Project CARS 3: Power of Z

For a video game first, a car bearing the new Nissan logo has arrived in Project CARS 3 via the Power Pack DLC and this Nissan is none other than a prototype that previews the first Fairlady Z of the Reiwa era. It's time to get to know the next-generation Fairlady Z in concept form.

The concept bearing the new Nissan logo in question is called the Z Proto, it's the preview of the next-generation Fairlady Z coming soon and when it hits, it will be the first Fairlady Z of the Reiwa era and it will possess greater values compared to its Z34 predecessor.

First hinted at the Nissan A-Z teaser video last May 2020 and then unveiled to the world at the Nissan Pavilion in Yokohama, Japan, last September 2020, the Z Proto pays tribute to the Fairlady Z's 50-year history since the first one and it promises to be the ultimate Z ever made. The Z Proto's exterior design is a greatest hits compilation of the Fairlady Z lineage. The exterior sports a yellow pearlescent paint exterior, a homage to a popular color scheme applied on the S30 and Z32, while the front design draws inspiration from the 240ZG, a side view from the original S30 Fairlady Z, and the rearview inspired from the Z32. On the interior, the Z Proto features cutting-edge technology with vintage touches.

Nissan says that the Z Proto promises to be the ultimate Z ever made because of its turbocharged V6 engine mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox but out of curiosity, no one knows what kind of turbocharged V6 this prototype runs on but some say, it's the 3.0L V6 Twin Turbo engine lifted from the Skyline V37 400R and some say it's been tipped to produce almost 450PS of power. If it's true, we're looking at the most powerful Z ever made, and looks like Nissan's on the roll to create the Z to end all Z generations in the midst of the new normal.

It's true that Nissan said that the Z Proto is an exhilarating, dynamic performer but it's a lot more than that because thanks to some extensive R&D and after rigorous torture tests on the track, the next Z Proto is poised to be the quickest and the most agile Z ever made and to put this theory to the test...

...I've visited the Fuji Speedway and find out if the next Fairlady Z is better than its predecessor, the Z34 Fairlady Z, which is also included in Project CARS 3's Power Pack.

Almost 13 years of fun before its imminent replacement and still going on strong, this Z34 really is something, but this is no time to get sentimental because it's time to find out if the next Z is better than the soon-to-be-replaced Z34 Fairlady Z. With that, let the experiment begin.

After a hot lap, here are the results;

Z34 - 2:09.437

Z Proto - 2:00.313

Guess Nissan's not lying about the next Fairlady Z's capabilities because they really mean it!

The Z Proto not only previews the next-generation Fairlady Z but also celebrates its five-decade history as a sportscar that rewrites the rules. From surviving through the Safari Rally to IMSA, from Super GT to Formula Drift, the Fairlady Z really is the true Japanese masterpiece speedo boys can't get enough of, and with the imminent arrival of the next Fairlady Z, the preparation begins.

It's an honor for Project CARS 3 to feature a new Nissan car bearing the new Nissan logo. Speaking of which...

Brace yourselves. Z is coming...

Project CARS 3: The Perfect Storm

Storms, typhoons, hurricanes, cyclones, they're all slightly different but they share one thing in common; to destroy all walks of life from the skies above with its razor-sharp winds, torrential rainfalls, flooding, and in rare cases, thunder and tornadoes. Of all the storms the world face, there is one storm that can end all storms and it comes from the Lone Star State.

This is the Hennessey Venom F5, the perfect storm created by the Texans to take on the world's fastest hypercars and aims to become the world's fastest hypercar in existence.

Unveiled at the 2017 SEMA Show, the Venom F5 is an all-new hypercar designed and built from scratch to become the world's fastest hypercar ever made. While the previous Venom GT is built on Lotus components on steroids, the F5 featured an all-original design, chassis, and carbon fiber body in the hopes of achieving the lowest possible drag of 0.33.

Named after the most powerful tornado speed winds on the Fujita scale, the Venom F5 is capable of achieving over 300mph of top speed courtesy of its all-new V8 twin-turbo engine producing over 1600hp of power while mated to a 7-speed single-clutch paddle-shift transmission. It has a curb weight of 2,950lbs thanks to its lightweight chassis and carbon fiber bodywork.

