Car of the Week 228: COTY GTS Finale

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A current list of all not yet used cars for COTW:

ABARTH (1)
1500 Biposto Bertone B.A.T 1 1952 (N100)

ALFA ROMEO (3)
4C Launch Edition 2014 (N200)
Giulia TZ2 Carrozzata da Zagato CN.AR750106 1965 (Gr.X)
MiTo 1.4 T Sport 2009 (N200)

Alpine (3)
Vision Gran Turismo 2017 (Gr.1)
Vision Gran Turismo (Gr.X)
Vision Gran Turismo Race Mode (Gr.X)

ASTON MARTIN (5)
DB3S CN.1 1953 (Gr.X)
DB11 2016 (N600)
DP-100 Vision Gran Turismo (Gr.X)
Vantage Gr.4 (Gr.4)
Vulcan 2016 (N800)

AUDI (9)
R8 LMS Audi Team Sport WRT 2015 (Gr.3)
R18 TDI Audi Team Sport Joest 2011 (Gr.1)
R18 TDI Le Mans 2011 (Gr.1)
R18 e-tron 2016 (Gr.1)
Sport quattro S1 Pikes Peak 1987 (Gr.B)
TT Coupe 3.2 quattro 2003 (N200)
TT Cup 2016 (Gr.4)
TTS Coupe 2014 (N300)
Vision Gran Turismo (Gr.1)

BMW (7)
M4 Coupe 2014 (N400)
M4 Safety Car (Gr.X)
M6 GT3 Walkenhorst Motorsport 2016 (Gr.3)
M6 GT3 M Power Livery 2016 (Gr.3)
Vision Gran Turismo (Gr.X)
Z4 GT3 2011 (Gr.3)
Z8 2001 (N400)

BUGATTI (3)
Veyron Gr.4 (Gr.4)
Vision Gran Turismo Gr.1 (Gr.1)
Vision Gran Turismo (Gr.X)

CHEVROLET (2)
Camaro SS 2016 (N500)
Corvette Stingray Race Concept (C2) 1959 (Gr.X)

CITROËN (1)
GT by Citroen Gr.4 (Gr.4)

DODGE (9)
Charger SRT Hellcat Safety Car (N700)
SRT Tomahawk VGT Gr.1 (Gr.1)
SRT Tomahawk VGT Racing (Gr.X)
SRT Tomahawk VGT Street (Gr.X)
SRT Tomahawk VGT Technology (Gr.X)
Superbee 1970 (N300)
Viper Gr.4 (Gr.4)
Viper SRT10 Coupe 2006 (N500)
Viper SRT GT3-R 2015 (Gr.3)

FERRARI (5)
250 GT Berlinetta passo corto CN.2521 1961 (N300)
250 GTO CN.3729GT 1962 (Gr.X)
458 Italia 2009 (N600)
458 Italia GT3 2013 (Gr.3)
Dino 246GT 1971 (N200)

FIAT (1)
500 F 1968 (N100)

FORD (7)
Focus Gr.B Rally Car (Gr.B)
GT 2006 (N600)
GT LM Spec II Test Car (Gr.3)
Mustang Gr.3 Road Car (N500)
Mustang Gr.B Rally Car (Gr.B)
Mustang GT Premium Fastback 2015 (N400)
Mustang Mach 1 1971 (N300)

GRAN TURISMO (5)
Amuse S2000 GT1 Turbo (N600)
Chris Holstrom Concepts 1967 Chevy Nova 2013 (N700)
Red Bull X2014 Standard 2014 (Gr.X)
Red Bull X2014 Junior 2014 (Gr.X)
Red Bull X2019 Competition (Gr.X)

HONDA (4)
NSX Gr.3 (Gr.3)
NSX Gr.4 (Gr.4)
S800 1966 (N100)
Sports Vision Gran Turismo (Gr.X)

HYUNDAI (4)
Genesis Gr.3 (Gr.3)
Genesis Gr.4 (Gr.4)
N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo (Gr.1)
N 2025 Vision Gran Turismo (Gr.X)

INFINITI (1)
Concept Vision Gran Turismo (Gr.X)

