Epic Battle: ZR1 vs GT2 vs 599 vs GT-R
10-27-08, 09:31 AM
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Epic Battle: ZR1 vs GT2 vs 599 vs GT-R
Supercars are like castles: the best ones come from Europe. Right?
For sure, it's long seemed that way. The Euro stars have always played in a price and performance stratosphere that makers from other continents simply couldn't (or wouldn't) attempt to match. Sticker price, schmicker price: In the spirit of the old adage "speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?" the premier machines from rarified houses like Ferrari, Bugatti, Porsche, Lamborghini, and Aston Martin cost hella big. But they also run unlike anything else on the road.
Uh, just a minute. Scratch that. For 2008, Nissan launched its ceiling-busting GT-R, a twin-turbo manga-robot on wheels with a price under $80K but an exhaust boom that rocked ears from the Nordschleife to Maranello. And now Uncle Sam is also strutting in the white-hot spotlight all oiled up and pumped: For 2009 comes the all-new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, the most potent GM production automobile of all time, the best Vette ever, a star-spangled, supercharged sledgehammer in aluminum and carbon fiber with brakes lifted from the fastest road Ferraris ever built. Yes, it wears a base sticker that's difficult to utter in the same breath as "Chevrolet" -- more than $106,000 -- but the ZR1 also brandishes performance hardware straight from the parts shelves marked "No Compromises."
Clearly, the two new upstarts are begging to crack open a can of whup-*** in the hallowed halls of European-bred speed. Naturally, we're only too happy to help. We rounded up a GT-R and a ZR1 and headed off to the test track and five-mile high-speed oval of Chrysler's Arizona Proving Grounds with two of Europe's bona-fide superstars: the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano ("the finest all-around Ferrari ever," we said in July 2006) and the Porsche GT2 (which, in our May 2008 issue, we dubbed "one of the greatest sports cars the world has ever seen"). Along with us was former IndyCar driver and 24 Hours of Daytona winner Didier Theys (pictured below); he'd be our man at the wheel for a series of breathless, flat-to-the-floor top-speed runs, plus timed laps on the infield road course at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
For three unforgettable days in the Arizona and Nevada deserts it was War of the Worlds. And NORAD didn't even notice.
Read on:
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...gtr/index.html
For sure, it's long seemed that way. The Euro stars have always played in a price and performance stratosphere that makers from other continents simply couldn't (or wouldn't) attempt to match. Sticker price, schmicker price: In the spirit of the old adage "speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?" the premier machines from rarified houses like Ferrari, Bugatti, Porsche, Lamborghini, and Aston Martin cost hella big. But they also run unlike anything else on the road.
Uh, just a minute. Scratch that. For 2008, Nissan launched its ceiling-busting GT-R, a twin-turbo manga-robot on wheels with a price under $80K but an exhaust boom that rocked ears from the Nordschleife to Maranello. And now Uncle Sam is also strutting in the white-hot spotlight all oiled up and pumped: For 2009 comes the all-new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, the most potent GM production automobile of all time, the best Vette ever, a star-spangled, supercharged sledgehammer in aluminum and carbon fiber with brakes lifted from the fastest road Ferraris ever built. Yes, it wears a base sticker that's difficult to utter in the same breath as "Chevrolet" -- more than $106,000 -- but the ZR1 also brandishes performance hardware straight from the parts shelves marked "No Compromises."
Clearly, the two new upstarts are begging to crack open a can of whup-*** in the hallowed halls of European-bred speed. Naturally, we're only too happy to help. We rounded up a GT-R and a ZR1 and headed off to the test track and five-mile high-speed oval of Chrysler's Arizona Proving Grounds with two of Europe's bona-fide superstars: the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano ("the finest all-around Ferrari ever," we said in July 2006) and the Porsche GT2 (which, in our May 2008 issue, we dubbed "one of the greatest sports cars the world has ever seen"). Along with us was former IndyCar driver and 24 Hours of Daytona winner Didier Theys (pictured below); he'd be our man at the wheel for a series of breathless, flat-to-the-floor top-speed runs, plus timed laps on the infield road course at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
For three unforgettable days in the Arizona and Nevada deserts it was War of the Worlds. And NORAD didn't even notice.
