Beater or Sleeper? GT6 Car of the Week Thread

Jacked-up GT-R or junkyard jalopy?
The FX45 Concept...
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"This ain't a Skyline..."

The thing about @CORRUPTEDDISC's way of reviewing cars on GT6 is that he reviews the cars fully tuned. This means that although his view on the FX45 is very good, it might not be worthy of such high praise in stock form. (By the way that wasn't a criticism CD, just a noteworthy point.)

At $55,000 you get quite a bit for your money. Nissan's VK45 engine, the same motor that powers their Super GT cars, is the heart of this monster, though it's power output is a bit less than a Super GT! :lol:
350bhp is the magic number, and that power has to push 1500kgs worth of car around. For an SUV that's actually not a bad figure. It's lighter than some sports cars we've previously reviewed, like the Maserati GT, Cizeta V16T, and more recently, the Jag XKR-S. :eek:

The differences between concept and reality are few and far between. The concept lacks some details like indicators and roof racks, but most details like the rims, position of the fog lights, the way the front bumper kinda sticks out that little bit made their way into the production model.

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I will admit, while driving this thing I was initially quite underwhelmed. It had a pretty average driving feel to it, average pace, average cornering, etc. But after a few races I realised that this "average feel" was in an SUV, not a car. The FX45 is a lot heavier, bulkier and higher off the ground than, say, an Integra Type R or Elise. But when I drove it, It didn't feel heavy and sluggish, like you might expect from any other SUV. Like @CaddyKOP said, it's not exactly light on it's feet, but it certainly doesn't feel like it weighs a tonne and a half! :D

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Don't forget it's an SUV, so some grass won't hurt it!


As hinted in that photo, I found while driving the FX45 that if you were unfortunate enough to dip a wheel or two into the dirt, or maybe you were pushed out wide onto the soft stuff, you wouldn't lose as much speed as you'd expect. You'd lose grip, no doubt, and most likely go sliding into a barrier anyway, but if it was just a simple two-wheel dip in the dirt, it wouldn't hurt your chances at victory too badly. :)

I found it quite difficult to race in a group, because although the FX45 handles the corners quite well, it's not as great at maneuvering around a tight battle pack without hitting anyone. This made for some pretty bad race results on my part, as I would choose not hitting anyone over battling for the lead. I never actually drove it off road, so I'm not sure how it would do as a rally car. But it's lively enough to be safe from being called a beater. However, personally I don't like it enough to call it a sleeper. I'm on the fence with this one. 👎👍
 
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I admit when I first heard we were getting a front-drive rally car to evaluate, it felt like taking a big step back in technological progress. Like it would be akin to going back to typing command codes into Microsoft DOS after years spent with MS Windows. The Xsara struggled a bit on rough surfaces and even on pavement seemed only halfway decent. It would turn in eventually after initial understeer, though trying to tell myself not to lift when my instincts were telling me I was going to plow into the wall was hard to overcome.

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Surely then, a pure AWD rally car like the '95 Toyota Celica should easily deal with it, even on pavement? But it wasn't after finishing dead last against the field of Citreons did I look closer at the stats and realize the massive weight disparity. While the Celica is fairly lightweight at 1200 kilos, the Xsara is a featherweight at only 950. That alone turned my verdict of the Xsara from "meh" to absolute Sleeper. It completely caught me off guard and I would have never given it a second glance had it not been selected to review.

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Next we got a concept SUV with pretty optimistic values in weight and performance. Nope, the Audi Pikes Peak didn't get selected again, rather it was the Infiniti FX45. To be fair, the FX45 as its modeled in the game can certainly hold its own, even when it was challenged by the likes of the Tom's Chaser or the Nissan 350Z.

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However, I didn't come away all that impressed with the FX45. While it handles well for an SUV, you'll never forget that you are driving an SUV. The FX45 absolutely needs to be slowed down to reasonable speeds before taking a turn, and even then it feels like a chore to try to corner it with any degree of quickness. Add to it that the FX45 shows every bit of its GT4 carryover wrinkles, and it's probably doomed to collect virtual dust in my virtual garage. Not bad enough to be a Beater, but I don't see myself ever coming back to this vehicle when there a number of beautiful cars in premium glory around the Inifiniti's performance level to be driven.

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Jacked-up GT-R or junkyard jalopy?
The FX45 Concept...
View attachment 625697
"This ain't a Skyline..."

The thing about @CORRUPTEDDISC's way of reviewing cars on GT6 is that he reviews the cars fully tuned. This means that although his view on the FX45 is very good, it might not be worthy of such high praise in stock form. (By the way that wasn't a criticism CD, just a noteworthy point.)

