54 Votes

Road and Track Comparo: First US-spec GT-R vs. Corvette Z06 vs. 911 Turbo

ptral submitted on 3/19/2008 Official Bell & Ross Timestamp: 12:10:19 AM

101 user comments | Category: Reviews | Source: | SOURCE: www.roadandtrack.com

Tag Links: Nissan GT-R, CORVETTE Z06, 911 TURBO

Every once in a while, a car comes along with so much hype that not only does it capture the attention of car enthusiasts everywhere, it creates a frenzy among publications all over the world vying to be the first to drive it, test it and compare it with others.

The Nissan GT-R is one such car. As usual, R&T was at the front of the line to drive, test and compare the U.S.-spec version of this very special car against its biggest rivals, the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and Porsche 911 Turbo.....

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Road and Track Comparo: First US-spec GT-R vs. Corvette Z06 vs. 911 Turbo

About the Author

— ptral (View Profile)

User Comments

"If it weren't for the car's $69,850 asking price (an estimated $72,880 for our test car) — and the fact it wears a Nissan badge — the GT-R might well be considered the most exotic car on the planet. "

they gave it first place and still admitted they are badge-whores!!! lmao!!!

GTR...porsche who?
— r15mohd (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 10:06:27 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 9

Porsche? What a Joke.
— GTR35 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 11:51:17 AM | | Votes: -1

Nissan? What a Joke.

-

24 Hours of Le Mans

"Porsche is the most successful manufacturer in the history of Le Mans, winning its class more than 50 percent of the time with a combination of LMP1 prototypes and production-based GT2 class racer cars."

"Porsche has scored 16 overall wins at Le Mans..."

"Additionally, Porsche works drivers have earned dozens of class victories in GT2 class, most recently Marc Lieb and Mike Rockenfeller together with privateer Leo Hindery in 2005, the 7th consecutive class victory for the Porsche GT3 R/RS/RSR family.

"In 2007 the new Porsche GT3 RSR (Type 997) continued that success. With a six-lap advantage over the second-placed Ferrari, the French customer team IMSA Performance won the GT2 class."

http://www.porsche.com/usa/eventsandracing/motorsport/racing/furthersportprograms/24hlemans/

American Le Mans Series:

"In the last nine seasons (1999 - 2007) Porsche has won the manufacturer's title nine times, Porsche customer teams have won seven times, and the driver's title went to Porsche drivers on nine occasions."

http://www.porsche.com/usa/eventsandracing/motorsport/racing/alms/

— TurboSpyder (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 12:39:50 PM | | Votes: -4

"The oldest sports car race in the USA, which this year celebrates its 56th running, is an important indicator for the rest of the season. Due to the long race duration, more points are allocated at Sebring than at the majority of the other races – success at the season-opener can give an excellent boost in the race for the title. Great role models are not in short supply: Immortalized on the winners list of this long distance classic are racing greats like Juan Manuel Fangio, Stirling Moss, Hans Herrmann, Mario Andretti and Jacky Ickx. With 17 overall wins and 62 class victories, Porsche is the most successful manufacturer in the history of this prestigious race."

http://www.finecars.cc/en/editorial/article/news/five-porsche-rs-spyders-contest-in-the-bumpy-sebring-airfield-race/index.html?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=224&cHash=dde03c3217
— TurboSpyder (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 12:51:18 PM | | Votes: -3

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!!!!!
— Hyundai (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 1:33:42 PM | | Votes: 7

That laughter was directed at this, ""If it weren't for the car's $69,850 asking price (an estimated $72,880 for our test car) — and the fact it wears a Nissan badge — the GT-R might well be considered the most exotic car on the planet. "

they gave it first place and still admitted they are badge-whores!!! lmao!!!"

I thought it was funny....
— Hyundai (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 1:34:48 PM | | Votes: 12

badge whore or not lol. that price tag doesn't fit well with a Nissan badged car. If it was Infiniti it would fit the price range. Eitherway it's a bargain though. I just hope they didn't focus mainly on the performance and failed to make sure the interior's fit and finish is good.

Regardless I would still get a Porsche 911 Turbo. Not because of the badge. I like the feel of the cars they make simple enough. I have yet to drive a GT-R though but based on reviews people say the Porsche has a more raw driving experienced unlike the sheltered environment of a GT-R.
— Agent63 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 2:18:46 PM | | Votes: 1

Question: 'Porsche who?'

