a comparison test, and now the competition has arrived.

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Comparison Test: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 vs. 2009 Nissan GT-R

About the Author

"Show me the money" - Cuba Gooding Jr. The bigger the Government, the smaller the man.
— inspirion7 (View Profile)

User Comments

I'd easily take the corvette since we know it is more reliable than the GTR
— kpaxx (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2008 1:33:33 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

Over 100hp more, 400lbs less, cost 30K more, and only beats GT-R by a second and half. Not much of an accomplishment IMO considering how poorly built, poor refinement and low grade seats etc. Things get worse when you can't use 80% of it's performance on the street. Perhaps the smooth ride makes up for it.
— Badgewhore (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2008 1:38:06 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -5

Yes, but a second and a half is a considerable amount.
— AudiNewEngland (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2008 2:14:39 PM | | Votes: 4

On a track, yes, but on the street, GT-R will leave any ZR1 Vette in the dust all the time consistantly. Until it's tranny breaks.
— Badgewhore (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2008 2:44:39 PM | | Votes: -8

"Things get worse when you can't use 80% of it's performance on the street"...and exactly what percentage of the GT-Rs performance can you use on the street? Let me guess...the GT-R uses more.
— Need4Speed (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2008 2:49:44 PM | | Votes: 2

1.5 secs is the difference between a subaru forester going to 60 and a E92 M3 going to 60.

Or for that matter, a GT-R 0-60 and a G55AMG going to 60. I suppose thats not too significant...
— ThierryHenry14 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2008 3:18:59 PM | | Votes: 5

your name saids it all, because for one this isnt the only review that the ZR1, has beaten the worlds supercars, because the resounding message regarding the vette is that its a supercar on the track, and just as easy to live with on daily basis on the street.........so where the GTR has a rough almost unbearable ride according to mags, and is seemingly tuned more for "track" use despite its size, the vette is at home on the road as it is on the track......it doesnt negate the fact that ZR1 is an absolutely awesome accomplishment on GM's part, and if GM really would have been able to create car in which price wouldnt matter at all I could only imagine what we be seeing, not to mention 1.5 seconds on a track is a big difference......
— bmwdrvr (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2008 5:00:29 PM | | Votes: 2

What this test doesn't say is that any gains Vette had over GTR, it is from the straight sections of the track where ZR1 extra 100hp and 400lb lighter weight works it's expected magic. With that much of an advantage, one would expect alot more than a 1.5sec lead. Since it didn't happen, it just goes to show how supreme the GTR is.

If ZR1 had 100hp less, would it still pull a 1.5sec on GTR? The answer is obviously NO! With 100hp less, ZR1 is basically a heavier ZO6, which was easily trounced by GTR in practically every test before.

How about if GTR had 100hp over ZR1 and ZR1 had AWD? GTR would still win due to superior tuning which results in much better responses and stability which no other supercar before it has ever been able to match. Just ask Porsche why their famous AWD twin turbocharged 911 just ain't as composed or stable as GTR. Porsche will never admit it's their inferior tuning, but they know it's true. How else can an overweight car like GTR produce physic defying performances if not for the kind of tuning that man has never seen before? Given the crappy interior, wobbly seats and near 120K, it's safe to assume Chevy can't do a better GTR if given the chance.
— Badgewhore (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2008 12:09:27 AM | | Votes: -4

Translate 1.5 seconds per lap over, let's say, a 30-lap race. Your beloved GTR is nowhere in sight of the rear-view mirror of the ZR1. Your arguments about "what if the ZR1 had 100 less hp and AWD and the GTR blah blah blah" are nothing more than poseur bench racing and wishful thinking. The cars are what they are.
— gooch (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2008 9:19:30 AM | | Votes: 3

Badge, if if if if...Please stay in reality. Let me try this, If the GTR didn't have awd or if the ZR 1 had awd....Both are incredible cars, but all hail the ZR1.
— golfer38 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2008 9:39:59 AM | | Votes: 1

How bout this? Right now, ZR1>GTR>ZO6. Fair?
— Badgewhore (View Profile)

Posted on 10/30/2008 12:47:19 AM | | Votes: 0

Give me a Titanium Gray GT-R anyday of the week!!
— PerformanceGuy (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2008 1:43:25 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

@AudiNewEngland

Is it worth $30000, only if you are on crack!
— STJ88 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2008 2:40:31 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1

I think that 1.5 sec being worth 30K is very relative, in relations to automotive performance...
— ThierryHenry14 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2008 3:48:00 PM | | Votes: 4

Wow, another comaparison for the GT-R. I think I know which car wins the "Most Tested" award for 2008...
— PlanB (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2008 2:54:38 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

Not totally true. I have an 07 S600 and a "base" vette with Z-51 pkg. I've been there done that with mid engine Italian and rear Engine German. Sure the interior on my Vette isnt quite up to snuff but it costs 25% of Italian or 40% of German and performs the same. Dont care about the "image" deal anymore. As far as the GTR looks good, performs great, havn't driven one but the mags say it doesn't have a lot of personality or a its a tool to go extreemly fast. So IDK but I really like the looks of the current Vette and never really considered one before.
— vonbeeler (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2008 6:20:09 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

Each car has there flaws, but honestly how could go wrong with either?

...On a side note,

@ amazin(*insert your favorite insult today*),

You must be one that adheres to "the boy with the most toys win" mentality? I've asked you time and time again to post a AgentSpace so you can show all us naysayers that you are the real deal. You can't possibly be afraid to show us the truth, right? Maybe you're afraid to show that you are a fraud?