At $55,000 you get quite a bit for your money. Nissan's VK45 engine, the same motor that powers their Super GT cars, is the heart of this monster, though it's power output is a bit less than a Super GT! :lol:
350bhp is the magic number, and that power has to push 1500kgs worth of car around. For an SUV that's actually not a bad figure. It's lighter than some sports cars we've previously reviewed, like the Maserati GT, Cizeta V16T, and more recently, the Jag XKR-S. :eek:

The differences between concept and reality are few and far between. The concept lacks some details like indicators and roof racks, but most details like the rims, position of the fog lights, the way the front bumper kinda sticks out that little bit made their way into the production model.

View attachment 625693 View attachment 625694 View attachment 625695

I will admit, while driving this thing I was initially quite underwhelmed. It had a pretty average driving feel to it, average pace, average cornering, etc. But after a few races I realised that this "average feel" was in an SUV, not a car. The FX45 is a lot heavier, bulkier and higher off the ground than, say, an Integra Type R or Elise. But when I drove it, It didn't feel heavy and sluggish, like you might expect from any other SUV. Like @CaddyKOP said, it's not exactly light on it's feet, but it certainly doesn't feel like it weighs a tonne and a half! :D

View attachment 625696
View attachment 625713 View attachment 625714 Don't forget it's an SUV, so some grass won't hurt it!

As hinted in that photo, I found while driving the FX45 that if you were unfortunate enough to dip a wheel or two into the dirt, or maybe you were pushed out wide onto the soft stuff, you wouldn't lose as much speed as you'd expect. You'd lose grip, no doubt, and most likely go sliding into a barrier anyway, but if it was just a simple two-wheel dip in the dirt, it wouldn't hurt your chances at victory too badly. :)

I found it quite difficult to race in a group, because although the FX45 handles the corners quite well, it's not as great at maneuvering around a tight battle pack without hitting anyone. This made for some pretty bad race results on my part, as I would choose not hitting anyone over battling for the lead. I never actually drove it off road, so I'm not sure how it would do as a rally car. But it's lively enough to be safe from being called a beater. However, personally I don't like it enough to call it a sleeper. I'm on the fence with this one. 👎👍

Indeed. Incidentally, I review my cars in fully tuned form in particular because my reviews are designed to help players find out what range of potential each car has, without having to fork out 200k of tuning + the cars' initial price for themselves. :D
 
No word from @McClarenDesign regarding the next car, so once again I'll step in!

I'll take this week's pick because this car is unique in the fact that my family literally owns one of these in real life, and as a result I learned a bit about it that completely changed my view on it! Then I found out it was avaliable in GT6, and that only made it better!

Congratulations @Nismonath5!!!!

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It's the 2001 Nissan Primera (P12) 20V!!!!

While most P12s are ugly, gutless and equipped with horrible CVT transmissions, this baby features a 200bhp 2.0L 4 cyl with VVL, and a 6-speed manual while still looking as dull and boring as the CVT! This means it's still ugly. :lol: The perfect candidate for a potential sleeper!
As I said, my family owns one of these in real life, and although it was initially bought to clean up and flick off for a quick buck, Dad's falls in love with it more each time he gives it a playful hoon around the streets, and I imagine it won't be leaving his hands any day soon... :sly: Now to find out if it's any good in the virtual world!

This week's Playing With TT's will be set at the Brands Hatch Indy circuit, see you guys Tuesday!
 
half-step below fatal... ok, maybe hyperbolic, but pretty damn sick for the past few days... with 0 sick-days for work... so I'll be out of it this week. Hold the fort down, I'll make it up to you on Sunday with a much better car.
Consider it done. 👍

Thanks, buddy. And look who's in second!

Just remember who would be at the top if he decided to come back for the TT's and do what Porsche did to Can-Am and blitz the competition. ;)
 
Just remember who would be at the top if he decided to come back for the TT's and do what Porsche did to Can-Am and blitz the competition. ;)

Like you have to remind me? I am always aware of that :lol: Just please don't tell me that the one or two times I've beaten you in the races that you let me have it. :rolleyes:

And MC well wishes to you for a speedy recovery. Being sick sucks.
 
Like you have to remind me? I am always aware of that :lol: Just please don't tell me that the one or two times I've beaten you in the races that you let me have it. :rolleyes:

And MC well wishes to you for a speedy recovery. Being sick sucks.