It is capable of hitting 0-186mph in less than ten seconds and zero to 249mph and back to rest will be under 30 seconds.

In Project CARS 3's Style Pack DLC, the Venom F5 we got is the concept while the full-blown production version went out in the open with stats bigger than what the world expected. Still, this prototype gave players a chance to experience what's like to be in the perfect storm.

Of course, being an extremely powerful hypercar with so much power pumping out from what is known to be the Fury 6.6L V8 Twin Turbo engine, it's tricky to get its launch right by the time your foot is slammed on the gas pedal and the same goes at second and third gear because, with such excessive force, you'd need to be more careful with it while trying to navigate through the corners, which is surprisingly tricky for a Texan hypercar like this.

Navigating through the corners is like sailing through the rough seas in the middle of a storm but when you took it on the straights, this is where the Venom F5 shines. It does 0-60mph in less than three seconds, 0-124mph in less than five seconds, and has the potential of a 311mph top speed. Everything you want on a hypercar like this is all here and looks like I'm onto something here.

To see if the Venom F5 has the potential to become the world's fastest hypercar ever made, I went to the most challenging racetrack ever made to prove its worth and it's none other than the legendary Nurburgring.

It's mad for someone like me to bring the Venom F5 to the Nurburgring because I have a bold feeling that the Venom F5 could become the fastest car to lap the Nurburgring. I know it sounds herculean because Hennessey hasn't quite yet accepted the Nurburgring challenge but in the interest of science and speed, I virtually volunteer to take on this brave attempt to see if the Venom has the potential to become Nurburgring's fastest. Let's roll the tape.

After one brave lap at the Nordschleife, I've lapped the Venom F5 in 6:57.060, which is slower than the real-world lap time set by the Porsche 918.

That's the best that I can do but thank goodness, it's just a prototype. Of course, if Hennessey accepted the Nurburgring challenge, the Venom F5 has the potential to become the fastest to lap around the Green Hell, but it's best to leave it to the experts because, despite the result, I've made a huge impression about the Venom F5.

With such extreme performance that can upset the world's greatest hypercars, the Venom F5 is poised to be the perfect storm known the world over. Be prepared because, by the time the Venom F5 hits the road, the world's best hypercar makers should start praying.

Project CARS 3: The NSX Story

From the first-generation NA1 to the second-generation NC1, the NSX is a legend in Honda's sportscar history and although not perfect, it still knows how to pull the right punches in the modern motoring world. As sportscars come and go, the NSX remains one of the all-time greats.

The first-generation NSX, included in Project CARS 3's Legends Pack DLC, is where the story begins. Unveiled at the 1989 Chicago Auto Show as the Acura NSX, the car became a game-changer because of its potential to compete against the world's best exotics. From its all-aluminum construction to its 270HP V6 VTEC engine mounted in the middle, the NSX delivered supercar performance for a moderate price. No wonder Ayrton Senna got involved in the making of this car.

As the NSX's production came to an end in 2005, they've used that void to work on its potential successor and after a decade of trial and error, the revived NSX has been unveiled at the 2015 North American International Auto Show and then went on sale a year later. Inspired from the 2012 NSX Concept, the reborn NSX features a Sport Hybrid SH-AWD system that connects the turbocharged 3.5L V6 engine with three electric motors and a Li-ion battery, making it capable of producing 569HP of power while mated to a 9-speed DCT. Unlike its predecessor which is made in Japan, the reborn NSX is made in the Performance Manufacturing Center in Ohio, a made-in-USA hybrid supercar known the world over. 

To see how much the NSX progressed from the NA1 to the NC1, let's find a proving ground to see the evolution in action, and with that, I went to the streets of Long Beach, California, to conduct this experiment. Of course, I've done this one several years ago from another game but it never hurts to conduct such experiments for the fun of it. Let the experiment start.

After a quick lap around the streets of Long Beach, here are the results;

1997 Acura NSX - 1:44.451

2020 Acura NSX - 1:29.502

From the past to the present, the NSX never fails to impress drivers behind the wheel and although they are different, these two generations carried the same game-changing spirit that upsets the motoring world in every way. This is why the NSX is one of the all-time greats and that is the bottom line.

