A Porsche product chief has accused Nissan of cheating to set the GT-R’s record-breaking lap time around the Nurburgring in April.Engineers from the German sports car maker have been running tests at the ‘Ring and could not get within 25 seconds of Nissan’s claimed 7:29 second lap time. “For us, it’s not clear how this time is possible” August Achleitner, product boss for the 911, told the Australian press. “This wonder car with 7:29 could not have been a regular series production car… We imagine with this Nissan used other tyres.” Achleitner apparently said the GT-R’s time – which was set with ex-F1 driver Toshio Suzuki at the wheel - could only have been achieved if the car was running semi-slicks. Porsche apparently purchased its own Nissan GT-R in the US and has pitted it in back-to-back tests against a standard GT2 and a 911 Turbo. With Porsche’s driver behind the wheel – who wasn’t hot lap specialist Walter Rohrl – the GT-R apparently set a lap time of 7 minutes 54 seconds. On the same day, the 911 Turbo managed 7:38 and the GT2 clocked 7:34, Achleitner said. Back in April, Nissan was keen to draw attention to the GT-R’s pace around the Nurburgring, with a lap time it insisted was set by a standard factory car. But many commentators are sceptical about the value of comparing Nordschleife times, in case manufacturers have fettled with their car.
Will Powell
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Re: Porsche accuses Nissan of cheating
I think its significant that Sutters has nailed his colours to the mast suspecting that the GTR having more bhp than standard/quoted, for his comparison test with the GT2. Any flack from Nissan yet? You should be ready to dyno a GTR as promised now.
Also these days all engines & many of very high performance have longer & longer service intervals. My 2002 E46 M3 BMW told me(I sold it at 12000), would have gone to 16000 miles before it's first proper service was due. The GTR needs servicing every 6000 miles!
PS. Don't watch the Monaco F1 GP. Thank you.
Re: Porsche accuses Nissan of cheating
The GT-R is the 911 turbo's grim reaper, I mean, a Porsche fan would always be a Porsche fan but take that element away and look at it from an open perspective, both have a very similar engine, around 3.5 liter, 6 cylinder, twin turbo, 450+hp, they both are 4wd, the GT-R a more genuine 2+2 and then look the tech spec, ground breaking forst ever 4wd front engine with a rear gearbox, carbon fiber shaft driven giving an extraordinary weight distribution for a front engine 4wd car. If I am not mistaken the GT-R also has an aerodynamic understray as well.
The only thing I can see the GT-R loses out significantly is weight and quality. Bring in price, and the 911 turbo is immediately hurt nearly double the price. The tuners back up for the GT-R is also remarkable, very soon I would not be surprised if we could see carbon fiber parts for it.
Re: Porsche accuses Nissan of cheating
And as far as lap time merits are concerned - the Corvette is as fast as the GTR, but I still don't want one. What merit is there in the Corvette being faster? And also what about my preference is pointless?