Would I do such a thing? :lol:

(Before MC jumps in and says yes, It was ONE time when we drove the Z cars. :P)
 
half-step below fatal... ok, maybe hyperbolic, but pretty damn sick for the past few days... with 0 sick-days for work... so I'll be out of it this week. Hold the fort down, I'll make it up to you on Sunday with a much better car.
McD too?! :(

Here's to a speedy recovery to both @Baron Blitz Red and @McClarenDesign... :cheers: Also great racing tonight guys, I'll have my review up later this week 👍
 
Prime Primera

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Oh joy, another Nissan.

I thought for sure my producers were pulling my leg. First they throw two Infinitis on my lap, and now they're giving me a Nissan. A family sedan Nissan at that. Surely they're trying to kill me with monotony, what happened to the times where I tested cars like the Sileighty? Heck, give me back that FX45 from last week over this...

Wait...this has a what transmission?

Okay, maybe I was a bit too quick to judge, but you can't blame me, really. The Primera is not an exciting car by any means. It was Nissan's family sedan staple outside of America for years...the closest thing to it for you Americans would probably be the Altima. That means its kinda medium-large and it's FWD. The original Primera, while boring on the outside, was famed for being pretty peppy on the drive, and it was even sold as an Infiniti (of course). But then there's the second generation...the one we have today. The blob.

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So, obviously the outside isn't much to look at. It's got hints of wanting to look like something that costs thousands more than what it is, but it doesn't manage to pull it off. Some would say it's ugly, and while they're not wrong, it's not really too terrible to look at either. It's just...a car. No more, no less. The virtues of the version I've been given here are mostly under the hood, it's got a 20 valve I4 with 200 horsepower, mated to a 6-speed manual. That's about the only silver lining I can see with this thing.

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But, you know the shtick, it's not really what's outside that counts. It's what this thing does on the track, that's what we want to know. So it's time to get out of this small Spanish town and let's see what this, "performance version," can do.

The Test

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The high points of the Primera start immediately with that engine/transmission combo. The shifts are effortless and smooth and the power rises pretty quickly for a small 4-banger. Top speed is around 140 mph, with a nice throaty I4 note giving it some oomph. I could see how highway travelling would be made easy in a car such as this...the car just seems to go and go with little effort.
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But then the inevitable happens, you enter a low speed corner and try to power out, and the front wheels start to have a battle to find out which way they want to go. The FWD chassis coupled with the excessive weight of the car really couple together to create some massive understeer. Its predecessor's lightness and nimbleness are there, but it all quickly seems to disappear as those front tires begin to emit a symphony of squeal.

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Alas, I did mention that the predecessor's nimble feel is still there, and it becomes more evident in longer, higher speed curves. It doesn't necessarily feel flat or planted, but it also doesn't feel like it wants to go headfirst into a tree. Just as long as you keep it out of tighter corners, it'll treat you well.

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Honestly, it's all too familiar of a case for a family sedan with a quick powerplant. Just like every Camry V6 or Maxima I've driven, it's quick in the straights and can handle a corner, but it's just not race car worthy. It's not really a fault with the car, it's just how it was built and engineered, so you can't really hold that against it.

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The Verdict

Honestly, the Primera isn't as terrible as I thought it would be, but it's by no means a true jewel. With the 2.0L engine and a proper manual gearbox, it makes the school run quite interesting, but outside of that, I couldn't really see myself owning one of these and bragging about it. It's just non-offensive, sedan...ness? But with all of its virtues, I could see how it could be tuned to become something better. So for that, I'm going to be nice, and give it a sleeper to grow on.

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A small mini-review. Sure, it needs a bit of help with understeer, but tire choice helps. It's not all that great in mid to high speed turns, but it was a joy to flick around the streets of London last night. During our evening races it bested a '97 Civic, a Gathers Civic racecar, and a Miata. I ran some ghost laps around Midfield and got laptimes quicker than the Axela and Mini Cooper.

After our evening had concluded, I went to Mt. Nismo, ( oops, I mean Mt. Panorama ) and entered the GT All Stars in International B to see what would happen. A full tune on the thing netted me a moderately easy win. The icing on the cake, or trophy, was that in the draft with nitrous I hit 200mph down the Conrod straight. At under 500pp at that.

Verdict: Sleeper 👍
 
GT6 Duel of the Week Numb..err... Beater or Sleeper Review??

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What am I doing here? The last thing I remember was driving around on GT6, and then suddenly I was wherever here was. Oh, I'm in that thread, great. Well, I suppose that while I'm in this place I might as well actually write something for once. While I was playing GT6, I just so happened to be driving this "Nissan Primera" if I remember correctly. Coincidentally, you guys seemed to be doing a week about the exact same car. How convenient.