Answer: Porsche, the company that makes a profit margin on the 911 turbo which is probably equal to the Nissan GT-R's whole retail price.
— pushrod27 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 2:36:16 PM | | Votes: 0

Exactly pushrod, you said it. It's also called "monopoly", and now thanks to the GTR, Porsche is called "overpriced". They better do something magical to that 911 to regain their throne/fame if they want to keep selling at that price.
— GTR35 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 3:45:33 PM | | Votes: 5

I find it incredible how stupid some of the comments are on this site.

The Nissan and Porsche are both GREAT CARS.

Nissan sells a good product at an "affordable price". Porsche sells a good product at an "expensive price". Porsche can charge this much for their cars because they are well engineered and because they've got the brand prestige and heritage.

The Nissan is cheaper, the Porsche more expensive. My question is this: SO WHAT? There are people out there that can afford both cars and would go for the more expensive Porsche because it suits their needs or they want the badge or because of something else.

Besides, the Porsche Turbo has always struck me as more of a 'GT Porsche'. I believe the GT3 is a better track performer than the Turbo, especially the GT3 RS.
— Willis (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 4:06:19 PM | | Votes: 11

I'm enjoying this mad deboosting, keep it coming.
— GTR35 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 4:44:26 PM | | Votes: 7

Turbospyder/Midengine/sport always posts that thing about Porsche, so funny, and really getting old hat.
— _43LE (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 5:12:40 PM | | Votes: 6

Why is it that the biggest "badge-whores" call everyone else "badge-whores?" LMAO
— FULEXUS (View Profile)

Posted on 3/20/2008 12:22:56 PM | | Votes: 1

TurboSpyder,

FYI, in Japan GT, Porsche was never a real threat. Probably more relevant here to compare porsche with japanese cars as they race head to head.
History is about yesterday.
History to GTR is beating the 911.
Tomorrow is about beating the GTR!!
If you are so indulged in racing history, go buy a horse, cowboy
yee haa!

— mwrmmg (View Profile)

Posted on 3/22/2008 11:51:51 AM | | Votes: 1

TurboSpyder,

FYI, in Japan GT, Porsche was never a real threat. Probably more relevant here to compare porsche with japanese cars as they race head to head.
History is about yesterday.
History to GTR is beating the 911.
Tomorrow is about beating the GTR!!
If you are so indulged in racing history, go buy a horse, cowboy
yee haa!

— mwrmmg (View Profile)

Posted on 3/22/2008 11:51:58 AM | | Votes: 1

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: The GT-R is back!
Great job, Nissan!
— 07G35J (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 10:22:01 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 9

For some reason I keep reading these comparison articles(this is like the 38th now I believe) just trying to see if any of these guys will find a flaw with this car but they don't. Every outcome is bascically the same with the GT-R on top. I know this car is probably in every automakers R&D lab around the world being dissected like a guinea pig.
— PlanB (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 10:36:47 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

You're right PlanB, I would too if I was Porsche.
— GTR35 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 11:49:08 AM | | Votes: -1

"I know this car is probably in every automakers R&D lab around the world being dissected like a guinea pig."

You mean like Nissan did benchmarking the 911 Turbo for the seven years that they were developing the GT-R? Porsche should put a DSG tranny in the Turbo and GT3 and call it a day. And Bilstein, who provide the "Damptronic" suspension system for the GT-R, should have their books audited by the German government as a warning to stop helping the enemy!
— TurboSpyder (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 11:58:44 AM | | Votes: 1

"You mean like Nissan did benchmarking the 911 Turbo for the seven years that they were developing the GT-R?"

Yeah exactly like that. And that was no big secret either. Everywhere Nissan had a GT-R prototype the 911 was very present. But they also need to figure out how Nissan managed to get performance numbers so close to a Ferrari Enzo for about 1/16th its price. A DSG tranny and sophisticated damping system is just a couple of chapters of this book that makes up the GT-R. This is just an extremely well engineered automobile.
— PlanB (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 1:58:33 PM | | Votes: 1

i don't think Porsche is dissecting the GT-R. It's no secret that the Nissan's handling advantage comes from the performance of it's AWD system. Porsche will update the Turbo and be back on top in no time.

Porsche created the 911 Turbo. It's easy to study what a pioneer has done and make a tweaked version. It's more respectable to actually create.
— pushrod27 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 2:21:07 PM | | Votes: 4

your funny.
— Htay7500 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 6:15:23 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

And how would you know this, especially since the LF-A has yet to be produced?
— Audiphile (View Profile)

Posted on 4/15/2008 2:41:01 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Because the roadnoise and comfort is worse in the other 2
— Heyhuub (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 11:29:07 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

WTF, indeed. Of course it's a good thing that you can hear the Corvette's engine all of the time. That's one of the main selling points. The deep-bass rumble at idle, the angry authoratative growl when you rev it... there's nothing better. Beside the exotic wail of Ferraris, Porsches, and Lamborghinis, nothing sounds better than a Chevy V8.

