Imagine a drag race between a Nissan GT-R and a Mercedes-AMG GT. At first, it might seem the two don’t have too many things in common, except of course for the pair of magical letters in their names.
However, if we zoom in on what are currently the most extreme versions of the two cars, namely the Nismo and the S, respectively, the similitudes regarding pricing and performance are obvious.
Moving one step further, you don’t have to turn to your imagination for such a race, since this is precisely what the video below brings.
In theory, the standard, 550 hp incarnation of the GT-R should be closer to the 510 hp Mercedes-AMG GT S, since Godzilla comes with a power-to-weight ratio of 7.5 lbs/kg (3.4 kg/hp), while the Affalterbach vehicle offers 7.7 lbs/hp (3.5 kg/hp). However, while the 600 hp Nismo comes with 6.8 lbs/kg (3.1 kg/hp), it also packs a serious amount of extra downforce.
Nissan only quotes an extra 220 lbs (100 kg) of downforce at 186 mph (300 km/h), while also adding that extra changes allowed the drag coefficient to remain unchanged. However, we’ll remind you the 550 hp GT-R beats the Nismo in most standing start acceleration tests.
Regardless, the two go-fast vehicles used in this race went for a rolling start, with the hostilities kicking off at 31 mph (50 km/h).
In order for the conclusion to be clear as the crystal gear shifter of a Volvo, the AMG and the Nismo machines raced on two separate occasions.
Spoiler alert: the two-run fight gives us the opportunity to see how much the starting phase of such a rolling start battle matters. Since the two duked it out on an airfield runway, the races allowed the drivers to fully dip into the potential of their rides.
P.S.: Do keep in mind that both the GT and the GT-R are set to receive even hotter versions in the future.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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