Stats

Let's see how the Primera gets along on paper. Does it look as fast as the Wall Primer Nissan uses in their autoshops? That was absolutely terrible, but let's check out the performance on paper.

Nissan PRIMERA (EU) 20V '01
Cost....23,900 cr
Weight....1320 kg
Torque....206 ft-lb
PP....386 pp
Drive....FF
Power....201 hp

So, it seems to be a cheap car with absolutely nothing noteworthy in terms of performance whatsoever. Not that I was expecting anything mind-blowing out of this package when I purchased it.

Looks

I purchased this car in Silica Gold, in the EU spec because I'm a hipster from North America.


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Overall, the car looks pretty standard. Up front is a pretty typical grill with some wide-eye lights off to either side. The triangle shaped nose is interesting because you don't see that very often. The fenders off to either side of the front facia bulge a wee bit because race car. It has some odd strips of chrome not really going anywhere inside the front "nostrils". The part underneath the grill looks like a wide, toothless grin. All pretty standard for a car of this type.

Around back is a deck so short it would make a Hyundai Accent or Mitsubishi Mirage blush. It almost looks like a liftback, until you realise it isn't. The muffler sticks out the back like other cars of this time period and the placement of the gas cap looks like a complete afterthought. The taillights are tall and vertical, like off of a hatchback. The rims are also not too bad looking for a car of this style.

This car's liscence plate font gets a big fat F-Minus for looking like I photoshopped it on with default fonts and a white box. Could Nissan have tried a little harder?

*Interesting to note is the fact that the EU model is actually Left-Hand Drive. British people are going mad now.*

Overall, very inoffensive. The constant grin warms up to you over time.

Driving

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Ok, so driving the Primera on Circuito de la Sierra was actually quite fun. I wasn't expecting to like this car as much as I did. I find it weird that I enjoy the 5-speed and sound this car makes for a GT4 recycled content econobox from the boonies of the dealership. The car handles decently well with some body roll that you'd expect from the style of car this is. Acceleration is decent because of this thing's light weight. I enjoyed driving it in the mid-to-low speed corners the most. In the hairpins and long bends you get the typical FF understeer that you'd expect in that situation. If you like your FF cars with decent power and decent handling in stock form, this might be the one for you.

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A little bit of air over the jump!

Tuning it!

Let's tune this bad boy. Seeing as this is something you can do over here outside of DoTW2. I'm interested to see what kind of performance we can squeeze out of this.

After the makeover!

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The design of the car actually looks quite good in this photo! :D

Specs
390hp @ 8,500 rpm!
255 ft-lb of torque!
1,080kg!
Power to Weight Ratio of just 2.76 kg per horsepower!
498pp!

0-60 time of 3.667 seconds!
Top Speed of 321km/h!

(all of this is without that silly nitrous!)

Is the Audi R8 even relevant anymore? I just found the four-door saloon version right here! Comparable stats for less PP and a slightly smaller price.

So I decided to test this new tune around Cape Ring Periphery because why not. The track is decent in size and I like how it flows. The huge circular overpass is pretty good too. To my surprise, if you don't gun the car out of the corners it's actually quite fast. Trying my best not to understeer with all of the new power, I got a laptime of 1:45.650 , which is respectable for a car that costs less than 30,000cr. It handles like a hyperactive go-kart. Turn-in is near instantaneous with the car able to switch directions efficiently and rapidly. Acceleration is great for a four-cylinder and the top speed of 321km/h is almost exactly 200mph for you Americanos. So it handles decently, is fast and looks great in red too. It just needs some LSD tuning before it's ready to take to the online servers. Overall, I'd say this car is a blast to tune and boy-racer up. With performance around an LFA after some tuning, I'd say this car is well worth it for the price you pay.

Tuning Dedication?

This part is inspired by Hot Wheels Character Cars


Yes, tuning dedication. This is the segment where I take a tune that I like and dedicate it to a fictional character that I know or just looked up five minutes ago. I didn't just start this now, I've actually been doing this since GT5, you've just never seen me do it because Duel of the Week is stock only. I've enjoyed doing this and I've dedicated tunes from characters ranging from Blastoise (Pokémon) to the Green Arrow (DC Comics). I like a little bit of every form of entertainment, so I'm quite well-rounded.

Are you cringing yet? Good, because there's going to be a new one of these every time I write a review a car here. I think this system helps me to translate what I feel with my tunes to other people who read this. If you know what this character is like, you might be able to understand what I write a little better? Plus, it looks super cool decking a car out in a character's number/colour scheme Hot Wheels style.