GM does a lot of things wrong, but they've been getting the right sound out of those pipes for a long time now. Only an idiot would deny it.
— pushrod27 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 2:16:57 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 9

Youre sounding like a fanboy SUPREME. If there's anything nissan does wrong....well, there are many things, but at the forefront it's engine sounds and exhausts notes. And the gtr is no exception; it has a steady hum, thats very boring and not at all like a sports car. But at least its not obnoxious and unrefined sounding like the z and g coupe.

Porsches and vettes sound like sports cars should. While nissan was busy tearing apart and trying to emulate the best sports car there is, they should have tried to copy its exhaust note too.
— tattedtwice (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 2:39:19 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

The more you babble, the more ignorant you sound. No one denies that the pushrod design is an old one, but to assume it's 'crude' for that reason shows you know nothing about the vette or its engine.

You aren't going to find any reviews that point out any 'crudeness' from a vette, but there have been more than a few that mention vibration and lack of refinement in nissan's overused and played out VQ. How sad is that, all the technology they poured into it, yet they dont know how to smooth it out or make it pleasing to the ear. Talk about crude....
— tattedtwice (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 5:26:24 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

GTR looks nice in white.
— answer (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 11:26:08 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

GT-R looks VERY nice in white, but it does in nearly every colour, especially red too.
— Hyundai (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 1:35:31 PM | | Votes: 5

black ftw.
— Htay7500 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/20/2008 6:50:29 AM | | Votes: 2

It will be interesting to see when Porsche updates the 911 turbo.Clearly the GT3 and RS will out handle the turbo.However it's probably based on sales. I can't see spending that kind of money if you could get a GTR for almost half the price.(If a dealer will really sell it to you for the asking price)
— mini22 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 11:53:08 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

The current 911 GT2 is already faster than the GT-R. The GT3 is not 'the best a 911 could ever be.'

Even before the GT-R's debut, it was known that the current 911 Turbo is a (relatively) softly sprung GT car not set up for ultimate performance. A mildly updated 911 Turbo with the GT2's more powerful engine and hardcore suspension(or a GT2 with the Turbo's AWD system) is the car that would be 'The best a 911 could ever be'. I suspect that's exactly what they'll do to respond to the GT-R.

Are you so blindly in favor of the GT-R, or are you just that ignorant about cars in general? What is it that makes you say these horribly stupid things?
— pushrod27 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 2:32:33 PM | | Votes: 4

TheBoss,

"The 911 is a flawed design."

It is? Gee, I guess Porsche has been designing flawed cars ever since the 1950s then.

Get real.

The amazing thing about Porsche is that they've managed to create cars that despite being rear-engined handle amazingly well. To be able to engineer something like this takes not only engineering prowess and time, but years of racing experience where one can better the product.

May I suggest you give credit where credit is due and stop bashing Porsche?
— Willis (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 4:13:15 PM | | Votes: 5

911 is a flawed setup and the germans are just being stubborn.

911 setup is so near to its limit now. Tests by CAR mag and EVO reveal that they are not even pushing hard on the GTR. and there's v-spec coming soon.

Now its time for porsche to bring back the 928, with AWD and with some interesting results. back to the drawing board guys

— mwrmmg (View Profile)

Posted on 3/22/2008 12:01:53 PM | | Votes: 1

The vette, turbo, and gt-r were basically neck in neck from 0 to 60 3.4 sec I believe for each. But by 120 the vette was ahead followed by the turbo then gt-r. So I guess you can say the vette is still drag race king, but a heavier and underpowered car keeping up with the ZO6 is no small achievement. So kudos to the GT-R.

But racing in a straight line isn't half the story, comfort, agility, quietness on high speeds. The circuit race had the GT-R beat the ZO6 and Turbo by 5 seconds each, which is a lifetime in racing. Its important to note, this is the first GT-R without a speed limiter. For you haters out there saying the driver doesn't know how to drive, Steve Millen was the driver(go look him up if you dont know who he is)
— aston_martin (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 1:56:01 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 7

those who drive corvettes are so predictable. They don't like sophisticated stuff.
predictable shape and engine. Definitely not for unpredictable roads...
— mwrmmg (View Profile)

Posted on 3/22/2008 12:07:56 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

The reality is people who are going to buy a Z06 aren't shopping for the GT-R, and people who are going to buy a 911 Turbo/GT3/GT2 are not shopping for a GT-R. No matter what, it's still apples to oranges to peaches.
That said, the GT-R's performance is undeniable. But the other two are no slouches whatsoever. An owner of any of the three will be estatic.
— gooch (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 1:23:07 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4

I agree with you to a point, but I do know a few people who are adding a gt-r to their corvette and porsche fleet or selling them to get the gt-r. If you snoop around the gt-r sites like gtr.co.uk and nagtroc.org, you'll see members who also own corvettes and porsches who are on the waiting list for this car, so there are exceptions.
— aston_martin (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 2:03:51 PM | | Votes: 3

People buying a Z06 may consider the GT-R. They are constantly compared as the HUGE performance bargains. True the 911 crowd will consider the GT-R much less frequently.

