Interesting read.

(Occasionally I give my Dad some seat time behind the wheel of cars that pique his interest. As he is an Evo X MR owner, the 2015 Nissan GT-R is one such car. Here are his thoughts on how he fell in love with Godzilla. - T.O.)

The Nissan GT-R is kind of the opposite of my normal car desires. It's heavy and huge, which is the antithesis of the lithe corner carvers that I've been used to my entire life. But there is just something about the GT-R that engenders desire within me.

(Full Disclosure: Nissan loaned us the GT-R for a weekend. My Dad requested that it be left with him the entire time. That didn't happen.)

It's a car that immediately made me feel at home as soon as I climbed in though I think the seats do need better bolsters. That's one area where I think the Evo totally beats the GT-R. And even though I love tech, I just couldn't get into the high-tech dash displays. Sure, the creators of Gran Turismo worked on it so you could see your G-Forces and all that malarkey, but if you're looking at those mid-corner, you either aren't going fast enough or are going to crash at corner exit.

In other minor complaints, I'd like to be able to shift gears with the lever. In a turn or away from a stop, it's sort of a natural impulse to reach down to the console. The paddles feel good and have a great weight, but the option to use the lever would be a nice touch.

But other than that, every part of it feels like a mature Evo. An aged gouda... with a flavor injection courtesy of Frank's Red Hot. This thing is nuts.

A launch of the GT-R is impressive. Unlike the 911 Turbo, which feels a bit skittish, the GT-R is an acceleration meth addict. It's a fat man running at Usain Bolt pace. I do think that it could launch at an even higher RPM to avoid the very slight bog that comes at the beginning of the launch. And I mean very slight. Teensy weensy.

Handling was impressive especially when you consider that you can feel some of the heft over the axles. You need to be careful with weight transfer or else I'd imagine you can have a huge push on corner entry. I think it's set up more for high speed than tight back roads antics. That's mainly because it just has too much grip to be fun at road speeds. I didn't get to drive it on a track, but I it's probably best somewhere like Road America where it can stretch its legs and reach its limits.

It's a very, very capable car, right up there with the 911 Turbo in terms of performance. You just can't drive it fast enough on the roads to know it's not a boring appliance. It's an Evo, just with limits that an Evo can only dream of. In fact, I think it's might be the perfect car to replace my Evo and Caterham all at once.

It would be a tough choice between this and a new Z06, but I think the GT-R would make a better daily driver. Of course, you have to buy a GT-R new, since the used ones have been thrashed and modified beyond belief (just like any Evo). And even if they say it hasn't been thrashed, you better believe it has probably been thrashed. Trust nobody.

But if I bought one, I'd join the crowd of people modifying and thrashing them. Isn't that why you buy a GT-R?

Full article and pics HERE

 

I saw this article on Jalopnik too, thought it was an interesting read and there was:

Also this:


is the true beast.

 

The Jalponik thread pretty much sums up the GTR

 

Interesting what they compared it against.

Last year, I looked at a GT-R.
I looked at a 911C4.
Then I ordered an Evo X MR for half the price.

 

Cool

 

Very nice write up

 

I'd like to offer a slant to the experience offered by clearly an educated and well rounded car enthusiast (Dad) on the GTR.

I just saw the uber 2016 Nismo model presented at Laguna Seca historic races, and the interior is as underwhelming as the earlier versions, considering the price. But that is not why we admire the GTR, so lets for a moment ignore that. Its only a consideration when literally buying.


Although it is omnipotent machine, and shrinks on back roads, it is not an Evo.
On backroad frankly, we will unlikely go past 7/10ths on R comps because A) its hard to remember each corner on a 200 mile loop, B) a mistake may cost you everything (not just off track excursion).

What I find, and I drive backroads at full tilt a lot, is that amongst few cars that give you confidence and share the ability to use the grip offered by the tires, the speed is about the same: we chicken out well in advance on fast sections and in slow sections we are limited by grip and risk.
You only use power to pass other vehicles, but most often the corners are stringed together by momentum, therefore a 200whp car of reasonable weight can be driven as fast as 400whp car.
Put it differently, nothing makes GTR or Evo faster than S2K. You can drive S2K expertly, you'll be right there. Same ability of drivers.