I'm not much of an anime fan (I've only watched three so far including the original Pokémon! pretty sad compared to some people around these forums.), but a few months ago, in 2016, I was told by a dear friend of mine to watch and anime by the name of "Sword Art Online". I enjoyed the first bit of it, and the ending was a complete joke. If you want to watch it, only watch up until episode 8 or 9, then let your mind fill in the blanks.

Anyways, when I noticed my car's colour was Silica Gold, that reminded me of a character from that very anime who fit the description of this car very well. Allow me to introduce the name of this dedicated tune. The name that coincidentally matches with the weeaboo character that I'm thinking of...


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So, what does this car have to do with Silica from Sword Art Online? They're both low-level at the start until a guy in a black suit comes and equips them with all sorts of OP items. She's a favourite among the mid-levels in the game, just like how I think this car is good for mid-level 500pp racing in GT6. They're both relatively smaller than the main cast, this Nissan is a smaller sedan than BMWs and Mercedes. They both punch above their weight with the right equipment. They're both Japanese, they're both lightweight and nimble. Most of all, the both wear a grin at all times.

So, in short, this segment is the "What Car Would This Character Drive in GT6 Segment". It might be a bit weird, but I thought this was unique and interesting. I don't think it's as weird as when @Ryk tried to relate the Amuse S2000 to Tony DeVito from The Goodfellas.

I can't wait to do the Wolverine, because I love the Wolverine and Logan is coming out soon!

Verdict


After that bit of weirdness, it's time for a final verdict. What does Waflz think of this car?

It's a big fat sleeper!

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Get it? I'll see myself out.​
 
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Nissan Primera 20V '01
2.0L
196 hp / 7,000 rpm
152 ft-lb / 5,000 rpm
1,320 kg (2,910 lbs)
389 pp

It's got almost identical horsepower and torque as a Toyota GT86, though it's FF and weighs 90 kg more :sly:

Other 389 PP rivals include:

1:30.076 - 389 - Mitsubishi FTO GR '97
1:30.477 - 389 - Mini Cooper S '02
1:30.529 - 389 - Mazda RX-7 GT-Limited (FC, J) '85
1:30.565 - 389 - Nissan Primera 20V '01

Of these other three, only the Mini Cooper S '02 is around the same age.

Cars within 0.500 seconds:

1:30.076 - 389 - Mitsubishi FTO GR '97
1:30.126 - 403 - Mini Cooper S '11
1:30.170 - 407 - Audi TT Coupe 1.8T Quattro '00
1:30.175 - 394 - Peugeot 206 RC '03
1:30.267 - 383 - Honda CR-X SiR '90
1:30.339 - 410 - Ram 1500 Laramie Hemi Quad Cab '04
1:30.383 - 408 - Mitsubishi Airtrek Turbo-R '02
1:30.397 - 387 - Toyota Sprinter Trueno BZ-R '98
1:30.410 - 393 - Nissan Skyline HT 2000 Turbo RS (R30) '83
1:30.424 - 409 - Alfa Romeo Brera Sky Window 3.2 JTS Q4 '06
1:30.448 - 408 - Plymouth XNR Ghia Roadster '60
1:30.456 - 408 - Mitsubishi Galant 2.0 DOHC Turbo VR-4 '89
1:30.471 - 395 - Toyota Celica SS-II (ZZT231) '99
1:30.477 - 389 - Mini Cooper S '02
1:30.510 - 411 - Toyota Celica GT-Four RC (ST185) '91
1:30.529 - 389 - Mazda RX-7 GT-Limited (FC, J) '85
1:30.535 - 383 - Honda Civic SiR-II (EG) '95
1:30.565 - 389 - Nissan Primera 20V '01
1:30.574 - 371 - MG MGF '97
1:30.578 - 404 - Volkswagen New Beetle RSi '00
1:30.599 - 391 - Mini Cooper S '05
1:30.622 - 392 - Nissan Silvia K's Dia Selection (S13) '90
1:30.696 - 423 - Nissan mm-R Cup Car '01
1:30.703 - 391 - Mazda Roadster RS (NC) '07
1:30.706 - 382 - Mitsubishi FTO GR '94
1:30.728 - 401 - Alfa Romeo GTV 3.0 V6 24V '01
1:30.805 - 400 - Audi Quattro '82
1:30.822 - 407 - Ford Taurus SHO '98
1:30.822 - 402 - Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Coupé '54
1:30.843 - 390 - Peugeot 207 GTi '07
1:30.847 - 379 - Honda Civic SiR-II (EG) '91
1:30.908 - 398 - Toyota Celica SS-II (ST202) '97
1:30.911 - 386 - Ford Focus ST170 '03
1:30.913 - 383 - Mazda MX-5 1800 RS (NB, J) '00
1:30.960 - 383 - Hyundai Tiburon GT '01
1:31.041 - 378 - Honda CR-X Del Sol SiR '92

This Nissan is as quick as the third-generation Mazda MX-5 and Peugeot 207 GTI.