Anyone that is into sports cars cannot over look the GT-R. It still boggles my mind the #'s it gets for being so heavy (mostly due to AWD and sheer size).
— Porschinator (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 5:20:27 PM | | Votes: 1

You could park a gt-r in a junkyard full of scraps, rusted cars and crushed cars, and it still wouldnt be the best looking there. Park it next to a vette or ANY porsche, and it looks even worse.

This thing will sell based on performance, no one will buy it for looks, since it has none. They could reduce the price to 45k, with free gas for 2 years, and I'd still have no interest in it.
— tattedtwice (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 2:21:09 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

You're either blind, stupid, or a liar. Maybe all three. You're probably high, too.

No one can deny the GT-R's superior performance, but even it's fans know that it is not the best looking car.

Both the 911 and the Corvette beat the GT-R hands down in terms of styling.

I hope that you are 'TheBoss' of your own successful business, because you will never get a job if you keep abusing drugs the way that you do.
— pushrod27 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 2:25:24 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2

Am I the only one that thinks the GTR looks like a Hyundai?
— FULEXUS (View Profile)

Posted on 3/20/2008 12:33:08 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

I can't believe there's not one comment on this article. The GT-R nay-sayers have been silenced!
— vman1013 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 2:15:46 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2

I guess I should use the refresh button!
— vman1013 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 2:16:16 PM | | Votes: 0

All things considered, i would choose a Z06 for my own car out of this bunch. The 911 is a classic, and the GT-R is simply amazing - a great car that makes compelling use of advanced automotive technology.
But there's just something about that V8 powersled that intoxicates me.
— pushrod27 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 2:40:29 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

Very well put pushrod. I love the performance from the GTR and I like the sound of a v8. Personally I like the sound of a nicely tuned inline 6 the most but will never knock a nice sounding v8 either. I like the fact that your opinions are not biased and you actually appreciate cars for what they are and not the badge. You are more open minded than alot of others on this site. My favorite car is BMW but that doesn't mean they are the best car in the world. I like alot of other cars.
— 85bmw745i (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 8:01:26 PM | | Votes: 2

Rather, I think it's time for Japanese fanboys like yourself to stop talking shit and opening their narrow minds a bit to allow more information to flow in.

Porsche's are overpriced? Please explain in great detail why they are overpriced. I'd like to hear it. You're comparing a Porsche to a Nissan. No shit the Porsche will be "overpriced".

Want to know a secret why Japanese cars are cheaper? The Japanese buy American Dollars by the boatload to keep their currency artificially weak. This means their products are cheaper to sell in the United States because they can price them cheaper too. Now if memory serves me right, isn't this an illegal trade practice, huh?

You know what I think? I think the Lexus LS600h is incredibly overpriced. You're basically getting an LS460 with poorer fuel economy and a lower emissions rating. Sounds overpriced to me.
— Willis (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 4:19:07 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -4

This is another important tool that the Japanese manufacturers have to keep costs down.

http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10329261
— TurboSpyder (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 4:48:32 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -7

turbo-midengine-(aka sport),

The more you post, the more ridiculous you look. You know that, right?
— _43LE (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 5:14:00 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 7

TurboSpyder - "This is another important tool that the Japanese manufacturers have to keep costs down.

http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10329261"
this is nonsense . i don`t believe that enyone can died becouse of too much work .
— abcd (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 6:08:33 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

"turbo-midengine-(aka sport),

The more you post, the more ridiculous you look. You know that, right?"

-

43LE, I believe that when I post things such as the information about Porsche's illustrious racing history (above) that even though the Japanese fan boys will deboost it it's information that they now know and can share with their friends and consequently they will have to work harder to delude themselves that the Japanese manufacturers are in the same league as the Europeans.

