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GT-R Nismo Drag Races 911 Turbo S and NSX, Time to Be Gapped

I remember the first time I laid my eyes on the R35 GT-R. Can you believe it has been almost 14 years since it made its debut? Nissan has just released a new version for the Japanese market, but when are we going to get the R36? And most importantly, is it still going to use an internal combustion engine?
GT-R Nismo Drag Races 911 Turbo S and NSX, Time to Be Gapped 24 photos
Photo: Car Wow
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You might have also noticed that the GT-R will no longer be sold in Australia, which isn't necessarily a surprise considering their strict road regulations. If Nissan does plan on releasing the R36, we might have to wait a few more years until that happens. Just look at the gap between the R34 model and the R35! On the other hand, the NSX will be discontinued starting next year.

It hasn't been as successful as the GT-R, so we probably won't get to see a third-generation, unfortunately. At least the 911 Turbo S is probably going to be safe for a few more years to come. It could become a plug-in hybrid before 2025, but then again Porsche may succeed in developing their synthetic fuel beforehand. Looking at today's line-up, it's not that difficult to predict the outcome.

If you've ever seen a Porsche 911 Turbo S going down the quarter-mile (402 meters), you'll know what an absolute weapon it can be. You don't necessarily hear people praising the NSX for its performance figures, so it's not likely that it can win anything today. All three cars are running on 6 cylinder engines, but the 911 Turbo S comes out on top with 640 horsepower and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque.

GT\-R Nismo Drag Races 911 Turbo S and NSX, Time to Be Gapped
Photo: Car Wow
The Nismo is the ultimate GT-R, but even so, it can only provide 600 horsepower and 480 lb-ft (652 Nm) of torque. But the NSX is even slower, with 573 horsepower and 475 lb-ft (645 Nm) on tap. All three cars have the benefit of AWD, but the Porsche comes out on top once more, as it is the lightest one here. It weighs 3,615 lbs (1,640 kg), which is about 138 lbs (63 kg) less than the Nissan, and 350 lbs (159 kg) less than the Honda.

The GT-R was supposed to be a supercar killer for less-than supercar money. But the Nismo is so expensive that it doesn't seem to make sense anymore. The 911 Turbo S starts at $207,000 before tax ($1,350 delivery, processing, and handling fee). The GT-R Nismo starts at $210,740 before tax ($1,695 handling fee). Looking at what these vehicles can do, you would have to be a hardcore Nissan enthusiast to choose the Nismo over the Turbo S.

But let's see how these cars can handle today's challenge. Mat Watson is driving the Nissan and he messes up his first attempt at the race and so a rerun is in order. He gets off to a poor start for the second run, but he's neck and neck with the NSX. The 911 Turbo S is clearly in a league of its own, as it doesn't seem phased by its opponents.

For the third run, the Nismo is almost on par with its German adversary. But it doesn't take long for the Turbo S to make its move and leave the Japanese sportscars behind once more. It only required 10.4 seconds to complete the standing quarter-mile. The Nissan was 0.4 seconds slower, while the NSX was 0.3 seconds further behind. The following two runs both show rolling starts, but the Porsche is simply unstoppable. The NSX finally catches a break during the brake test, but it's still not as good as the 911 Turbo S.

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About the author: Dragos Chitulescu
Dragos Chitulescu profile photo

The things Dragos enjoys the most in life are, in no particular order: cars, motorcycles, diecast cars, and drifting. He's seen (and driven) many vehicles since he started his writing career back in 2009, but his garage currently houses a 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Turbo II and a 1999 Suzuki SV650-S.
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