122 mph top speed at Midfield. Sleeper for sure. Also it's just under 3 seconds faster than the older Primera '91.
 
Prime-Time Primera!!!
No way the kids will be late to school now!
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Okay, before we get into this review... A lot of background...

The original Primera, while boring on the outside, was famed for being pretty peppy on the drive, and it was even sold as an Infiniti (of course). But then there's the second generation...the one we have today. The blob.

Actually, Caddy, this Primera is the third generation. The first one, the P10, is the one that's famed for it's participation in the BTCC. The second gen, the P11, looks very similar but has softer, more family-car looking curves. And this one, the third gen, looks... completely different. However it's logical to assume that this is because this is the only model of the three to be produced during the Renault-Nissan alliance..

Primeras hold a special place in my heart, because in my entire life, there have always been at least three Primeras in the family garage. P10's mainly. Dad steered a P10 to victory in the North Island Endurance series, winning a series of 4 hour endurance races around the country with a 6 hour grand finale, where else other than the place that eight years later became my home turf, Pukekohe Park :sly:
Actually, adding it all up, the Howe family's had around twelve Primeras. :eek: And ten of those were P10's.

But we're not talking about the P10 this week, are we? (The P10 was one of the first cars reviewed here...) We're talking about the P12. The ugly duckling, the outcast...


...the sleeper...


(I'll get to the review soon, promise! :lol:)
So how did the P12 go from ugly trashpile to damn-near the apple of my eye? Well, some of you already know I piloted a Pulsar with a VVL motor last season at the dirt track. That experience showed me how powerful and smooth the VVL motor was. A few months later, Dad was browsing TradeMe (The kiwi alternative to eBay), and he found a P12 with a 6 speed manual, and a 2.0l VVL motor, a full 400cc bigger than the 1.6 found in the dirt track car. It was quoted to have 200bhp, and he snapped it up real quick. He then had to pick it up from Wellington, the other side of the island, a 1200 kilometre (745 mile) trip there and back! When it was safely in our possession, the family fell in love with it. It's good for a daily driver, ready to hoon at all times, and looks totally unassuming! Oh, and the gearbox is notably silky smooth :dopey:

Do I still have your attention?

*listens out, hears a faint "yeah!" in the distance among the chirping crickets*

Right! The review!
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The P12 20v is cheap, bland looking and boasts the very best graphics of thirteen years ago! It's likely a car that you'll only ever buy if you're starting out the game, or are a fan of Nissans. (Or if you're reviewing it for COTW :lol:) Visually, nothing screams "Sportscar!" or "I'm fast!", but then that's half the appeal about it. What you're buying is a blank canvas, something you need to build into a racecar yourself...

In the game, you can't hear the VVL's mighty transformation. Honestly, in real life you can hear when it kicks in, as it becomes about 100db louder. But still it doesn't sound too bad in game, it sounds like a normal road car that you're wringing the neck of.

It has acceleration unnatural for a medium-large family car, and the 6 speed gearbox strikes a nice balance between acceleration and top end speed. Like all FWDs, understeer is your enemy, especially with no TCS and only comfort tyres to transfer that power to the road. This means adopting a "Slow in, fast out" mentality will prove most beneficial in your racing experiences. It's 1320kgs, and front heavy, so be wary when trying to be the last of the late brakers, you may well end up the first into the wall. :P

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Being a sedan means it's a lot lower to the ground and therefore a lot more nimble than last week's FX45, so you can do battle in a pack a lot more comfortably. But the comfort tyres and road car weight means it still has a degree of bulky feel about it.

For some first-step tuning tips, I'd start with tyres. Whack some sport softs on! Next I'd go for the weight, get a weight reduction package then put a ballast in at the back, to equal out some of the weight distribution. The last thing for starters would be a brake kit, seriously the stock brakes are a bit off, Brembo's they ain't...

There are so many better cars avaliable, but it's competitiveness when tuned and sleeper appeal are undeniable. A solid sleeper! :D

And now I wait with anticipation for this much better car McD spoke of...