Anyone want to wager who will win the Formula One World Championship again this year or the 24 Hours of Le Mans? Of course not, we all know it will be European manufacturers.
— TurboSpyder (View Profile)

Posted on 3/20/2008 4:15:21 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

[Quote]
Now a recent court ruling has put companies under pressure to change their ways. On November 30th the Nagoya District Court accepted Hiroko Uchino's claim that her husband, Kenichi, a third-generation Toyota employee, was a victim of karoshi when he died in 2002 at the age of 30. He collapsed at 4am at work, having put in more than 80 hours of overtime each month for six months before his death. “The moment when I am happiest is when I can sleep,” Mr Uchino told his wife the week of his death. He left two children, aged one and three.

As a manager of quality control, Mr Uchino was constantly training workers, attending meetings and writing reports when not on the production line. ***Toyota treated almost all that time as voluntary and unpaid. So did the Toyota Labour Standards Inspection Office, part of the labour ministry. But the court ruled that the long hours were an integral part of his job***. On December 14th the government decided not to appeal against the verdict.

***The ruling is important because it may increase the pressure on companies to treat “free overtime” (work that an employee is obliged to perform but not paid for) as paid work. That would send shockwaves through corporate Japan, where long, long hours are the norm.***

Official figures say that the Japanese work about 1,780 hours a year, slightly less than Americans (1,800 hours a year), though more than Germans (1,440). ***But the statistics are misleading because they do not count “free overtime”. Other tallies show that one in three men aged 30 to 40 works over 60 hours a week. Half say they get no overtime. Factory workers arrive early and stay late, without pay. Training at weekends may be uncompensated.***

During the past 20 years of economic doldrums, many companies have replaced full-time workers with part-time ones. Regular staff who remain benefit from lifetime employment but feel obliged to work extra hours lest their positions be made temporary. Cultural factors reinforce these trends. Hard work is respected as the cornerstone of Japan's post-war economic miracle. The value of self-sacrifice puts the benefit of the group above that of the individual.
[/Quote]
— TurboSpyder (View Profile)

Posted on 3/20/2008 4:25:52 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

To sum up the impression of GTR by EVo magazine, i have taken several of their important quotes. And you can judge for yourself, why there is nothing on Earth like the GTR in the world today. Think about it, if a GTR can win the battle against all these magnificent cars like the 991 GT3, Audi R8, and Z06 and still cost about 65 grand(base price), I am willing to pay even 80 grand to get this car, really the reputation of this car has exceeded the masters. So take a look at the following quotes and decide for yourself if GTR is worth your 80 grand value that Nissan has promised to keep in the US: to be frank I think it is a bargain at that price

GTR vs Z06
"The GTR feels every bit as ferocious as the Z06"

0-100-0 KPH
Z06-14 sec
GTR-13.9 sec

GTR vs Audi R8

"For the first time Audi's 4.2 liter V8 feels weedy"

"The DCT gearbox(of GTR) is a key part of the experience"

"There is no millimeter of slack in the GTR leaving you feeling completely connected"

"The R8 is still a fantastic drive and still a better car in terms of feedback but it can't match the high tech GTR's on road pace"

GTR vs GT3

"You get addicted to the Nissan's blinding pace"

"There is no shortage of excitement managing the GT3's rear end but the GTR counters with sheer speed"

Final Judgement:

"Respect is due, big respect, Nissan has built a new performance icon"

— farabira1 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 5:27:54 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4

You can't get into the gt-r for anywhere near sticker. Effective price puts it over $100k. Exclusivity has a price. Porsche builds it in from the get go.
— strafe1 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 10:33:30 PM | | Votes: 1

Nissan has said that it will intervene with the dealer's transactions, at least in the US, to keep the price below 80 thousand dollars. Nissan has made it absolutely clear that they will not let the price raise beyond 80 grand. Even at that price it will at least 30 to 40 thousand dollars less than a Porsche GT3 or Audi R8. And if you look at international markets, like in Britain, the GTR will sell for around 58 thousand pounds, and an M3 costs about 54 grand in Britain. Really, a GTR for an M3 money, the Europeans are super lucky.

And please i would like to know what evidence you have that shows that markup price will take the car's price to around 100 thousand dollars. Really do you have any proof, or are you just speculating!
— farabira1 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/20/2008 11:03:52 AM | | Votes: 1

The EVO article says it all. I'm a big Porsche nut(obviously) and they need to step up now the challenge has been thrown down. I think the GT2 could beat the GT-R(no head to head as yet) but the price difference is ridiculous. Amazing the GT was faster with less power and more weight! I attribute this to a superbly fast tranny and an apparently better four wheel system. Maybe Porsche needs a clean sheet.
— 993Turbo (View Profile)

Posted on 3/25/2008 2:18:40 PM | | Votes: 1

I really love the last line
"Respect is due, big respect, Nissan has built a new performance icon". This line really sums up everything about the car, it is the new icon, the most precious symbol in performance automotives.
— farabira1 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 5:33:03 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6

I hope this car motivates engineers around the world especially GM, to improve the handling dynamics of there cars and putting all of that power into the wheels properly. No longer are the days of light and powerful cars sufficient, especially when a heavier car like the GT-R is able to out handle them. I hope GM engineers working on the next generation corvette study the GT-R like nissan did with porsche. It should be noted one of the first people on the waiting list for this car in europe is porsche themselves(read it in a magazine).