You have got to be the biggest sh*t talking, bigoted badgewhore that any automotive blog has ever seen. Maybe you had such a traumatic event in your life
that you have developed such a disgusting complex to troll your hatred on the web as a coping mechanism? Maybe you were the cause of the alleged episode that if you revealed yourself, your well being would be in jeopardy?

Whatever the case, it's obvious you are a spineless coward for going online to spew your ignorance "anonymously" and completely UNPROVOKED. In your current "state of mind", you wouldn't dare go public and say the things that you type to another person's face, would you? Of course not, you aren't "man" enough. Besides, that would put your "professional" and "financial" situations at risk. Honestly, I wouldn't wish bodily harm on you. But saying the bullsh*t that you do to someone's face publicly and having your teeth kicked in would be the least of your problems.

Furthermore, only a sad excuse for manhood as yourself would have multiple usernames for the sole purpose of deboosting another user's comments that don't agree with you. Funny how that always happens when you start insulting other users and ethnic groups and users like myself respond to you. Yeah, others think of you as a troll and aren't worthy of a response because you only want attention, "feeding the troll" so to speak. Some of them even think your true purpose is to draw "traffic" to the web site. I try to look past such a simple explanation. You're more like a cockroach that either has cloned himself or asexual reproduces every nanosecond! Sure we can spray Raid on you, but how high does the concentration need to be to rid ourselves of you!?

Listen, if you had an ounce of brain matter, you would know that there are more civil ways for you to express you bigotry by keeping you personal views of others amongst your friends, if you have any, or write a personal blog.

In other words, many of us could live with you being a badgewhore if you curtailed your ignorance.

(Hmmm, one long a** rant for someone so worthless..."I vent, therefore I am" -- Dennis Miller.)
— Bored (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2008 9:36:58 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

Dang that is one well written mini essay. Wish you could have taken my English class back in the day. Cheers

— uhn2000 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2008 9:58:03 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

U.S.A!!! U.S.A!!!
— Audiphile (View Profile)

Posted on 10/28/2008 11:12:50 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

How is this a fair comparison when you take a sup up vette and cost $30k and compare it to the GT-R? Why do they wait to for Nissan GT-R V-spec to come out and compare against it.

Oh wait, I think they probably already know the answer to that one, the Nissan GT-R will anihilate it competitor again.

— Lexus (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2008 2:14:48 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

Everyone seems to forget that the GTR trans shifts in a nano second while manually shifting the Vette takes about a quarter to a half second, that's HUGE on a track, or quarter mile!! If Chevy ever puts a sequential gear box in the ZR1. who could touch it?
— rawbux (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2008 2:21:31 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

No "IF"
— Badgewhore (View Profile)

Posted on 10/30/2008 12:48:44 AM | | Votes: 1

I forgot to say quarter to half a second PER SHIFT!
— rawbux (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2008 2:22:52 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

@ amazincockroach,

"i am man enough.. happy to call you directly..."

LOL. For a change you actually made me laugh. Call? You think a 'call' to me (or anyone else for that matter), so you can spew more bigoted and racist rants from the safe distance defined by a phone call is showing your "manhood"!? You must be under 30, possibly under 25. Mommy and Daddy didn't have the testicular fortitude to discipline you proper, huh, and thought the "time-out corner" was best?
Call. Ha. No, you're not man enough and never will be. Why? That's something that none of us should have to spell out for you.

For sh*ts and giggles, I'll give you a "check +" for even attempting a response with your "manhood" running on auxiliary. Maybe next time if your response is good enough, I'll let you make yourself a trophy made from glitter and macaroni!

How's that sound, little tyke?

...On second thought, no "check +" for you. You're lucky to even get a passing grade for two reasons:

1) I've obviously hit a nerve earlier. Otherwise, you would have never tried so hard to be polite in your response.
2) STILL NO AGENTSPACE!

You continue to disappoint me, cockroach. And the others as well. How many opportunities have I given you to back up your crap by posting an AgentSpace?

— Bored (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2008 9:50:17 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

wow, ZR1, the great american engineering achievement. Make the biggest engine and put it in a light frame car and wow, we have a winner.

Typical american junk, all muscle with no brain. Let see them produce a inline 6 turbo engine and make it fast.

— blueshirts0819 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2008 8:16:13 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

Inline 6???? WOW. Thats what I used to dream about when I was a kid.......YEa.
— vonbeeler (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2008 12:00:13 PM | | Votes: 1

While it's not an inline-6, the Buick V6 turbo in the GNX made substantial horsepower for its day. GM can do cars like the ZR1 any day of the week and twice on Sunday. They simply choose NOT to.
— gooch (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2008 12:19:27 PM | | Votes: 1

oh, cptamazing4, what happened? Did I offended your balding head driving down the highway going 50mph on your corvette or did I got your panty all twisted because I hit the nail on the head from my comments?? Do me a favor, stick with your inferior subpar American cars only envy by americans and I'll drive my porsche turbo. By the way, STFU.
— blueshirts0819 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2008 10:51:04 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

whats that a 944 turbo? Sweet. But if your talking 911 turbo. Its awesomely fast but not enough personality. Still sounds like a VW.
— vonbeeler (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2008 12:08:03 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Corvette, no doubt.
— Auto_expert (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2008 12:41:35 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

GTR = POS
— LexSucks (View Profile)

Posted on 10/29/2008 12:50:39 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

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Comparison Test: 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 vs. 2009 Nissan GT-R

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