Posts: 1087
Joined: 11/28/2005 From: Northern VA Status: offline
At first glance, the Nissan GT-R seems a totem for everything wrong with modern sports cars. It’s much too big, way too heavy, far too complex, and damnably too expensive for mere wage earners, especially after inevitable gouging precipitated by a global struggle for the annual production run of just 12,000. Were Colin Chapman alive, he’d be on YouTube maniacally machine-gunning a GT-R to “add lightness.”
Now that we’re on our third or fourth glance, and we’ve been able to slap on testing gear and hit the track, the GT-R is earning our awe. In seeking to uphold all that is Godzilla, chief engineer Kazutoshi Mizuno and his crew have built a simply astonishing vehicle. It’s still big, heavy, complex, and expensive, but it’s also a holy spitfire at the drag strip and a joy to drive in every way that a big, heavy, and complex car has no right to be unless it’s way more expensive than the GT-R’s advertised base price of $70,475.
This GT-R story is about performance numbers, so we won’t dillydally: 60 mph is barbecued in 3.3 seconds, the quarter-mile in 11.5 seconds at 124 mph. Braking from 70 mph takes 145 feet, and skidpad runs are 0.99 g. all with 3908 pounds !!!
Well, let's use a little common sense and logic here, shall we.
You have a car that is twice the list price of a GT500, that does a second faster in the quarter. If you actualy look into the details, it is the awd and the way the car is geared.
Here is a graph of cars tested at Motor Trend and how they compare. Notice the GT-R is right up there with some of the higher end cars until it hits around 100, then it slowly drops off.
It is geared for off the line take off. It is a very fast car, and performs very well they say. Of course if you throw in the variable of adding $30,000 in upgrades to the GT500, you know where that goes.
Everyone knew it would be a monster, but alot of people thought it would be the end all of all cars. Yes, it is a very incredible performance machine, but it's right up there and can be outdone by some of it's rwd counterparts.
It all depends on the money you have. Many 'custom' vehicles, including Mustangs, could blow this car away.
Keep looking for that winning lottery ticket, just like I do...
- C
< Message edited by myredgt -- 5/12/2008 7:18:59 AM >
ive watched a couple youtube videos for it..(i used to work at a nissan dealership) and thought it was pretty cool. not a bad car if ur rich and like driving boats
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07 4.0 Black w white racing stripes 5 Speed K&N CAI Custom Exhaust
Posts: 136
Joined: 5/4/2008 From: Liberty City, FL Status: offline
You can't expect American manufacturers (including Chevy's Vette) to compete with the Japs once they put their minds to it... Come on, a world class car for $70K? That's not bad at all.... Don't blame the price gauging dealers who'll bump up the price; blame the idiots who want to be the first in the block with one and will pay the extra dough...
it is amazing but it seems boring and ugly. also they asked engineers if they underrated it and they said no and that their was only a 10% loss through the drivetrain. i call BS on that.
I''ve read more than a few sources saying that the car is pretty underrated HP wise from the factory. With more power, AWD, a more refined powerband, and a few dozen computers driving it for you......it would be hard pressed NOT to beat the Shelby.
uhh bs yourself the stock horses are 480 and the vspec is going to be like 610 ish believe it!! american cars are just no longer compatible with japs but what ever were all going to be riding scooters in a couple of years anyways stupid enviermentalist (spell check) ohh and theyve remade like a bunch of parts in carbonfiber so its really light
new idea how bout the supposed renault alpine with the nissan counterpart something like the 2006 concept 240 sx?? there some sweet stuff
< Message edited by skitso -- 6/15/2008 6:41:41 PM >
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2000 v6 , 5 speed, 2006 gt rims, CAI more to come put the first couple dollars away for a m112 its a comin'
Posts: 246
Joined: 4/13/2008 From: Calgary, AB Status: offline
They went out to create the holy grail of Japanese cars and that''s what they did. No matter how much I don''t like the car, it will not change the fact that its performance is mindblowing. The classic sportscars, the Corvette and 911, have been puttering along with minor changes inbetween the model years. If you get an American or European manufacturer to set out and from the get go design a car to kick the GTR''s @$$, I bet they could do it.
The way I see it, I am never going own one, I am never going to race one, and I''ll probably never see one.
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"Vanessa, Our Lady of Blessed Acceleration" -07 Vista Blue GT -JBA Axle-Backs on the way (4-6 weeks in order to save $50 shipping... bleh)
i''d rather own a Ford GT because it looks way better. they did good but still not appealing to me. just like Ferrari''s and Lambos are awesome and all they just don''t appeal to me.
uhh bs yourself the stock horses are 480 and the vspec is going to be like 610 ish believe it!! american cars are just no longer compatible with japs
Just because the GT-R is an amazing car, doesn''t automatically quantify all imports as domestic killers. This is the no. 1 reason I dreaded the arrival of this car: not because it was gonna be awesome (which it is)......but because all the import nutsuckers are gonna bring it up in any argument they get into with a domestic car owner. "Oh yea.......well the GT-R would kick your ass".
Guess that''s the best you can do when "your" car can''t get out of its own way.
I agree with Elwood on this one. The GT-R is just not a car that will be any kind of reality in my daily life on the highway. I don''t find myself worrying about it.
And even if you do see one and that person does give you crap about it [not very likely btw] then you can just go "well, I got two more cylinders than you and there''s nothing you can do about that"
we all know the GT-R, Gallardo, Murcielago, Enzo, DB9, etc are faster than us but does it matter? no, cause we''re not in the same class cars as them...what worries me more is the new Camaro
And even if you do see one and that person does give you crap about it [not very likely btw] then you can just go "well, I got two more cylinders than you and there''''s nothing you can do about that"
we all know the GT-R, Gallardo, Murcielago, Enzo, DB9, etc are faster than us but does it matter? no, cause we''''re not in the same class cars as them...what worries me more is the new Camaro
+1 if I had a Z06 Vette I might worry about a GTR otherwise, two different classes of cars. So you''re 70K+ car can beat mine that cost less than half that...wow...impressive
As for my S197 I''m more worried about the new Maro and the Challenger.
To the non-belieivers about the GTR being that much faster with similar HP and TQ figures. Those are just a number. It''s how that TQ and HP is put to the pavement is more important.
AWD + having 100% TQ available off the line vs the rest of the cars that have a PEAK TQ rating at something other than Off-the-line. Remember, TQ is what gets you moving.
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ORIGINAL: P Zero
He could strap a rocket to his ass and beat em on foot too. -P.
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