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P.S. Some may notice that my reviews have been going downhill a bit in terms of pics. If you haven't noticed, well I sure have. Anyways... Haven't been able to take many pics lately due to my D-pad breaking. Got some new controllers on the way, so hopefully next week's review will be packed with more pics!
 
The final few races yesterday were open to unlimited tuning save for a 490pp limit. Simply put, this thing is a bullet. Here's a pic of Vic on my tail, preparing to pass for the lead ( of course ) but look farther up the track. No one even in sight. A BMW concept, a Lotus Esprit, and a some other cars with a greater pedigree were no match.

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Let's get this out of the way first, I probably won't drive the Primera again after this week, just as I haven't touched the older Primera we evaluated way back in Year One of Car of the Week. With the number of very good cars around this Performance range that are rendered in full premium glory, this GT4 port-over with panel gaps better measured by inches than millimeters won't get much more miles on its tires.

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Yet in a way, those negatives help make it one of the biggest sleepers we've ever gotten. Time and again it astounded us with how it shrugged off cars that it should have no business being able to compete with, to the point where beating it began to feel like "Wile E. Coyote trying to catch the Road Runner" levels of futility. This is definitely a car that will take the unaware by complete surprise in any random lobby.

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The final few races yesterday were open to unlimited tuning save for a 490pp limit. Simply put, this thing is a bullet. Here's a pic of Vic on my tail, preparing to pass for the lead ( of course ) but look farther up the track. No one even in sight. A BMW concept, a Lotus Esprit, and a some other cars with a greater pedigree were no match.

KsB8n9pp2O1PDX48k_0.jpg

There's no question, the Primera in tuned form was an animal of a front wheel drive machine. :)

Same story for the FX45 in tuned form as if I recall correctly that was on another level at Matterhorn last week running away by at least 25 seconds. :drool:

As for them in Stock form? Well let's dig deeper and have a closer look.

We'll start with the Infiniti FX45 Concept and let's get the obvious glaring issue out the way, The production version ended up weighing just under 2 tons where the Concept version is a more modest 1500kg or to put that another way, only 15kg heavier than what the Ferrari 458 Italia weighs in game. :eek:

The engine and transmission however are closer to reality, a 4.5 litre V8 bolted to a 5 speed Automatic sending the power to all 4 wheels.

The gearing was on the longer side, probably not as long as some marriages, but definitely longer than some relationships. :D ( Sidenote- I'm starting to run out of ways to make that joke and still keep its accuracy. :P)

1,2&3 we used most, rarely touched 4th and never needed 5th, but thanks to the weight and the decent power the V8 made, it still got going pretty briskly.

Handling was abit floaty and rollly, but what did you expect from an SUV? But compared to the other SUV's and Pickups it was like a ballerina with a V8 engine. ;)

By itself, Its a good SUV and when you consider its the cheapest SUV you can buy and you factor in its potential when tuned, It turns in to a bargain bruiser.

Let me or rather @CORRUPTEDDISC show what other SUV's it can beat and how much you would have to spend on a SUV to beat it around SPA. 👍



And when you really focus its potential like I did at Matterhorn, It becomes a threat that you won't see coming or rather one you will see, but won't believe as it drives away from you. :sly:

Verdict in stock form, Sleeper. 👍

From Nissans american branch and back to Nissan itself with the newer version of a very early COTW pick, The Nissan Primera '01.

Packing a 2 litre 4 cylinder engine, the Primera makes a little over 200hp after oil change which for a non turbo engine is quite respectable, safely putting it in the 100hp per litre class which for a non turbo 2 litre is still good even by today's standards. :drool:

Hooked up to a 6 speed manual and sending power to the front wheels, the Primera holds up well for a sporty version of an everyday car.

Handling, this was a real acid for the Primera as history shows we don't have the greatast track record with everyday FF cars that aren't Type R's or Xsara rally cars.

Yes the Alfa GT 3.2 V6 won Sleeper of the year in 2014, But the Eclispe, Vectra and the ACT all won not so great awards and that's not including some of the runners up like the Acura CL and Fiat Coupe Turbo. :yuck:

My point is, we don't like cars that like to go face first into the gravel trap or can't climb a 5 degree incline so the Primera had its work cut out.

Did it pay off? You're damn right it did. :D

As noted by Jack, The Nissan was punching above its supposed limit of its capablitys and fighting not only the road going Civic Type R, but also a race prepped one as well. :eek:

For a 4 door Front wheel drive, it was a remarkably good car to drive and as noted by Ash it blew all its rivals away when the rules were relaxed.

