The GT-R is one of the all time bests that was once built from a hermetically-sealed factory and always in tune to the sound of speed. It has a wide reputation of crushing the competition three times of its price tag and every speedo boy in the world wished to have one of those because...this is the ultimate in the JDM aristocracy.
With the introduction of the new GT-R NISMO, the pride of Japan has now been toughened up to continue its never-ending quest for speed and while the brand new GT-R NISMO was heavily inspired from its involvement in numerous motorsports, especially the Super GT and the FIA GT3 as well as its involvement at the Nurburgring, the reworked performance of Japan's mightiest supercar truly salivated us with the promising powerhouse we deserved from Nissan and thanks to Gran Turismo 6, we can now live the dream of driving one.
I am one of the lucky ones who can't wait to try out the full potential of this toughened version of Godzilla and this car really seduces everyone to go back playing GT6 and drive this beauty as much as they want from their heart's content.
So, how did Nissan decided to create a much improved version of the GT-R even though the GT-R is by no means one of Japan's biggest contributions to the world of sportscars since the Silvia and the Fairlady? Let me give you a little secret between us because while Nissan announced the development of their most extreme GT-R to date, they've sent out their hardened veterans on reserve and what are they doing? They're very busy collecting data from the world's finest exotics. After moments of data collecting from its opposition, they began analyzing what should their ultimate GT-R be aside from adding more power and be more aerodynamic than the normal one.
Moments later, they've pooled in their available resources and then trying out in the Nurburgring where it recorded a lap time of 7:08.679, which is faster than what the Lexus LFA Nurburgring Package would do. The final result? A GT-R that is proven to be track-focused and road-legal at the same time. This is it. This is the prime specimen Nissan has been looking for through the years and when the GT-R NISMO is born, the world stood still and fell silence.
Having spent nearly five minutes on this car, I'm starting to adore its GT-R NISMO newly-found characteristics not just as a track-focused road-legal machine but also a modern grand tourer the world has ever faced. This is way beyond being a modern grand tourer because it balances dynamism and precision, making it a good car to drive even at the hands of a rookie. And when the weather starting to come bad and the roads have gone wet, the GT-R NISMO laughs at the face of nature thanks to its amazing 4WD system and its incredible traction that stands out from any roads.
With the improved 3.8L V6 twin-turbo engine, race-inspired aerodynamics, clever suspension setup, its double-clutch gearbox, and several man hours spent into the development of this car, the GT-R NISMO is aimed to deliver the best lap times the most than most of its European rivals would do and that gives me an idea because...
I want to see how good the GT-R NISMO is and to find out, I need a proper rival to do the job and yes, a wild Lexus LFA appeared but this isn't the Lexus LFA we'll be using...
Yup, it's this. The LFA Nurburgring Package. A special version of the LFA heavily inspired from the one used in the Nurburgring 24 Hour Races and like the GT-R, this is a track-focused and road-legal machine that is primed and ready to take on the world's finest on the road and on the track.
So, here we are. Two prime specimens are now in place for the biggest duel of their lives as two track-focused versions of Japan's finest sports cars of all time slugging against each other in none other than Suzuka Circuit. Yes. The whole Suzuka Circuit we're talking about as both the LFA Nurburgring Package and the GT-R NISMO will be having a samurai swordfight to the death and whoever's the fastest wins.
First up, it's the LFA Nurburgring Package from Lexus. The hardcore version of the limited-to-500 unit supercar that stunned the world since its 2009 Tokyo Motor Show debut. Just 50 out of the 500 units were made with this package that comes with the added 10HP power on the 1LR-GUE V10 engine, improved gearbox, and a host of aerodynamic features. It even comes with a fixed rear spoiler for added downforce. It went round the Nurburgring in 7:14.64 and that's quicker than the recently updated 2013MY (2014MY) Nissan GT-R's 7:18.6 lap time. Incredible. On mid-December 2012, the last Lexus LFA ever built is armed with the Nurburgring Package and it's been colored in Whitest White.
Anyway, while it performed some amazing moves since this is the track-focused version, the LFA Nurburgring Package found no issues while surviving Suzuka but unlike the GT-R, the LFA is rear-wheel drive, meaning this car can get some misbehaving oversteer that costs this car some time but despite its rude behavior, the LFA gets the job done quicker than serving a pizza.
Now, it's the turn of the GT-R NISMO and not only it packs more power than the LFA because of its 591HP power output from the 3.8L V6 twin turbo engine, its track-based aerodynamics inspired by those from the GT3 and GT500 racers as well as its clever 4WD system makes it more easier to handle than the LFA. Although there are a number of downsides apart from understeering and too much grip, the GT-R NISMO tries to be "feel at home" on the Suzuka Circuit and it behaves very well in corners that the LFA Nurburgring Package misbehaved for a brief period. Remember this has a lap time of 7:08.679, which is faster than the LFA Nurburgring Package, but is it faster here?
After a hot lap round Suzuka, here are the results;
LFA Nurburgring Package - 2:20.783
GT-R NISMO - 2:12.960
So, a surprise result then, thanks to the GT-R NISMO's improved capabilities as a racing machine built for the road and track in mind, not only it beats the LFA Nurburgring Package by several seconds but...I truly believe it's ready. It's finally prepared to take on the world because that's what the GT-R NISMO wanted to be for the pride of Nissan. I guess this ends here but in the meantime, time for the GT-R NISMO to have a well-deserved break at Andalucia.
In case you haven't noticed it by now, what you're looking at here is GT6's biggest track yet. Called Circuito de la Sierra, this original track is based on the roads of Andalucia, Spain. Because this is bigger than the Nurburgring, concentration is a must if you want to survive their biggest circuit offered on GT6 but in the meantime, goodbye!
