This is a grudge match showdown between the Nissan GT-R, Porsche 911 Turbo and Audi R8 V10 - and you can see the hi-res pictures and video here.
First up, our testers spent two days in the cars on normal roads, doing normal driving and seeing which could do 'normal' best.
See our exclusive Nissan GT-R v Porsche 911 v Audi R8 V10 pictures
Watch the Nissan GT-R v Porsche 911 v Audi R8 V10 video
The differences were stark: the GT-R's ride was harsh, and it was noisy - especially compared to the refined 911 Turbo; the R8 doesn't steer quite as sweetly as the 911, and its manual gearbox is a hindrance.
On the road, then, the testers rate the R8 as easiest to live with, followed by the 911 and GT-R. However, that order's reversed when they consider which is the most fun to have legal, on the road fun in.
To settle which is faster, autocar.co.uk then took the trio to a damp Castle Combe circuit and put Steve Sutcliffe out for a two timed laps in each.
It soon became clear that the GT-R is so stiff that it struggles in the wet. In contrast, the 911 is easier, faster and friendlier to drive in the wet, as is the 'how long can you hold it sideways R8'.
But as the day dried, Sutcliffe went out for his laps.
The 911 was first, and surprised Steve with the amount of steering wheel movement - especially over bumps. That said, the unwanted movement at the back of the previous generation car was gone, replaced by excellent body control and huge acceleration in each gear.
The R8 was well balanced and sounded fantastic, but its poor brakes and clumsy gearchange were major issues, making it the slowest of the three despite being the purest handling.
So it was left to the GT-R to take up the challenge, and on the dry track it did just that. The nervousness gone, replaced by near-perfect body control, massive stability on turn-in, extraordinary traction on the exit of corners and huge stopping power.
Despite being the heaviest and least powerful car at the track, the GT-R felt the fastest - and so it was - though only by 0.3sec over the 911.
So which is best? In theory it's the Audi, fitted with the Nissan's gearbox and 911's brakes, priced at the GT-R's level.
That car doesn't exist, so we have to pick the next best thing - the GT-R - performance bargain of the century.
Read the full story and see more pictures in this week's Autocar magazine.
See our exclusive Nissan GT-R v Porsche 911 v Audi R8 V10 pictures
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Re: GT-R v 911 Turbo v R8 V10
Firstly, it's absolutely ludicrous that some tin-foil-hat-enthusiasts still think that Nissan provides ringers even after several tests with customer cars and several videos showing actual customers out on track beating Scuderias.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIAm8QCHi70
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hJLKmTebOc&NR=1
Secondly, what makes you think that a car which makes a good endurance racer on slicks with a full race outfit actually makes a good road car? The 911 Turbo is the fastest car in a straight line in this test by some margin but is only level-pegging in lap times. It now has dual-clutch like the GTR too, so what gives? Why is it faster in a straight line but slower on track? Why is it harder to drive fast on track? Maybe that engine location is playing a part after all.
Re: GT-R v 911 Turbo v R8 V10
David,
Thats a very good and precise review of the wet weather handling of the 996 c4 and GT-R.
Actually its a lot better description that Autocar give of these cars. All Autocar would say is the GT-R is poor in the wet with no explanation. Autocar don't usually give specifics on the handling of the most cars. Suppose its mostly down to laziness and not wanting to offend any maker.
How absolutely embarrasing it must be for the editors to read more detailed reviews from readers than they themselves are allowed to write.
Anyone who actually spends good money on any of these car magazines of late is purely paying to read performance stats, very vauge (if true) description of very general characteristics of cars, and nice pictures; but mostly they are wasting usually good money. J
Re: GT-R v 911 Turbo v R8 V10
Interestingly according to Road and Track, the TT RS generates the same lateral G as the R8 V10 and is faster through their slalom test. Would have been interesting to see how the TT would have compared dynamically, given Autocar have a long termer on their fleet....