Project CARS 3: Heisei Supra vs. Reiwa Supra

The Toyota Supra has been by no means one of the most iconic Toyota sports cars ever made since the twilight of the Showa era. From the racetracks to the streets, there's no telling why the Supra is a legend in its own right and why it remains one of the most coveted sports cars in ages.

The Supra of today gave speedo boys quite a mixed reaction since its launch. Yes, it's based on today's BMW Z4, it's built in the same factory as the BMW Z4, and overall, it's basically a BMW Z4 with a different body and Toyota badging on it. Yes, it's all true about the BMW connection but despite the controversial BMW connection that got speedo boys laughing at it, it's a proper sports car that ticks almost all of the boxes of what a real sports car should be; fast on the corners, making drivers hooked for more, and overall, a real fun-to-drive car.

Although impressed by how much fun the GR Supra is, some speedo boys still prefer the performance and street cred the Toyota Supra JZA80 has. As a matter of fact, this iconic Heisei-era Toyota sportscar is one of the all-time greats that speedo boys are hunting for.

Launched in 1993, the A80 Toyota Supra comes with two engine choices; a naturally aspirated and turbocharged version of the 3.0L 2JZ straight-six engine. Apart from that, the A80 Supra features a double-wishbone suspension setup which makes it one of the best-handling sports cars in its class. Although the A80 Supra has a racing pedigree courtesy of the JGTC (now Super GT), it gained a massive reputation for being a street racer thanks to Paul Walker's antics with it on The Fast and the Furious. 

This is exactly why speedo boys from across the globe are hunting for one of these and although some markets officially sold one in the past, an A80 Supra sold in Japan is a must-have for speedo boys too many.

To see how much the Supra matured from the street racer born in the early Heisei era to a Reiwa era Euro-trash too hard to explain, I went to Willow Springs for a little experiment and find out which Supra came up on top.

Right, with their day at Willow Springs done, here are the results;

GR Supra - 1:35.365

Supra MkIV - 1:39.067

A near-five-second gap between the two Supras really explains a lot when you talk about how much the Supra has evolved from the Heisei street hero forged from the fires of Mt. Fuji to a Reiwa knight guarding a nice castle somewhere in Germany.

It's hard to choose which Supra is the best because, while credit's due for the GR Supra, it's the A80 Supra that takes the cake because it is the real Japanese sports car the world knows. Whether you wield a katana or a cavalier, a Supra is a Supra and no judgment can take a toll on Toyota's iconic sportscar. That is the bottom line.

Project CARS 3: The best Heisei JDM sportscar

The GT-R really is the cult icon of the JDM craze and no matter the debate, this machine reigns the topic. The R34 Skyline GT-R and the R35 GT-R, if my memory serves me correctly, are the kings of the Heisei era JDM sports cars and for returning Project CARS fans, it's a treat to play these two Heisei era JDM kings in Project CARS 3.

We begin with the R34 Skyline GT-R, the iconic Japanese 4WD sportscar that is highly coveted by speedo boys worldwide ever since it went on sale in January 1999. The normal Skyline was built to take on the BMW 3-Series and the Mercedes C-Class but the GT-R was built to take on the world's best sportscars. With the 280HP RB26DETT petrol engine, 6-speed manual gearbox, sport-tuned dynamics, and ATTESA-ETS Pro, among many others, the R34 Skyline GT-R's performance is relatively superior even by today's standards. So relatively superior, the speedo boys who spend the rest of their lives binge-watching Fast and Furious movies and Initial D episodes find many ways to have the R34 in their garages and wind it up to supercar levels or hypercar levels if you may.

The R35 GT-R has been around for over a decade since its 2007 Tokyo Motor Show unveiling. Despite its age, it never fails to impress speedo boys itching to have one and humiliate even the most expensive supercars to date. The NISMO version is the result of Nissan's trial and error struggle to create a supercar that can compete against the world's best supercars. In this 2017MY minor change, the GT-R NISMO gains an aggressive exterior design and a new interior as seen in the standard model while retaining the NISMO-tuned VR38DETT engine that produces 600PS of power and 650Nm of torque, mated to a 6-speed dual-clutch gearbox as well as its motorsport-inspired dynamics that its professionals spent countless hours performing R&D in the creation of this ultimate GT-R.