Now with that being said, for all of your enjoyment I present to you Best Motoring pitting the GT-R against the Lambo SL, GT3, 911Turbo, and NSX-R

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ckWxoLxiV6I
— ptral (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 8:59:34 PM | | Votes: 4

On a different note, I believe one of the reasons why the GT-R is such an all rounder and world beater is because they actually test and engineer there cars around the world. The engineers of the car tested it on Japan's race tracks, European race tracks (nurburgring) and American tracks (Laguna seca). I believe in order for the corvette to be a truly world beater, it should be tested on different tracks around the world.

Another thing I find interesting is people being doubting the GT-R from the get go. I assume most people here are americans, then you guys are late to the skyline party. The previous versions of this car have been track beasts, so much so that this car was being unofficially imported to Europe, the middle east, australia, and parts of asia. True car enthusiasts (not badge enthusiasts)have known about this car previous predecessors. If anything this new GT-R has had to live up to the hype of its ancestors, not beating the ZO6,R8,GT3,M3,TURBO, all of which is just icing on the cake.
— ptral (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 9:14:44 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5

ptral speaks the truth. The GT-R has had almost 40 years of racing experience(1969 was the first year). Many of the engineers who worked on the previous versions, worked on the new GT-R. Which means close to 40 years of engineering and racing expertise helped create this car. Car enthusiasts like Jeremy Clarkson and Tiff needle loved the previous versions of this car. Clarkson rated the R34GTR 8th on his 100 greatest car of all time.

Jeremy racing a TVR against a R32GTR(gives it props)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=rg2gbrCaE-o

Jeremy driving the R33GTR early 90's
http://youtube.com/watch?v=7hPa2KEB4Sg

Jeremy driving a JUN R33GTR 1000 HP
http://youtube.com/watch?v=7uGl7hcfXgw&feature=related

Jeremy reviewing the R34GTR 90's
http://youtube.com/watch?v=UZh3bl-LJzE

Watch these videos, and you get a better understanding of this new GT-R and where its coming from.
— car_dude (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 9:40:44 PM | | Votes: 4

The GT-R looks like an ugly fish with it's tongue sticking out.

Not a good lookin' car..
— EL34 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 9:17:32 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -3

Well now, back from stormfront.org so soon EL34.
— car_dude (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 9:19:21 PM | | Votes: 7

Besides if you guys are wondering how the previous version of the GTR (34)stacked up against the 911 turbo and the previous version of the corvette z51. Check out this video
PORSCHE 911 vs FERRARI vs CORVETTE Z51 vs R34 GT-R

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ttvv8tw3W9s

as you can see, nissan and porsche have been battling it out for awhile. Whereas the current corvettes are successes on the world stage (recent thing C6,Z06) their predecessors were considered less then satisfactory. So really, its the corvette who has something to prove (which it has with the new versions, winning lemans etc)
— ptral (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 10:06:48 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

On a performance level the GT-R can hang with the best of them. A lot of the buzz about this car stems from the cars cost....a porsche competitor/slayer at half the price. This car can't be had for msrp, more like $100-130k. That's $25k more than the vette and near the price of the porsche. For that money, what would you buy?
— strafe1 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 10:45:31 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

strafe1 your right, there been a lot markups on this car especially in the California area, and well off areas if you know what I mean. But there are a few select dealers in the states who are actually selling this car at msrp or with a minimal 5 to 10 thousand markup (I found this out on nagtroc.org, a site for north american gtr enthusiasts)some members on that site have actually secured the car at msrp. One of them actually got to look at the list of waiters with a deposit on the car, and few celebrities are on it(they'll pay the high prices). In the UK, this car starts off at 50,000 pounds the same as an M3 and they dont charge over msrp.
— ptral (View Profile)

Posted on 3/20/2008 12:03:57 AM | | Votes: 0

What i don't get is people comming here and knocking the cars. Oh the porsche's design is flawed, the GTR looks crap, the corvette uses pushrod technology.
Geez people all three are great sport cars, no matter how well they perform or how much they cost. Everone here has made up their minds about which car they like yet people try to convert them by talking about power figures and lap times. I must agree the GTR is a great car, but so is the 911 and corvette. I'd choose the 911 out of the three because i like it and thats that. No matter what anyone else says about its design, price or how it looks i'd choose that car everytime.

