It's hard to believe how old the R35 is. Revealed at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, the first standalone GT-R was a rocket ship on wheels back then. Few series-production vehicles could get close to Nissan's halo car, which came with a dual-clutch transmission during a time when Ferrari offered an F1-branded automated manual in the F430 series.
Although the R35 is 16 years old going on 17, bear in mind that Nissan updated the super grand tourer a handful of times, beginning with the 2010 model year. The latest refresh saw the light of day at the 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon for the 2024 model year.
The blue R35 in the video below isn't one of those cars, but a 2021 model produced for Thailand. As per the automaker's local website, you can expect 555 ps and 632 Nm of torque at full chatter from the 2024 model. That's 547 horsepower and 466 pound-feet, which is pretty close to the 565 ponies and 467 pound-feet (633 Nm) of the North American spec.
CSL AutoTime founder and presenter Tang says that we're actually dealing with 578 horsepower from the 2021 model, but whatever the actual figure may be, it's very obvious that an R35 is tremendously quick off the line and pretty fast in the quarter mile. Pictured in red, the C8-generation Corvette next to the Japanese coupe is a Z51-equipped Stingray that weighs around 200 kilograms (440 pounds) less. A significant difference, yet we shouldn't forget that a Stingray is exclusively rear-wheel drive as opposed to a trick all-wheel-drive setup for the Japanese land missile.
Tang lists the C8's free-breathing small block with the correct max output figures, namely 495 horsepower and 637 Nm or 470 pound-feet. Had it not been equipped with the fancy exhaust system of the Z51 package, the Stingray's engine would have been rated at 490 hp and 465 lb-ft (630 Nm). Still plenty for a small block without forced induction, let alone for a rear-wheel-drive midship sports car.
Photo: CSL AutoTime on YouTube
Of three quarter-mile races, the GT-R lost one because of a very poor launch on Tang's part. However, the R35 proved superior to the C8 in the other two races, eventually clocking a best of 10.98 seconds at 202 kilometers per hour (126 miles per hour). The Stingray needed 11.99 seconds to reach the finish line at 191 clicks (119 miles per hour).
Had it been the E-Ray, which combines the Stingray's powertrain with the Z06's wider body, the R35 wouldn't have stood a chance. As implied by its name, the party trick of the E-Ray is the front-mounted electric motor. Chevrolet advertises the hybridized Stingray as the quickest series-production 'Vette of all time, with Chevrolet quoting 2.5 seconds to 60 miles per hour (97 kph).
Officially speaking, the quarter mile is dealt with in 10.5 seconds. For reference, the Z06 needs 10.6 seconds. The crazy performance numbers won't end here, though. Following the soon-to-debut ZR1, the C8 generation will climax with the so-called Zora. Think electrified front axle from the E-Ray, a twin-turbo FPC V8 from the 2025 ZR1, 1,000-odd horsepower, and heaven knows how much torque.
The GT-R, on the other hand, appears to be heading in a different direction. Remember the Hyper Force concept from the 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon? Its R35-like taillights and pixelated GT-R badge up front aren't mere coincidences. A four-motor EV is hardly a GT-R by current standards, but alas, this is the price we have to pay for the increasingly draconic fuel economy and emission regulations.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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