With their quick introduction done, let's find out how much it progressed from the R34 to the R35. With that, it's off to Sportsland Sugo to conduct such a quick experiment.

Ah, the joys of spending the day at Sugo with two GT-Rs on track, the R34 and the R35. While such driving experience salivates most speedo boys, this little experiment showcases how much these machines progressed. Stretching its turbocharged engines and four-wheel drive, the two GT-Rs flexed their muscles as they get through the corners of Sugo with near surgical precision.

I can moan about this all day but I have the video to showcase their worth. Let's get it.

After the two GT-Rs flexed their muscles around Sugo, here are the results;

R34 - 1:48.017

R35 - 1:36.246

At Sugo standards, the GT-R Nismo beat the R34 Skyline GT-R at the rate of almost 12 seconds a lap. That sounds incredible but in the end, they're just GT-Rs having fun.

It's no wonder why the R35 GT-R is the undisputed king of Heisei JDM sportscars and no matter the debate, this machine stands and you will thank Nissan for their efforts to keep the GT-R lineage alive for many years to come. As the end draws near for the R35 GT-R, there are plenty of stories to work on with the king of Heisei-era JDM sportscars any way it can.

Keep on pushing, Godzilla! Keep on pushing until the very end of your life!

Project CARS 3: Electric Revolution

Lotus jumps into the electric bandwagon with their first ever pure electric hypercar known as the Evija, their first all-new machine after over a decade, and signals the start of Lotus' new era. Project CARS 3 has the keys to the Evija and I'm checking it out what's what.

So, what's it all about the Lotus Evija, you may ask?

The Evija, mirrored by the word "alive", is Lotus' first-ever all-electric hypercar that signals the start of the British sportscar maker's new era since joining the ranks of China's Geely, judging from the fact that it's the first to don Lotus' new logo. While staying true to the Lotus tradition, the Evija is the first Lotus road car to feature a full carbon fiber chassis molded as a single piece and sculpted for better downforce. Aerodynamics plays a key role in the Evija so it's been given active aerodynamics in the form of a rear spoiler and an F1-style DRS, among many others.

With the electric powertrain equipped with the 2,000kW li-ion battery supplied with its management system by Williams Advanced Engineering and a target power of 500PS per e-motor, aiming for a 2K power output and 1700Nm of torque, the Evija is the most powerful Lotus ever made, making it capable of a 0-60mph time in less than three seconds and a top speed of over 200mph. That sounds hyper in hypercar standards but that's just the start because with 1,680kg of weight, it's the lightest.

The Evija has the ability to accept an 800kW charge (not yet commercially available to the public) which makes it capable of getting fully charged in less than nine minutes. In 350kW charge, the Evija can be fully charged in 18 minutes and it has a range of 250 miles by WLTP Combined Cycle standards.

Only 130 of these will be made from its Hethel home plant, each costing 1.7 million pounds plus additional costs, and all have been asked for.

The Evija we got at Project CARS 3 was set to over a thousand horses rather than two thousand as the release notes said but given the chance to get a hold of the Evija in-game, I have a lot of explanations about Lotus' first electric hypercar. Is it good? Is this the hypercar worth living up to the hype? Will this be Lotus' new success story? Of all the questions I came, one drive with the Evija explains it all. Yes, it's good but only just because while it feels a bit grippy for an electric hypercar, it feels so balanced and well-poised for an electric hypercar but it can be a lot tricky to behave despite being four-wheel drive. Man, torque vectoring really toys the Evija a lot, but despite that, I had a lot of fun getting my grips on the Evija any way I could and looks like it demands a serious challenge with some electric hypercar that has more hype than this;

This is the Rimac C_Two. Following the success of its maiden car, the CONCEPT_ONE, the C_Two is the CONCEPT_ONE's little brother that comes with the 120kWh liquid-cooled battery pack and four electric motors bolted in all four wheels, making it capable of unleashing 1,914hp of power and 2,300Nm of torque, hitting 0-100kph in less than two seconds and onwards to 412kph of top speed. Apart from the electric powertrain, the sleek aerodynamic design made it capable of hitting 0.28 cD in low-drag mode and it has a full carbon fiber monocoque with bonded carbon roof, integrated structural battery pack, and rear carbon subframe. It even comes with R-AWTV which replaces ESP and TCS and enables infinitely variable dynamic responses by feathering the torque to each wheel.

