Dingdongler

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHAkQ...eature=channel

Trout

iTrader: (1)

That's just the 911 Turbo on that video.

It looks so good it almost makes me want to drive one

LG John

You linked the wrong vid....but the vid you are trying to link is in the line up to the right.

Trout

iTrader: (1)

This one

MMT WRX

Alzheimer's is kicking in.

zip106

<whisper> good job he's bought the right car, then <whisper>

stilover

Amazed about the brakes comment, as I've spent a whole day thrashing an R8 around a track, and the braked didn't once go soft.

Can't believe they complained because it had a "Manual" gear box. FFS

john banks

Mid engine
V10
AWD
2 seats
Low weight
Good power
The ideal of a manual gearbox and normally aspirated engine to reward all those skilled man drivers
Brakes that last all day
Five figure price
Premium badge

What could be wrong that would let a four seat front engined V6 from a non-premium brand that weighs a lot, has less power and costs far less get the better of it? You may as well buy an Aston Martin and just accept you've lost the race to start with and get something stylish?

I do believe a garyed up TT RS would give one trouble.

Trout

iTrader: (1)

You were obviously thrashing it quite slowly.

He is a decent driver and he said the brakes went off after the two warm up laps.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

PDK/flappy padle, whatever they try and dress it up as, its an automatic. Automatic = Ghey. Yes it maybe quicker at changing blah blah, but in the end of the day you may as well drive a computer game.

Which brings me onto the next bit: Which cars has the most driver aid? Yup Nissan. Who is eaxctly driving the car here? The computer or driver?

Which car sounds the most dissapointing? Nissan (actually the Porsche was very muted, very disapointing - are they really this quiet these days? ). Nissan sounds like a Mondeo V6, which is tragic considering the kind of supercar its supposed to be.

Which car is the most fun on the track. Porsche by the looks of it.

Which car would be the better drive on the road? R8 IMO - best noise (albeit still very muted on the vid), and not too stiff like the Porsche.

So lap time aside? Nissan may win on lap times, But IMO, its last on my list of those three that I'd buy. (I'm 50:50 between the 911 and R8).

alloy

911 Turbo chasing use to be a quest as a Scooby owner

It's now a nusiance as a GTR owner

john banks

ALi-B making a surprising schoolboy error... please justify why you think the GTR has the most driver aids compared to the 997 Turbo and R8?

Perhaps you could consider diffs, ESP, electronic throttles, ABS betwen these models?

trails

iTrader: (41)

all about perspective

stilover

On the road, no GTR would get away from an R8.

Lets look at the facts on these 2 cars.

Audi is better styled
Audi is better built
Audi has a better interior
Audi won't depreciate as fast
Audi doesn't cost £12k for a minor bump.
Audi gets nice looks off the girls

GTR is Ugly
GTR has a dashboard only a computer geek would like
GTR's cost £12k to repair with a minor bump
GTR owners spend all day explaining that their car is quicker round a track than X, Y, and Z car.
GTR owners only get nice looks of 12 year old boys and Chavy girls.

Plus. Didn't he say that with better brakes, the R8 `would` be faster than the GTR? You can always opt for ceramic disks.

TBH, that Audi could have had worn brakes before he got in it, hence the drop in performance.

As for it being a manual.
Some people get pleasure in changing gear themselves, interacting with the car. Get it wrong, it's your fault. get it right, and it feels great.

On any car, I'd always choose the manual over an Auto.

Trout

iTrader: (1)

You make a big thing about Audi's holding their value.

I suggest you do some analysis - evidence I can see says that GTRs are depreciating at half the rate of an R8.

john banks

Few or even none of those are facts, they are opinions, but I came here to play, so play I will

Seems like the R8 will always be making excuses that it would be faster if the brakes weren't shot or were ceramic, and the driver was better at changing gear

I'd be especially unhappy with a manual gear box with a torque peak that high for a road car, and it probably also explains partly why it was slower on track.

But then I like automatics, and on any car would always choose the auto over the manual now.

And Trout, don't for a second think that because I'm criticising the R8 that I'll not also think that the Beetle has a crap chassis because it turns a superior power to weight ratio into a slower lap time

Merry Christmas to all. Reality is that I'd be happy to own any of them, but would choose AWD, auto and turbocharged any day of the week for my car personally.

Trout

iTrader: (1)

Back on topic I was really surprised by how hard the 911 looked the GTR positively flowed by comparison.

You have to wonder if the 911 would be better with softer/adaptive suspension.

Also one the comparison he took a much better line with the GTR than the 911 - was the the driver or the car?

john banks

I didn't study it in that detail, but I would have expected the 911 to feel like it flowed more, but it might be just that the 911 felt more comfortable on the road.

One disappointment with the GTR is how little compliance there is for comfort, it has compliance that only seems to serve the tyre contact patch, sod the driver. The spring rates are actually higher on the road car than the GT1 car, and arguably far too stiff. The various modes don't feel that different, whereas in the 997.1 Turbo I was in the adjustable dampers did make a noticeable difference, and the ride comfort was considerably superior.

Maybe the driver felt the two platforms benefitted from a different line, or it was a confidence issue? Some comments here from CAT driver training on the GTR and what style they think it suits, but I think they also underestimate the front torque distribution when there is a steering angle on. Sometimes I think more front torque distribution would helps its stability as a road car, but some would find that boring.

http://www.catdrivertraining.co.uk/i...a-machine.html

Dingdongler

Edited for accuracy

Dingdongler

Can't wait for it to arrive actually, problem is I can't remember where I ordered it from

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Not really been bothered enough to study the individual spec sheet in any great detail TBH.