Only thing quicker than the Primera was another Primera. :lol:

Verdict: sleeper 👍
 
There's no question, the Primera in tuned form was an animal of a front wheel drive machine. :)

Same story for the FX45 in tuned form as if I recall correctly that was on another level at Matterhorn last week running away by at least 25 seconds. :drool:

As for them in Stock form? Well let's dig deeper and have a closer look.

We'll start with the Infiniti FX45 Concept and let's get the obvious glaring issue out the way, The production version ended up weighing just under 2 tons where the Concept version is a more modest 1500kg or to put that another way, only 15kg heavier than what the Ferrari 458 Italia weighs in game. :eek:

The engine and transmission however are closer to reality, a 4.5 litre V8 bolted to a 5 speed Automatic sending the power to all 4 wheels.

The gearing was on the longer side, probably not as long as some marriages, but definitely longer than some relationships. :D ( Sidenote- I'm starting to run out of ways to make that joke and still keep its accuracy. :P)

1,2&3 we used most, rarely touched 4th and never needed 5th, but thanks to the weight and the decent power the V8 made, it still got going pretty briskly.

Handling was abit floaty and rollly, but what did you expect from an SUV? But compared to the other SUV's and Pickups it was like a ballerina with a V8 engine. ;)

By itself, Its a good SUV and when you consider its the cheapest SUV you can buy and you factor in its potential when tuned, It turns in to a bargain bruiser.

Let me or rather @CORRUPTEDDISC show what other SUV's it can beat and how much you would have to spend on a SUV to beat it around SPA. 👍



And when you really focus its potential like I did at Matterhorn, It becomes a threat that you won't see coming or rather one you will see, but won't believe as it drives away from you. :sly:

Verdict in stock form, Sleeper. 👍

From Nissans american branch and back to Nissan itself with the newer version of a very early COTW pick, The Nissan Primera '01.

Packing a 2 litre 4 cylinder engine, the Primera makes a little over 200hp after oil change which for a non turbo engine is quite respectable, safely putting it in the 100hp per litre class which for a non turbo 2 litre is still good even by today's standards. :drool:

Hooked up to a 6 speed manual and sending power to the front wheels, the Primera holds up well for a sporty version of an everyday car.

Handling, this was a real acid for the Primera as history shows we don't have the greatast track record with everyday FF cars that aren't Type R's or Xsara rally cars.

Yes the Alfa GT 3.2 V6 won Sleeper of the year in 2014, But the Eclispe, Vectra and the ACT all won not so great awards and that's not including some of the runners up like the Acura CL and Fiat Coupe Turbo. :yuck:

My point is, we don't like cars that like to go face first into the gravel trap or can't climb a 5 degree incline so the Primera had its work cut out.

Did it pay off? You're damn right it did. :D

As noted by Jack, The Nissan was punching above its supposed limit of its capablitys and fighting not only the road going Civic Type R, but also a race prepped one as well. :eek:

For a 4 door Front wheel drive, it was a remarkably good car to drive and as noted by Ash it blew all its rivals away when the rules were relaxed.

Only thing quicker than the Primera was another Primera. :lol:

Verdict: sleeper 👍


Nice breakdown bud, and thanks for the RIVALS mention :D
 
Hold the fort down, I'll make it up to you on Sunday with a much better car.

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Erm.... Anyone know where McD's at?

Obelisk
McD's at McDonald's. Or writing an article about how he shoved an SSD up his rear end.

Thanks for that information, Obelisk! How about you pick us a fresh set of wheels?

Congratulations @Obelisk!!!!!

How about the...
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It's the 1954 Chevrolet Corvette C1!!!!!!

I guess that'll do! I'm certain McD's around here somewhere, I've seen him posting over on G+...
Playing with TT's heads west this week, try and pilot this classic American icon around the Big Willow! See ya's all on Tuesday!!! (P.S. Controllers arrived today! Woop woop!)
 
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Erm.... Anyone know where McD's at?



Thanks for that information, Obelisk! How about you pick us a fresh set of wheels?

Congratulations @Obelisk!!!!!


View attachment 627769
It's the 1954 Chevrolet Corvette C1!!!!!!

I guess that'll do! I'm certain McD's around here somewhere, I've seen him posting over on G+...
Playing with TT's heads west this week, try and pilot this classic American icon around the Big Willow! See ya's all on Tuesday!!! (P.S. Controllers arrived today! Woop woop!)
Nismo, you posted a 1960 Corvette.
 
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