I will start off with the Nissan GTR - this car is a technological marvel. Having bench marked its development on the 911 Turbo, Nissan went all out (and took them a number of years) to develop one of the best all round supercar beating performance car that you can drive on a daily basis. Being the first to have a transaxle gearbox and big 3.8 litre V6 twin turbo, which is considered big by Japanese standards and pushing out well over 480hp has broken the traditionally respected Japanese law of producing no more than 280hp for a production car. The car itself is not light weight at over 1800kg but there is a reason for this according to the chief engineer who developed this car. This logic was that the F1 car weighs 600kg and produces 1200kg in aerodynamic down force at high speed, and the Le Mans cars weighs 1200kg and produces 600kg in aerodynamic down force. Both of these racing cars add up to 1800kg in total weight (so called total weight after adding aerodynamic down force). With a weight of 1800kg including driver the GTR is deemed to have the ideal weight for its performance. Many would argue that it would be better if it was lighter since we usually associate nimble handling with light weight cars such as the Lotus Elise. However with the 1800kg weight the car had the necessary weight to keep it planted on the track and stability at high speed.
I put this to the test when I threw the car fast into corners and sweeping turns. The front end gripped like a leech and there was no protest from the tyres. For a car weighing this much it felt strange and one would feel that it would understeer. The balance of the car was amazing as it felt neutral at all times. The torque split reading on the dash board showed how fast the computer was shifting the torque from rear to the front at all times. It was like driving a playstation car.
The turbo boost came in very early in the RPM range and show virtually no turbo lag. With the slight prod of the throttle the car would accelerate smoothly and with predictable and manageable speed. The monster only wakes up when you push the throttle harder and that would invoke a heart attack for some people with the massive shove in the back type acceleration. With the massive torque produced the car always felt very light on its feet and behaved like a car that you would think is 500 to 600kg lighter. This has to be one of the fastest accelerating production cars from standstill for under US$100,000.
This car will no doubt be a popular choice among Sunday Track enthusiasts with a bit of money. This is by no means cheap but it is a real bargain if you compare it with the competition it is rubbing its shoulders with. The performance, handling, braking and top speed is way into the supercar league and it has scared a few big names in this segment. Being this easy to drive fast really on a daily basis and makes an average driver look good, this car has definitely moved the goal post very far ahead for the competition to follow. The GTR has a cult like status in Japan and has long racing pedigree behind it to carry the GTR tag that is well respected around the world. This car is arguably the best Japanese supercar (if you can call it a supercar) on the market for its asking price.
The 911 Turbo is one of the most respected supercars around with a long history of evolutionary design and big leaps in engineering technology. Having an engine at the back the car means that the car traditionally has struggled with front end grip. Porsche has over the generations improved on this area and made the car handle a lot better to give the driver more confidence turning cornering. The 997 edition saw massive improvements over the 996 model. The VGT turbo made turbo spool up much faster and offers a wider torque band across the RPM making the car very drivable at almost any engine speed. This car has the ability to accelerate like a bat out of hell with incredible smoothness and ease. The fat torque curve meant that even on 6th gear at 70km/h the car is still able to accelerate hard. With the addition of the Sports Chrono pack the overboost function comes into play and gives the engine extra horsepower and torque momentarily for manic acceleration.
The facelifted version in 2009 saw the introduction of the PDK twin clutch gearbox that made huge improvements to the driveability and fuel consumption. Having driven this car around the city during heavy traffic and on the highway at high speed, this car can be said to be very easy to live with and can be used on a daily basis without any fuss. Unlike the old 911s which hated heat from traffic jams, the new 997 model has no complains about it. Handling wise the car still has some of the tradition light front end feeling associated with the older models but it has vastly improved. Accelerating out of corners the tail of the car would want to swing out but putting a bit of opposite lock is sufficient to control this beast. In comparison with the GTR the 911 turbo is lighter and this is difference in weight and size is obvious when you put both cars through tight twisty turns. The 911 Turbo feels a bit more nimble but the GTR has good traction to keep up. I have always thought that the 911 was a slightly flawed design with its engine at the back but Porsche has managed to make this flawed design a selling point. With the engine at the back there is more traction for the rear wheels to put the power down. The new 2011 911 Turbo S has demonstrated that it is one of the fastest accelerating cars in the world with a 0-100km/h in 3.2 secs. The 2012 GTR has matched it with the higher power output.
My comments on driving both cars:-
For the well heeled and those who love the badge, it is without a doubt the Porsche 911 Turbo. Still one of the best daily drive supercars in the market. It is more of a handful to drive at the limit and requires more skill and concentration to extract all the performance from the car. Most untrained drivers will only be able to extract 80+% of the car's full potential.
For those who want an all out super fast car without having to shell out a large sum of money, the GTR is the way to go. This car will definitely scare many Ferraris, Porsches, Aston Martins, Lamborghinis and Maseratis on the road. It is very easy to live with and makes you look like a professional driver. With this car most drivers will be able to extract 90+% of its potential without too much difficulty.
Now I understand how the GTR could beat the 911 Turbo's Nurburgring lap record which annoyed the hell out of Porsche. Both cars have their pros and cons, it really boils down to weather you want a techno-filled Japanese Samurai or a proven and well respected solid German autobahn stormer. I believe this new rivalry will be here to stay for another 10 years to come.
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