Drive by wire is a given on almost every porduction car, as is ABS, PAS, EBD, etc. Its one reason that when the day comes to refil my garage with some more specialised exotica, I'll be left see-sawing on going for something new, or going for something classic thats a bit more raw and and a little less bubble-wrap.

But, the GTR has always been known to go overboard on it. R8 is similar on systems, but a few important things, it sounds better, its a damn good looking car in the flesh, and being n/a does mean it should have beautiful throttle precision at any revs over the turbo 911 or GTR (The fact I've grown out off turbocharged cars in a big way doesn't help either). Put it this way when/if I get somethingto fill the hole left from my now long-gone (and much much slower) NSX, the R8 is on the list whilst the GTR isn't. Daft thing is a restored Elan+2 with a Spyder chassis is also on the same list.

I don't deny the GTR's capeability though, its plain to see what this tank is capeable of. Here's some more: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWAficaFl3c but this guy uttered those tragic words: Fast forward to 7min35sec: "It's like a video game".

Is it now? Oh dear, I really wish he hadn't of said that LOL.

stilover

Not at all. Just every thread now that has any kind of performance car in it, you can be sure John will be along to tell us all yet again that his GTR is faster and also cheaper. We know, we get it now.

If you read my original post, all I said was that I was surprised that the brakes faded, as my own experience of driving an R8 (all be it the V8) is that there was no noticeable fade in the brakes. Which led me to believe that maybe that particular R8 maybe had worn disc's, pads. Maybe it did, maybe it didn't. Who knows?

After all, if you ever see a performance test with a Ferrari, there is always a Ferrari pit crew in tow, to change tyres, pads etc, to always make sure that the Ferrari is always performing at it's peak. Hence why Evo magazine got into bother with Ferrari for using a customers 599 GTO to compare against the GT2 RS, instead of a Ferrari press car (pit crew in tow)

But my comments were taken by John, to yet again affirm that his GTR is faster round a track, and can pull an extra 0.001G in the corners. And to yet again try to bash a more prestige brand and what that car costs in relation to the GTR. Probably forgetting that those who can spend £85-£100k on an Audi/Porsche can also afford a GTR. But why do they chose the 911 or R8 over the GTR?

Maybe it's the looks?

Maybe it's the image?

Maybe they don't want to have to explain to everyone what it is?

Maybe you can get a manual gearbox in the R8 & 911?

Maybe they don't want to have to bore people to death by having to constantly tell them that it's faster than X, Y, Z, and that it cost nearly half as much?

As for my `Manual` comment? I'd have said the same thing if it had been the 911 that was the manual.
Flappy paddles are fine on a track day for an hour or two. But they would bore the pants off me in normal road driving.

I've had a go of the Auto R8 on track too. Didn't like it. I can see the benefit's, yes, but it ain't for me.

I guess I must be old fashioned in wanting to change gears myself. Maybe that's why I chose to buy a manual 370Z instead of the Auto version?

alloy

The most erroneous statement of all! No gtr owner explains that their car is fast round a circuit, should this be debated (again) we direct attention to the numerous videos, such as the one in the topic title, that PROVE the engineering is a winning combination and at the same time void any tiresome keyboard heros disgruntled, emasculated and ill informed comments

I can only presume the number of jibes and critiscism this car attracts is because, as the video says, it is the benchmark having raised the bar so high! I test drove a 911TT and have been passenger in a v8 R8, both superb cars.........to admire in my rear view mirror

mattvortex

GTR- flash chav car of choice( any decent person over 25 wont take you seriously)

R8- "ladies who lunch car" - tt in fancy dress.

997- City boys bonus wheels( everyone thinks you're a wan7er)

Iam sure all the above are great drivers cars but this is what the general public ( me and millions others) think when they see these being posed around town in.)

stilover

Cars are more than just `numbers`.

Yes, a GTR is quicker than most cars. But lots of more expensive cars have something the GTR will never have.......

Having involvement is far more important to me than how `quick` it is.

The GTR is probably faster than the FAR more expensive Lambo LP640-4. But which car would be more an event to drive? Which would be more exciting to drive?

But, yes, the GTR is cheaper and faster, so I guess that makes it the better car?

Jimpreza

The majority of people who say/think that are just jealous IMO Matt

zip106

Someone's got the hump today!

Bad day at work, Poppet?

Hey, how about actually thinking the drivers of these cars don't actually give a $hit what others think?

I certainly don't.

alloy

In an age and economy of inflation, lower disposable income and uncertainty yes the value or "bang for buck" is an exceptionally valid one!

When buying a performance car one of the benchmarks, along with driving experience, is surely PERFORMANCE and the benchmark of that must be comparable lap times for which the GTR has proved itself against not only it's peers but against metal in the leagues above it's class. When on track or enthusiastically driving my GTR I do so with the VDC off, even when it was stock this enabled the car to be driven with your senses working actively to keep the car controlled and maximise the performance that the engine and chassis offer the driver.

Having said that the LP640 is a dream car to own, and you're right its exclusivity, aura and very probably driving experience offer things the GTR never will, but it's accolade enough to even be compared to such hyped exotica!

mattvortex

Really?? Think you are in the minorirty. Iam too old to be jealous of wheels now - Bugatti, fiat, chevrolet, ferrari- just cars. My original comments are what the majority think and you are in denial to think otherwise.

Of course, many of these owners will be perfectly sound , nice blokes/women but drive through town in any of them and my comments will be thought by the majority of people.

Thats life

Jimpreza

We have a footballer live nearby who owns a Ferrari. The number of times I hear people say look at that flash w&nker etc in his Ferrari. It's pure jealousy. I always reply 'what do you want him to drive, an Astra ffs'.