But i guess people can't help but start arguements, its in our nature.

Cheers

— DasAuto (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2008 11:08:57 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5

it's not that...most of us appreciate all types of vehicles. a lot (mostly the Porsche fans here) can't accept that a Japanese branded NISSAN, of all things, can come in and provide better numbers and blah blah blah.

I personally love the GT3, it's an amazing vehicle. But you have to tip your cap to such a machinery as the GTR. Nissan put time and effort into the vehicle, and all these reviews are showing that effort.

And to think, Nissan was in Porsche's backyard working on this beast. You'd think that they would of tooken note and had a team focussed on seeing what madness Nissan was up to, spending months at the N-Ring.

It's Porsche's turn to come better...the vette, i love the outside, hate the inside. It's why I can't stand a lot of american vehciles. things are so bland and cheap. The ZR1 is looking good, but then again...so is rumors of the Vspec GTR!!!
— r15mohd (View Profile)

Posted on 3/20/2008 9:41:35 AM | | Votes: 2

Let's see - Configuration #13 of Buttonwillow racetrack - no straights and lot's of slow corners.

Millen has been a Nissan driver/shill for the past 20 years. He knows where his bread is buttered. And as much admits he doesn't have a lot of experience in the Z or the Porsche.

No one else smells a setup? Do you guys believe everything you read? And Evo mag and Best Motoring - Japanese heritage both, right? Yeah, the GTR was going to lose, right?
— MDXZ06 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/20/2008 11:04:17 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

Uh no MDXZO6, your clearly ignoring all the other reviews. Just to jog your memory of all the reviews so far of this car

TOP GEAR REVIEW GTR
http://www.tacticalcenter.net/GT-R/topgear_gtr.html

TOP GEAR R8 VS GTR (R8 SPORTS CAR OF THE YEAR BUT GTR SUPER CAR OF THE YEAR
http://www.topgear.com/content/features/stories/2008/02/stories/07/1.html

FIFTH GEAR GTR REVIEW
http://youtube.com/watch?v=2lPZT6BfiIg

CARMAGAZINE R8,911TURBO,M3 VS GTR
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122409

0-60 MAGAZINE 911 TURBO VS GTR
http://www.nagtroc.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=21966

EVO MAGAZINE ZO6, GT3, R8 VS GTR
http://www.nagtroc.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=22031

SPORTS CAR INTERNATIONAL GTR REVIEW
http://www.nagtroc.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=21996

AUTOCAR M3,GT3 VS GTR DRAG RACE AND TRACK RACE
PART 1 http://youtube.com/watch?v=hjwJl4t-DF8
PART 2 http://youtube.com/watch?v=XzEivL1Kruo

EDMUNDSINSIDE LINE GTR TEST
http://youtube.com/watch?v=yDoJdQXmwu8

So there you have it some of the reviews so far, there more but Im just too lazy. Everybody who driven this car has been impressed. To say every single of these reviews is biased or bought out by nissan is lies. So far the reviews have been consistent. As for your comment on Steve Millen,Steve has raced for many manufacturers, not just Nissan. He's best known for the Nissan 300ZX he raced in IMSA, but he's raced for Toyota and GM as well. His last race was with a Ford GT. He's won endurance races at Sebring, Daytona and LeMans. Even if he was bought out like you say, what about the other tests?
— ptral (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2008 5:42:47 AM | | Votes: 1

those who think Steve Millen might be biased towards Nissan, this was found on a Porsche forum:

I hate to interrupt your conspiracy theory here, but Steve Millen has been a test driver for Road & Track reviews for years. Take this article for example, not one single Nissan in the lineup, yet R&T used Steve Millen as their test driver for all of the cars: http://www.autoblog.com/2007/08/01/h...in-0-200-dash/

And don’t forget this one from 2005: http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....rticle_id=1949

Strange, the Corvette gets 1st, the Porsche’s get 2nd and 3rd place, while the Nissan in that test only gets 8th place. By your theory, shouldn't the Nissan have won since clearly it is his "favorite"?

And yes, Millen drove Nissans in IMSA, but in the ~40 years since he began his professional racing career, he has also driven for the following manufacturers:
Jaguar
BMW
Ford
Triumph
GM
Toyota
And last but not least
Porsche
http://www.stillen.com/page.asp?heritage1

BTW, here is an interesting part of his career from '79:

Professional driver for General Motors Dealer Team
— ptral (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2008 7:35:35 AM | | Votes: 1

Xerokool: "GT-R's lap time of 1:56.9 simply puts the overpriced 911 Turbo's 2:02.1 to utter shame."