As a matter of fact, pushing a lighter and smaller Evo over any given mountain road, not big freeway passes over the Rockies, real roads like California Canyon roads (some very fast, often bumpy) and the Tail of the Dragon, and so many more...speeds from 30 to 130mph...after driving for 100 miles at 7/10ths I will venture to say that the Evo is a better drive the tighter it gets.

On track GTR is just not the right tool: and here is where I disagree strongly, not from personal experience, but from 2nd hand experience by the "knowledgeable ones" who drive them hard.
Its simply too heavy and although in the right hands it can pull a great lap...that weight is simply not manageable for long or by most.
Which results in many crashing...epensively.

I think GTR is best at Gentlemen's Express, say you need to make a fast run in the rain from Hamburg to Munich...fabulous machine (except for fuel stops- this is where Bmw 550iX Triple Turbo Diesel would outrun the GTR for sure...).

Or if you are looking for a Do Everything super car with enough room for family, and you like to be the fastest car at most stoplights and similar, its fantastic: comfortable, automatic in commute, powerful, what's there not to like.


But for pure driving enjoyment in performance mode: I will tell you that Evo and Caterham are hard to beat. And I'll qualify that:
Evo that is tuned to put at least 350whp on MD to be able to pass decisively any traffic on real roads, without exposing itself to risk on short straights.
Caterham Superlight R400 or above, to ensure the same explosive passing ability and that motorcycle rivaling acceleration that justifies the impression.

There is little worse than to promise a lot, and deliver little: so a Caterham with Kent is sort of fun drive, but begin blown or blocked by Camry Hybrid is not.
A Superlight R500 or 620R take care of that problem quiet well.

When purchase price and cost of upgrades is considered, the Porsche GT3 starts looking better and better in comparison to GTR.
It has way more charisma, its timeless in no uncertain way, its Cup Brothers win everything they ever compete in assuring that your chassis is always one of the best period, and in terms of pace over any real road or track...well, I just said so...just check the GT3s in Tarmac Rallies running WRC stage times, and check out the Pikes Peak performance, check out FIA GT3 class, Le Mans and Nurburgring 24hrs, check out ALMS, Grand Am, SCCA GT2 class,
Porsche GT3 is all over everything.
And yet, you can own one for similar money to new or used GTR.

And another option: the new 2013+ Cayman/Boxster, not to mention 991 Porsche, are so fabulous doing everything: they are not as fast outright in acceleration, but drive them over real roads and on track, and the confidence and ability they instill results in great pleasure and faster driving than most anything.

You know my next car...(GT3, for the heritage and ability).

 

I agree with a little of all points made here. I own both (14 GSR and a 13 GT-R) and I prefer the EVO handling wise. The GT-R destroys it in grip/speed but the EVO is a much more precise car (my opinion) which has a tendency to oversteer (which I prefer) compared to the GT-R which is heavy, feels heavy and under steers. I am in the same boat where the GT3 is on my radar after I get some more enjoyment from the GT-R. Price wise I still think a GT-R is hard to beat for the price, 2014's can be had around 80k new with the incentive Nissan is running right now. Yeah you may need to chip in some extra to get it track ready but you will still be saving a good chunk over a GT3.

 

You won't be saving much if any at all over a gt3. 997.1 are going for low 70s-mid 80s. No new gtr is selling for that out the door. And even then, the gt3 just needs an alignment it's a good to go on the track. The motors are very reliable and are the exact same as what's in the gt3 cup/rsr. Even the 991 cup/rsr still use the same mezger engine. When I first started looking, I was considering a 2012 gtr. One thing that always came to mind is how quickly I'd get bored of it. It's faster than a gt3, just like pretty much evey car is in the price range. But nothing else comes close to the driving experience it gives and there really isn't anything I could think of that I'd replace mine with.

 

you can get a new GT-R for around the same price, a new 2014 GT-R can be had under invoice which is a little under 95k plus Nissan is doing 10k in trunk cash. Plenty of people have scored 2014s for low 80s (and lower) on the owner's group. I was referring to a new GT3 anyways which starts at 130k.

 

New GT3 isnt a real gt3

 

haha, is it the lack of manual, mezger or both? or the possibility it might go up in flames (i know that part has been fixed)

 

The biggest complaints on rennlist is the new dfi engine isn't being used in the race cars. Then it's the lack of manual, electronic steering, rear wheel steering, etc.
... but that 9k redline is pretty attractive.