Read on:
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...gtr/index.html
10-27-08, 03:16 PM
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BUT... that doesn't take anything away from the fact that the GTR is a hell of a value. Even when considering its high maintenance cost
The GTR V-Spec should be an interesting competitor to these 3 cars.
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10-27-08, 03:34 PM
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These four cars, while street-legal, are designed primarily for track conditons. Except as a numbers game for entertainment, I don't see what use a test like this has for most people, in most vehicles, under most non-racing conditions. On top of that, comparatively few people have the money to buy, insure, and operate these cars. It may make for some entertaining reading, but it's little practical street use........which is how most of us do our driving.
The GT-R's price, at 77K, would theoretically be within the reach of some average car-buyers, but its actually selling price, at most Nissan shops (where and if it is available at all) would probably be closer to the ZR-1's price. Nissan shops, like most dealerships, ask whatever the market will bear.
The GT-R's price, at 77K, would theoretically be within the reach of some average car-buyers, but its actually selling price, at most Nissan shops (where and if it is available at all) would probably be closer to the ZR-1's price. Nissan shops, like most dealerships, ask whatever the market will bear.
Last edited by mmarshall; 10-27-08 at 03:38 PM.
10-27-08, 03:42 PM
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These four cars, while street-legal, are designed primarily for track conditons. Except as a numbers game for entertainment, I don't see what use a test like this has for most people, in most vehicles, under most non-racing conditions. On top of that, comparatively few people have the money to buy, insure, and operate these cars. It may make for some entertaining reading, but it's little practical street use........which is how most of us do our driving.
You said it yourself: these cars are designed for the track. At least for me, it is probably more important what these cars can do in the track than the street. Since that's what they were designed to do. (But then again, a lot of people buy cars for Status. The 599 is the king of that in this 4-car list).
As for those who can't afford any of these cars, its just entertainment.
10-27-08, 03:43 PM
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The GTR didn't stand a chance against any of these 3 cars. It didn't come close to the ZR1 in virtually any category.
BUT... that doesn't take anything away from the fact that the GTR is a hell of a value. Even when considering its high maintenance cost
The GTR V-Spec should be an interesting competitor to these 3 cars.
BUT... that doesn't take anything away from the fact that the GTR is a hell of a value. Even when considering its high maintenance cost
The GTR V-Spec should be an interesting competitor to these 3 cars.
Any category? Are you sure about that or did you mother drink alcohol while she was pregnant?
10-27-08, 03:45 PM
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These four cars, while street-legal, are designed primarily for track conditons. Except as a numbers game for entertainment, I don't see what use a test like this has for most people, in most vehicles, under most non-racing conditions. On top of that, comparatively few people have the money to buy, insure, and operate these cars. It may make for some entertaining reading, but it's little practical street use........which is how most of us do our driving.
The GT-R's price, at 77K, would theoretically be within the reach of some average car-buyers, but its actually selling price, at most Nissan shops (where and if it is available at all) would probably be closer to the ZR-1's price. Nissan shops, like most dealerships, ask whatever the market will bear.
The GT-R's price, at 77K, would theoretically be within the reach of some average car-buyers, but its actually selling price, at most Nissan shops (where and if it is available at all) would probably be closer to the ZR-1's price. Nissan shops, like most dealerships, ask whatever the market will bear.
WTH... are you suggesting car magazines stick to reviews of mini vans and hatchbacks?
10-27-08, 04:01 PM
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ZR1 has some serious straight line speed and so does the 599 GTB. Its amazing how so many productioncars are close to a 10 sec 1/4 mi. Just a decade or so ago, the Mclaren F1 was the only car that came even close. Also the 0-60 times are getting irrelevant for cars on this level. They will have to change to quoting 0-100 and 0-150 times in the next decade. I want to see what the GTR Vspec will be able to do. If its in fact 300 lbs lighter, it may even be able to hang with the ZR1 in straight line up to a certain point.
10-27-08, 04:25 PM
#14
A decade ago was 1998 lol.
The F1 came out almost 20 years ago, and the ZR1 is just barely able to match it? No comparison for something that is so old, the F1 is world class.
The F1 came out almost 20 years ago, and the ZR1 is just barely able to match it? No comparison for something that is so old, the F1 is world class.