You mean like how the M3's lap time was 4+ seconds faster than the IS-F. M3 put the smack down.

Oh I forgot you have some excuses for the IS-F or that it gets better mileage.

Funny how you can make this statement about the GT-R, but I can't about the M3.
— carnuts (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2008 12:39:09 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

GT-R clearly the better all-around car, IT IS JUST AWESOME!

Impressed by the Z06, 60 mph and above it just walks away from the GT-R.
— carnuts (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2008 12:42:17 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

True the ZO6 can be content with its drag king race title, but in the real world on real streets it will hardly be put to good use. The Turbo and GT-R are better all rounders but even the Turbo can be a handful at times with its twitchy back. One of the members pointed out that the Turbo design was "flawed" and most people actually agree. The fact that porsche stuck with it and made it work for so long is a miracle, and I give respect. But anybody who ever driven the Turbo knows its a handful, and lacks a "sense of humor" so to speak. You have to be alert and wide awake in a turbo are you'll get burned.

Watch Jeremy talk about the car (he praises it but talks about its fault, he crashes it too)
Top Gear - Audi R8 VS Porsche 911
http://youtube.com/watch?v=uyEOEjZw4KI
— ptral (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2008 6:13:16 AM | | Votes: 1

The GTR won over the 911 because the fundamental flaws in the 911's layout cannot be overcome. The GTR is inherently more balanced, so all else being executed equally well, which they are, results in a GTR win that Porsche cannot overcome without a new layout. A Cayman Turbo is what's needed. Porsche needs to get over its historical hierarchy and allow the Cayman to assume it's place as the top sports car, and position the 911 as the top GT.
— freeagent (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2008 8:29:51 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

I have been a Porsche fan for over 40 years and I have seen the "dethroners" come and go. The Corvette, the Audi R8, the Nissan GT-R, etc. Porsche is still around and now look at them. They control the might and resources of the largest European auto manufacturer. As soon as Porsche puts the finishing touches on the Panamera and gets back to the business of designing and building sports cars, The hype will be over. There is still no substitute.
— USCCayman (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2008 12:09:18 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

I don't know where they were able to get the GT-R for $72K. You cannot get the GT-R in the US at MSRP. But for the money, I would still take the Porsche Turbo over the other two.

The Audi R8 would also be a good choice as well. It is the World Car of the Year. Has the Turbo ever won that title? Just curious.
— investor27 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2008 11:40:14 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

I would still take the porsche and the corvette over the GTR, I like the GTR and give it its props...but I want to truly drive a car...not a car drive me. I want balls out performance, white knuckle, shit my pants driving and thats what you get with the corvette and porsche.
— xlr8 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/22/2008 12:54:11 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Congratulations to Nissan on this victory over two of their most potental rivals, especially at that price.

R/T's Andy Bornhop and I are almost exactly the same height and build. I'll have to contact him and find out if the GT-R has enough headroom and legroom for guys like us.

There is a possibility that I might be buying a sports car in the next year or so. I will have to add the GT-R to the Audi R8 as the two strongest purchase candidates. The Audi is quite a bit more expensive, but it is much prettier and I suspect the interior might be nicer too. I know I have plenty of head/legroom in the R8. It also probably has a smoother ride.

Maybe R&T will compare the R8 and GT-R in a future issue. I suspect the Nissan will get better "track numbers", but the Audi will probably be more refined and easier to live with on a daily basis. Oh well, if I can fit in the GT-R, I will probably have an agonizing choice to make between two awesome machines.
— Audiphile (View Profile)

Posted on 3/22/2008 1:31:46 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

Z06: "We all agreed that the Corvette is the best-looking of the bunch."

GT-R: "As for the car's styling, we like it, although there are others who feel that it looks too robot-like."

yet both get 15 points?

Furthermore, performance summary without top speed...wtf?
— carfan33 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/22/2008 10:22:59 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

The GT-R been tested by Car and Driver for there may edition and word is coming in that they tested the car, 0-60 3.3 and a 1/4 mile 11.5 @124, also 0-100 was 7.8. other mag had it at nearly 9 sec. The tested car had the Dunlops on it, so keep your eyes out on Car and Driver
— aston_martin (View Profile)

Posted on 3/23/2008 3:14:38 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

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Road and Track Comparo: First US-spec GT-R vs. Corvette Z06 vs. 911 Turbo

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