Car and Driver test reveals GTR was a lot of hype

[fromWRXtoEVO]

$$$$$$$ update $$$$$$$$ video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tnUlxANbWs
scan here: http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothrea...24472#49324472


Have a look at the Car and Driver August edition page 44 through 55. The test is about Z06, Viper,GTR and Porsche GT2.

Before I continue let me say I wish I had a GTR in my garage and also let me say that the GTR would have been the best bang for the buck if you could get it at MSRP.

With that said this is the 3rd test in which the GTR put marginal performance advantage over its competitors. A british magazine compared it against the M-3 and the porsche GT3, the GTR came out victorious by a mere 1 second.

A bunch of hype was released to the media when it pulled 5 seconds on a track on a previous comparo against the Z06 and the Porsche turbo again.

This latest comparo (Car and driver August Edition) puts one more time the GTR where it belongs.

Buttonwillow Raceway Park 2.7 mile road course

Z06 2.01.7
Viper 1.55.7
GTR 2.01.1
GT2 1.59.7

300 ft-DIA skidpad (lateral acceleration in G)

Z06 1.03 G
Viper 1.08 G
GTR 0.96 G the lowest even with its AWD and electronic adjustable suspension.
GT2 0.98 G

Braking 70-0 mph

Z06 159 ft
Viper 149 ft
GTR 155 ft it suppose to have the "most advance" and biggest brakes in the block(15"Rotors F/R 6 pistons)
GT2 155 ft

1/4 mile
Z06 11.9@124
Viper 11.8@126
GTR 12.6@111 (not a typo nor speed limited) car reached 122mph on the straight
GT2 11.8@121


0-60 mph

Z06 3.8 sec
Viper 3.4 sec
GTR 4.1 sec(where is that world's quickest 0-60 mph record ever tested by edmunds in a production car?),where is that state of the art launch control?
GT2 3.7 sec

0-100 mph

Z06 8.3 sec
Viper 7.7 sec
GTR 10.2 sec (where is that launch control and AWD?), you figure it would be 2 sec ahead right?
GT2 8.1 sec

0-150 mph

Z06 17.9 sec
Viper 17.5 sec
GTR 26.6 sec (that is some serious slugishness)
GT2 18.0 sec

So where is that car that 6 months ago on its maiden road test could walk over water and everyone had to bow over it? it is called hype. On a more serious note, just like Evo member whtevo05 (Frank and owner of a GTR) said, the inconsistency of the performance results on this car is what makes you not believe in the initial extraordinary performance results.

If I have the time I will scan but if not then look for Car and driver.

Carlos

[DRAGHICI]

if this is true, it doesn't matter because their selling them above msrp.

all that bull hypnotized everyone.

I'd still take one

[gaulrich2003]

Not so good.....

[kyooch]

i remember reading that article..
they were all quite confused as to why the gt-r was behaving that way, not even breaking under 4 secs for the 0-60...
shrug, I assumed it was something with the car, maybe after taking a severe beating from all the testing but who knows?
Awaiting more new car magazines tests to confirm/deny

[Boltz.]

The GTR's are having a wide variance in HP and Im guessing it has to do with the atmospheric conditions, gasoline, and the ECU.

Just look at stock evo's... some trap 99mph some trap 107mph, thats because with turbo cars, you can lose a lot of HP if the ECU sees knock. My guess is the GTR's that are going slow are seeing a knock and running less boost and timing. Im guessing that the knock sensor map is overly safe.

[fromWRXtoEVO]

^^^ those are very reasonable theories, I completely agree with post #4 and 5. I guess that now we should start considering heat soak when referering to the GTR... nothing new but definately something to consider.

my .2c

Carlos

[got rice?]

Originally Posted by fromWRXtoEVO

Braking 70-0 mph

Z06 159 ft
Viper 149 ft
GTR 155 ft it suppose to have the "most advance" and biggest brakes in the block(15"Rotors F/R 6 pistons)
GT2 155 ft

What do you expect a 3900 lb car to do?

[fromWRXtoEVO]

Originally Posted by got rice?

What do you expect a 3900 lb car to do?

you are funny... I know what you mean..

Carlos

[go_evo_go]

I was actually sad to see the z06 come in 4th, but oh well. But didnt the gtr still come in first in the comparo? Intersting, those numbers are way off the times being put up before. I still like it, and all those things mentioned are factors. Good posts.

[sleeper3]

I raised an eyebrow too when I read this article in C&D.

It is one test however, and variances can happen as others mentioned.

We'll see what subsequent tests by other mags show.

[max2evoix]

fk car and driver..but i cant seem to understand how a 3,900lb car can go 3.3 in 0-60..i dont believe it for a second.!! i want to see it for myself..

[prostcj]

I don't think the GT-R is over hyped. It is heavier and has less hp than the other cars in this test. The GT-R simply won't touch a Viper ACR in a good driver's hands. That's just reality.
I think it's impressive that it hangs with the Z06 which is some 600 lbs lighter and has more hp and a 190K Porsche.
For most of us "mortals", the GTR will be the fastest car...

[fromWRXtoEVO]

^^ True but the GTR is actually under rated power wise. In many ocasions car magazines do comparos with cars that have a vast HP difference, just like they did with the Evo 9 MR and the SRT-8(139hp) or the BMW 335i and the Audi S5(50hp), or even the Porsche GT3 and the GTR (100 hp)and so on.

There is always a "fair" compromise of factors (weight vs hp )or price vs performance, etc. In reality ,the GTR is a 500hp plus beast but it pays a price of weight and drivetrain drag with its heavy AWD.

In my opinion the Porsche has a huge price tag unfair advantage, you could buy two of the other 3 cars for the price of the Porsche. As far is the Viper, it is clearly a beast on its own but put it on the cage with the ZR1 and see who is the big dog...

The GTR is like I said perhaps the best of all but its real market prices puts in in disavantage and last but not least the Z06 can be purchased at invoice price($64000) from a number of dealers across the nation which makes it in my opinion a supercar at an affordable price.

If this comparo was all about bang for your buck then I would say that the GTR and /or the Z06 should be the chossen ones.

my .2c

Carlos

[prostcj]

What bothers me about this article is it was suppossed to be about all out hardcore sports cars and then they chose the GT-R based on being the most civil. If only they threw a BMW 3series in the mix.........I'm sure it would have won.

[jmsrx]

It always amazes me when I see the huge number differences between automotive magazine tests. What is even more amazing is the differences you can see when the same magazine tests a vehicle more than once. Go into Road and Tracks or Motortrend's 0-60 and 1/4 mile databases and you will sometimes see differences between two model years of the same car even if little or no changes have been made to the vehicle. But, you will see this for many different cars including Evos. I guess it can all come down to driver and vehicle variability. Just because someone works for an automotive magazine does not mean that they are a "great" driver. Very good yes, but great, maybe not. It will be more telling to see what these cars will do in the hands of mere mortals. Now that the cars are reaching their owners in the USA, we may start to see some 1/4 mile and roadcourse times trickle in. It's always good to wait and see rather than buy the first ones out.