Thursday 9th October 2008

Nissan Hits Back At GT-R Cheat Claims

Nissan offers to teach Porsche how to drive

---

The ever-controversial GT-R

Nissan has this morning issued a lengthy statement rebuking claims by rival carmaker Porsche that its GT-R lap times of the Nurburgring were false. The Japanese manufacturer is clearly angry at accusations that it cheated and has made a thinly veiled suggestion that the people over in Stuttgart don’t know how to drive. Porsche claimed that it had acquired a US-spec GT-R but was unable to get anywhere near Nissan’s reported lap time of the ‘Ring.

Today’s press release by Nissan made its thoughts on the matter clear: ‘…we offer performance driving courses for prospective and current GT-R owners to help them get the best performance from their car. We would welcome the opportunity to help any auto manufacturer with understanding the full capabilities of the GT-R.’ Nissan also goes into great detail about how ‘production specification vehicles with production specification tyres’ have been used for all testing, including the ‘Ring attempt.

‘For the April 2008 test [the 7.29 lap time], the GT-R carried an additional 50kg of weight due to the Marelli data recorder and video camera equipment. In addition, the test was witnessed by ‘Best Motoring’ magazine from Japan who reported the test in their July 2008 issue, which included a DVD program of the session,’ read the statement.

Nissan says it offers two tyre choices for the GT-R - Bridgestone POTENZA RE070R and Dunlop SP SPORT 600 DSST CTT -  and for the tests conducted at the Nurburgring where the lap times of 7:38 and 7:29 were recorded, the Dunlop tyres were used.

Kazutoshi Mizuno, Chief Vehicle Engineer and Chief Product Specialist for GT-R, said: ‘We have used circuits like the Nurburgring and Sendai extensively during the development of the GT-R. The fastest lap-time was never the objective but a simple parameter for us to measure the GT-R in a consistent way against other world class supercars.

'Testing a car with specialized parts such as unique tyres or suspension has no meaning for us. The GT-R was designed from the start to be a supercar that could be driven anywhere, anytime and by anyone. For us, testing the car in standard production specification is far more relevant than creating a one-off vehicle that our customers cannot buy.'

[jgt1972]

Who cares?

[Bizzle]

And let the 911 vs GTR battle continue...

[Try5t]

jgt1972 said:

Who cares?

Well said that man ..

[Essex Exile]

jgt1972 said:

Who cares?

Kazutoshi Mizuno
Him, I reckon

[S3_Graham]

Good on nissan!

[TonyHetherington]

jgt1972 said:

Who cares?

Porsche.

[Niffty951]

'Testing a car with specialized parts such as unique tyres or suspension has no meaning for us. The GT-R was designed from the start to be a supercar that could be driven anywhere, anytime and by anyone. For us, testing the car in standard production specification is far more relevant than creating a one-off vehicle that our customers cannot buy.'

But if you use it, it will break.. ohh and you will void your warranty.

[Chris49]

FIGHT!!!

[forza whites]

Yawn..........

My dad is bigger than yours......

[btdk5]

Porsche...

You just got served.

[Snoggledog]

Simple solution. Why doesn't Nissan ask Porsche to borrow Walter Rohl and give Porsche their own test driver. Obviously both drivers will attempt to do slowish laps but it would make a fun comparison to see who can do it the slowest rather than the fastest.

[Trommel]

Niffty951 said:

'Testing a car with specialized parts such as unique tyres or suspension has no meaning for us. The GT-R was designed from the start to be a supercar that could be driven anywhere, anytime and by anyone. For us, testing the car in standard production specification is far more relevant than creating a one-off vehicle that our customers cannot buy.'

But if you use it, it will break.. ohh and you will void your warranty.

The launch control is not mentioned anywhere in any Nissan literature about the car. It's not an advertised feature, just like all the stuff you can do with hidden codes and trip computers like turning off stability control, traction control, ABS and so on isn't on virtually every other car.

[JamesK]

The fact Porsche even made ANY statement about the GT-R is to their permanent shame and humiliation. Such arrogance deserves to be punished and in the eye's of petrolheads everywhere, other than the Porsche fanboys and owners club it has been.

[trackboy1]

It's all utterly pointless - arguing over second place! The ZR1 Corvette blew them both away!

[Wanta996Gotta]

Has the Nissan not shown in almost every UK publication that its quicker than almost all of the Porsche range bar the GT2? And in some case thats with the limiter on. Car Magazine i think or was it Autocar took it to the Isle of Man and it was only a fraction slower than the LP560 BUT that was only due to it hitting its limiter???

The car is an astonishing piece of kit and Porsche just need to up there game with the Generation 2 997 TT/GT3RS/GT2.

[BeerForBreakfast]

That's quite funny.

Nissan.

[FWDRacer]

Nissan chief waves his Willy at Porsche.....

....And then for good measure bends over and shows them his ar*e.

Nissan

[Jez200]

TonyHetherington said:

jgt1972 said:

Who cares?

Porsche.

Lol, exactly!

This article only exists because of them!

[Tahiti]

If you're going to waste time saying mine's bigger than yours, why don't you just prove it!

[matmoxon]

Personally my choice of the two would be the GTR, if I could afford either, and only had the choice of those two cars.
The Porsche is a great car and so is the Nissan. It comes down to personal choice at the end of the day as to which one is best for the individual.
Of course there are those who think that because one car is faster than the other it is a better car and will have to have the faster one. These people will argue to the 'nth about either of them being better than the other. My brother is just like this so I know the type.

Matt