ZR1 pushes Godzilla back into the ocean

[cletus8269]

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.

We make a few calls and sign a few release forms before a Cyber Gray ZR1 emerges from the main gate and pulls up next to the GT-R. The driver gets out, hands us the keys and gives a friendly warning, "Go fast carefully."

From here on out, it's the King Kong of Corvettes versus the Godzilla of Japan. We'll drive both cars more than 300 miles back to Los Angeles before putting them on a dyno, running our customary round of instrumented tests and wrapping it all up with hot laps on the road course at Streets of Willow.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drive...rticleId=134467

video after the jump.

Edited October 29, 2008 by cletus8269

[PurdueGuy]

Even if the GTR were faster, it's trans would fail after a half dozen launches. lol GO ZR1!

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

WhyTF is everyone so "against" chrome wheels on sports cars?!?!

They sure as hell look better than the gawdy black and charcoal gray $h! that adorns the majority of track cars.

Owners of Corvettes have class and they like classic looks. You might find them at a local cruise night sometime with chrome wheels shining. (As opposed to a GT-R owner, who might be found at a local high school trying to entice Honda Civic owners girlfriends into the car)

Anyway, if you don't like the chrome, don't get the freakin' chrome. But I don't want to hear you bitch about it either way. Especially since I'm green with envy that you get to drive the best american car ever, for free.

Launching the 2009 Nissan GT-R is a no-brainer thanks to its electronic launch control system.

AND NO FUN....

"GT-R: The only high performance car that doesn't require a set of balls."

On the flip side, the Corvette is a sweat-inducing workout that requires good footwork, quick hands and serious concentration.

A.K.A. No amateurs....

So where does that leave the 2009 Nissan GT-R? It'll be just fine, we suspect. It delivers similar performance in a package that's far less intimidating and infinitely more usable.

Doesn't that defeat the purpose? I like my cars like I like my music; hard, fast, loud and bad ass.

See the guy holding his hands over his ears? Yeah, it's that loud inside the dyno room.

OMG... I'd be in heaven!

[PurdueGuy]

AND NO FUN....

"GT-R: The only high performance car that doesn't require a set of balls."

Sure it does... cuz using the launch control voids the warranty and destroys the trans after a half dozen launches, which results in a $20k repair bill. Knowing that, I'd call launching the GTR pretty ballsy.

[cletus8269]

i just wish the v spec would hurry up and get here so they could throw that and the ZR1 together... all the people screaming just wait the v spec is faster and better... its gonna be close.

[regfootball]

that cobalt steering wheel is not that bad. it feels fine, just looks cheap. that and the seats are a legit concern, but it won't stop anyone from buying the car.

[siegen]

Given how close they are in performance, I have a feeling the "v-spec" or whatever GT-R will 1-up the ZR-1, with weight reductions and power increase. Like the article says, the Corvette is close to its limit right now, but the GT-R with its AWD has quite a bit more room for improvement.

But who wants a GT-R knowing it's going to break if you drive it too hard?

[smk4565]

Given how close they are in performance, I have a feeling the "v-spec" or whatever GT-R will 1-up the ZR-1, with weight reductions and power increase. Like the article says, the Corvette is close to its limit right now, but the GT-R with its AWD has quite a bit more room for improvement.

I agree, the GT-R is priced against the Z06 and they are closer in power/performance. The V-spec will likely 1-up the ZR-1 since the base GT-R is still close to the ZR-1.

Then there is the V10 Lexus LF-A, which might be good, but I suspect it wasn't as fast as either of these cars so they delayed it.

[siegen]

I agree, the GT-R is priced against the Z06 and they are closer in power/performance. The V-spec will likely 1-up the ZR-1 since the base GT-R is still close to the ZR-1.

Then there is the V10 Lexus LF-A, which might be good, but I suspect it wasn't as fast as either of these cars so they delayed it.

The LF-A, and NSX for that matter, aren't necessarily direct competition to these cars. They will both be much more expensive and luxury-oriented. They may or may not be as fast and it won't be the end of the world if they aren't. Lexus has more to worry about the performance of the NSX, and matching or exceeding it, while keeping it as "luxury" as a Lexus should be. Or something like that.