JAGUAR (6)
D-Type 1954 (Gr.X)
E-Type Coupe 1961 (N300)
F-Type Gr.4 (Gr.4)
XJ13 1966 (Gr.X)
XJR-9 1988 (Gr.1)
Vision Gran Turismo Coupe (Gr.X)

KTM (1)
X-BOW R 2012 (N300)

LAMBORGHINI (6)
Aventador LP700-4 2011 (N700)
Aventador LP750-4 Superveloce 2015 (N800)
Countach LP400 1974 (N400)
Huracan Gr.4 (Gr.4)
Huracan LP610-4 2015 (N600)
Miura P400 Bertone Prototype CN.0706 1967 (N400)

LEXUS (4)
LC500 2017 (N500)
LF-LC GT Vision Gran Turismo (Gr.X)
RC F au Tom's 2016 (Gr.2)
RC F Gr.4 (Gr.4)

MAZDA (8)
Atenza Gr.3 Road Car (N500)
Atenza Gr.4 (Gr.4)
Atenza Sedan XD L Package 2015 (N200)
Demio XD Touring 2015 (N100)
LM55 Vision Gran Turismo Gr.1 (Gr.1)
LM55 Vision Gran Turismo (Gr.X)
Roadster S 2015 (N100)
RX-Vision GT3 Concept 2020 (Gr.3)

MCLAREN (5)
650S GT3 2015 (Gr.3)
MP4-12c 2010 (N600)
P1 GTR 2016 (Gr.X)
Ultimate Vision Gran Turismo Gr.1 (Gr.1)
Ultimate Vision Gran Turismo (Gr.X)

MERCEDES-BENZ (7)
A45 AMG 4MATIC 2013 (N400)
AMG F1 W08 EQ Power+ (Gr.X)
AMG F1 W08 EQ Power+ Color Variation (Gr.X)
AMG Vision Gran Turismo (Gr.X)
AMG Vision Gran Turismo LH Edition (Gr.X)
AMG Vision Gran Turismo Racing Series (Gr.X)
Sauber C9 1989 (Gr.1)

MINI (2)
Cooper S 2005 (N200)
Clubman Vision Gran Turismo (Gr.X)

MITSUBISHI (4)
Lancer Evolution IV GSR 1996 (N300)
Lancer Evolution Final Edition Gr.3 (Gr.3)
Lancer Evolution Final Edition Gr.B Rally Car (Gr.B)
Lancer Evolution Final Edition Gr.B Road Car (N500)

NISSAN (10)
Concept 2020 Vision Gran Turismo (Gr.X)
Fairlady Z Version S 2007 (N300)
GT-R Gr.B Rally Car (Gr.B)
GT-R Motul Autech 2016 (Gr.2)
GT-R Premium Edition 2017 (N600)
GT-R Safety Car (Gr.X)
GT-R Xanavi Nismo (Gr.2)
R92CP 1992 (Gr.1)
Skyline GT-R V-spec (R33) 1997 (N300)
Skyline GT-R V-spec II Nür (R34) 2002 (N300)

PEUGEOT (9)
208 GTI by Peugeot Sport 2014 (N200)
908 HDI FAP Team Peugeot Total 2010 (Gr.1)
RCZ Gr.3 (Gr.3)
RCZ Gr.3 Road Car (N500)
RCZ Gr.4 (Gr.4)
RCZ Gr.B Rally Car (Gr.B)
L500R Hybrid Vision Gran Turismo 2017 (Gr.X)
L750R Hybrid Vision Gran Turismo 2017 (Gr.1)
Vision Gran Turismo (Gr.X)

PORSCHE (2)
911 GT3 (997) 2008 (N400)
962C 1988 (Gr.1)

RENAULT SPORT (4)
Clio RS 220 EDC Trophy 2015 (N200)
Clio RS 220 EDC Trophy 2016 (N200)
Megane RS Trophy 2011 Safety Car (N300)
R.S.01 GT3 2016 (Gr.3)

SHELBY (1)
Cobra Daytona Coupe 1964 (Gr.X)

SUBARU (6)
BRZ S 2015 (N200)
BRZ Falken Tire/Turn 14 Distribution 2017 (Gr.X)
Impreza Coupe WRX Type R STi Version VI 1999 (N300)
WRX Gr.3 (Gr.3)
WRX Gr.B (Gr.B)
WRX STI Type S 2014 (N300)