The Evija prepares to take on the C_Two for a quick lap around the GP section of the Dubai Autodrome, which makes it the perfect time to experiment with these two electric monsters.

On paper, the Rimac is surprisingly faster than the Evija but because the Evija weighs less than the Rimac, this can get very one-sided. Anyway, enough with the chit-chat because it's time to get the comparison going.

And now the lap times;

C Two - 2:01.896

Evija - 2:02.795

The Rimac C_Two wins but only just because the Evija managed to catch up at the rate of less than a second, which is surprisingly remarkable for an electric hypercar made in Britain.

Like the Rimac, the Evija is the future turned reality and in the event that the world moves on from petrol-powered hypercars, the Lotus Evija is the starting line for the new era of hypercars. Of course, it wasn't really the starting line because there are others before it that signaled this new era, but nevertheless, this new era we live in might sound like crazy but it shouldn't be because you couldn't hear a thing or two while enjoying this new kind of performance it possess. As they said, if you want to move forward, electricity is the way forward, and that is the bottom line.

Project CARS 3: Etincelle de Renault

If there's one French carmaker that knows about motorsport more than anyone, it's going to be Renault. From the Formula 1 track to the Rallycross, this French carmaker's known to have some serious motorsport resume, and in Project CARS 3, the two stars of Groupe Renault, the Renaultsport Megane, and the Alpine A110 are here to shine on the track.

We begin with the Renaultsport Megane IV, the latest itineration of Renaultsport's flagship hot hatch designed to take on the likes of the Honda Civic Type R. Powered by a 1.8L turbo engine producing 280PS of power and 390Nm of torque, it's the most powerful Renaultsport vehicle ever made, and it can be mated to either a manual or an EDC gearbox. It features a reworked chassis that takes advantage of its efficiency, agility, stability, and comfort as well as its 4CONTROL four-wheel steering system and four bump-stop shock absorbers. Legend has it that its stripped-off version claimed the Nurburgring front-wheel drive crown at the time of 7:40.1, faster than the Honda Civic Type R FK8.

And finally, the Alpine A110, the rebirth of the best of the French sports cars that time forgot. With looks inspired by the original rally-winning classic, the modern-day A110 delivers serious sportscar performance enthusiasts are clamoring for thanks to its lightweight materials, rigid aluminum chassis, and unique suspension setup. However, the A110 you saw in Project CARS 3 wasn't just an ordinary A110 because this is the A110S, a more powerful version with the tuned 1.8L turbocharged engine producing 292ps of power and mated to a 7-speed Getrag DCT. Apart from the engine upgrade, it features improved dynamics to make it more potent on the road and track.

These two stars of Groupe Renault really do shine on the track because of their unique dynamics that proved their worth. The Renaultsport Megane, in its Trophy chassis, did upset even the most beefed up hot hatches in town because of its nimble dynamics fit for a front-wheel drive hot hatch while the A110S values its improved dynamics more than its improved power output from its turbocharged 1.8L engine because the way it handles is just how the A110 rolls.

Having been satisfied with both of these French stars, I took them both to the streets of Monaco for a little stretching and then a quick lap around the venue of the Monaco Grand Prix to see who shines brighter.

Two French stars, one battleground. Which of these two is the quickest round the Monaco track? Let's roll the tape.

After a quick power play around the streets of Monaco, here are the results;

Megane -  2:01.031

A110S - 1:54.550

It's quite surprising because the gap between these two French stars at the rate of around six and a half seconds shows that the A110S, thanks to its lightweight bodywork, better dynamics, and the improved 1.8L turbocharged engine, managed to get away from the Megane by a long shot. Impressive.

In the end, the Renaultsport Megane and the Alpine A110 fully demonstrated their French brilliance in a middle of a track day around the south of France and regardless of that matter, they've done their purpose very well.

Looks like French cars of today need to be more fun and engaging like these two and they can learn a lot from them if they had the chance.