GTR on Top Gear Track

[renzop]

If you are like me, you do not race your car on a track (I said race not HPDE). Instead your car spends all its time on the street. So, ultimate speed is not important rather driving fun is. That's where the GTR falls down IMHO. It may post good numbers and that's exciting until your first accident, ticket or death. Then you realize (if you are not dead) that driving fun comes from driving a car that responds to your commands, not one that commands you. The GTR sounds like a soulless speed machine. I would get as much enjoyment out of going super fast in it as I would get as a passenger on a 747.

[wild1poet2]

IDK Jeremy did say it was made to go around corners and it does have a slick DCT and AWD. It'd be fun. But I enjoy driving anything with a motor.

But I agree that after awhile most any car with a roof turns into just a commuting car on the street.

I'm glad Nissan is building cars like the GTR and setting the performance bar higher.

For pure road fun though, nothing beats a motorcycle.

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by renzop

If you are like me, you do not race your car on a track (I said race not HPDE). Instead your car spends all its time on the street. So, ultimate speed is not important rather driving fun is. That's where the GTR falls down IMHO. It may post good numbers and that's exciting until your first accident, ticket or death. Then you realize (if you are not dead) that driving fun comes from driving a car that responds to your commands, not one that commands you. The GTR sounds like a soulless speed machine. I would get as much enjoyment out of going super fast in it as I would get as a passenger on a 747.

In general I agree with you on the value of feedback, and a 4000 pound curb weight does not bode well, plus, what fun is a sports car with an automatic transmission. No matter what they call it, if there's no clutch, it's an automatic. But don't you have to drive the car before making the statement you made?

[mylamb]

Yeah - looks like they're going to be at least $100K for their first year on sale. Check it out:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cars-Trucks___2009-Nissan-GT-R-Premium-GTR_W0QQitemZ120284816420QQddnZCarsQ20Q26Q20Trucks QQddiZ2282QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item120284816420&_trksid=p3756.m14.l1308

I saw that Top Gear too - awesome car but why isn't it better looking? I mean is it really better looking than a Nismo Tuned Z? I don't think so. At $100K+ they're going to compete with 997 S', R8's, and AMV8's. Granted, it will spank them all, but if I were in that market, I would probably go for the car that you dream about; the one that a kid has tacked up on his wall, or saved on his desktop. Having said that, I'm still glad it exists.

[Ike]

Hey MotorHeads,

Anyone figure out who The Stig is? Bonus points for Stig's African brotha, and Fat Stig.

The only clue I have is that he is an ex F1 driver.

Ike

PmajorS: That GTR car does not even have the style of the 986.

[Jeph]

Have you all heard/seen about this?
Here's the actual car they used in that filming.



Here's the story: http://www.egmcartech.com/2008/07/22/top-gear-crashes-nissan-gt-r-press-car/

[Manxie]

Originally Posted by Ike

Anyone figure out who The Stig is? Bonus points for Stig's African brotha, and Fat Stig.

There's a few theories on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_stig

One suspect is Russ Swift http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russ_Swift. I know him from TT Week, when he drove our Italian Job Mini as part of his display routine.

Video at bottom of page at http://www.italianjob.info/media/index.html

I'll have to ask him about it next time I see him

Mike

[wild1poet2]

Question: Would a sport bike get around that Top Gear test track faster than any of the tested cars? Some of the tested cars?

[fragdude]

Originally Posted by wild1poet2

Question: Would a sport bike get around that Top Gear test track faster than any of the tested cars? Some of the tested cars?

Most likely, even with just 2 points on contact with the ground, the acceleration of a bike woiuld help a sport bike beat a good number of cars on that track

It is all here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stig

Originally Posted by Ike

Hey MotorHeads,

Anyone figure out who The Stig is? Bonus points for Stig's African brotha, and Fat Stig.

The only clue I have is that he is an ex F1 driver.

Ike

PmajorS: That GTR car does not even have the style of the 986.

[wild1poet2]

OK you guys are on to me.

I admit it .... I'm The Stig .....

but let's keep it just between us ....

[fragdude]

Originally Posted by wild1poet2

OK you guys are on to me.

I admit it .... I'm The Stig .....

but let's keep it just between us ....

Damnnnn wild, I mean stig, you have crazy driving skills...and a pretty thick british accent (you can hear him talk on a video on youtube).

I really want an "I am the Stig" t-shirt...

[Blkboxster]

Originally Posted by mylamb

Yeah - looks like they're going to be at least $100K for their first year on sale. Check it out:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cars-Trucks___2009-Nissan-GT-R-Premium-GTR_W0QQitemZ120284816420QQddnZCarsQ20Q26Q20Trucks QQddiZ2282QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item120284816420&_trksid=p3756.m14.l1308

I saw that Top Gear too - awesome car but why isn't it better looking? I mean is it really better looking than a Nismo Tuned Z? I don't think so. At $100K+ they're going to compete with 997 S', R8's, and AMV8's. Granted, it will spank them all, but if I were in that market, I would probably go for the car that you dream about; the one that a kid has tacked up on his wall, or saved on his desktop. Having said that, I'm still glad it exists.

call me a idiot but im probably going to bid and hopefully win, if that happens bye bye cayenne and Cl...

[fragdude]

Originally Posted by Blkboxster

call me a idiot but im probably going to bid and hopefully win, if that happens bye bye cayenne and Cl...

Good luck on the bidding! I bet it will be a fun car to drive

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by Blkboxster

call me a idiot but im probably going to bid and hopefully win, if that happens bye bye cayenne and Cl...

You know, if you wait 6 months, you will be able to get one for $15000 less than the current bid ($92k).

[husker boxster]

Scatter shooting while watching the GT-R video.

- Congrats to Nissan for raising the bar on reasonably priced, super car performance.

- What happens when the new kid on the block comes along that either raises the performance ante or matches it at a lower price? GT-R owners will be left with a butt ugly car. Bet the value drops pretty fast at that point.

- Anyone who would spend $100K+ on a GT-R should be institutionalized. How long before they rue the day they wrote that check?

- 11 yr old 986s still look striking / sexy. What will we think about the GT-R in 2019?

- Every time they showed a rear view I thought, "gee, that looks like a Chevy Cobalt". That can't be good.

- Any Buyer's Remorse that I could've spent an addl $12K over my LE and bought a GT-R (assuming I can buy one at sticker in a yr or 2)? NO WAY!

[fragdude]

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder"

I don't think the car looks that bad, and I would really like to see another car company raise the bar again for a cheaper price. That would put some more fight into the sports car market. I think the car will hold its value resonably well. After all, it is a GT-R, and while it costs 12k more than a boxster LE (if you can get it at sticker price), you are getting a good amount more for the 12 thousand. You should be able dawdle in it day to day (it has some sort of back seats and an "automatic" transmition) and it can also rip your face off on the track. I think thats a pretty cool deal. It also has some cool gizmos