TESLA (1)
Model S Signature Performance 2012 (Gr.X)

TOYOTA (17)
86 Gr.4 (Gr.4)
86 Gr.B Rally Car (Gr.B)
86 GRMN 2016 (N200)
86 GT 2015 (N200)
86 GT Limited 2016 (N200)
Corolla Levin 3door 1600GT APEX (AE86) 1983 (N100)
Crown Athlete G Safety Car (N300)
FT-1 (Gr.X)
FT-1 Vision Gran Turismo (Gr.X)
FT-1 Vision Gran Turismo Gr.3 (Gr.3)
GR Supra Racing Concept (Gr.3)
GR Supra RZ 2020 (N400)
S-FR 2015 (N100)
Sprinter Trueno 3door 1600GT APEX (AE86) 1983 (N100)
TS030 Hybrid 2012 (Gr.1)
TS050 Hybrid Toyota Gazoo Racing 2016 (Gr.1)
Tundra TRD Pro 2019 (N400)

VOLKSWAGEN (7)
1200 1966 (N100)
Scirocco Gr.4 (Gr.4)
Golf VII GTI 2014 (N200)
GTI Roadster Vision Gran Turismo (Gr.X)
GTI Supersport Vision Gran Turismo (Gr.X)
GTI Vision Gran Turismo Gr.3 (Gr.3)
Samba Bus Type 2 (T1) 1962 (N100)
 
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With the new James Bond movie out, let play homage to one of the classic Bond cars. This week we are taking a look at the BMW Z8. This weeks car is chosen by @Vic Reign93

BMW-Z8-1c.jpg
 

GTS Nordschleife hot lap STOCK BMW Z8 '01: 07.45.922​



Feels like a German muscle car. Really fun drive. Great car. Also one of those cars, with which I could improve lap by lap for like 10-15 consecutive laps. That's pretty rare. ☝️

With its driven time, it is the 56th fastest car of all road legal cars. Its closest rivals are the Aston Martin V8 Vantage S '15 with a 07.46.472 on the 57th place and the Lexus LC500 '17 with a 07.45.903 on the 55th place. It can reach a top speed of 300 km/h=186 mp/h in the game (real life top speed being 250 km/h=155mp/h-electronically limited), securing itself the 53rd-52nd place top speed wise of all road legal cars together with the Ford GT40 Mark I '66, while its closest top speed rivals are the Chevrolet Camaro SS '16 with 299 km/h=186 mp/h on the 54th place and the Nissan Fairlady Z Version S '07 with 301 km/h=187 mp/h on the 51st place.

Driven stock on hard sport tyres without any driving aids, except ABS. First lap in third person view, second one in cockpit view and third one in cinematic replay view. All driven laps are the same lap.

Comparison with Nordschleife rivals:



Comparison with Tsukuba rivals:



Verdict: Sleeper. Just super fun and "intuitive".
 
Man I'm exhausted from driving the 2001 BMW Z8 this week.


Having read the praise from other members of this thread, I was expecting some E46 M3 levels of finesse from the Z8, but instead what I wound up having to fight against was a softly sprung two door roadster that somehow weighs more than said E46. The car stops and turns just fine, but it's corner exits that is the tiring part to manage; the rear end will step out really quickly as though an American muscle car, and the soft front end lifts horrifically as though a FF hot hatch if you're even just about a third of the travel into the loud pedal, which can be taken as criticism against the suspension setup or praise for the immediacy of its 4.9L NA V8 engine and the gobs of torque it has through its mid range. Power application in this car then, needs to be administered with extreme care well past the apex of a turn, causing it to lag behind many other sports cars and the expectations that they may heap onto the Z8. Both the soft suspension and the torquey engine would make the Z8 a phenomenal drift car if the steering didn't feel so... random, in how it responds from one corner to the next, owing to all the pitch and roll the front end undergoes. I get that that's true for all cars, but it really is quite ridiculous on the Z8. It's all the more so disastrous here because of just how tail happy the Z8 is—get lightly tapped anywhere near the back end of the car, and you'll be countersteering and fishtailing for years to correct this yacht of a car.


Perhaps it's not meant to be an all out sports car, but it still strikes me as odd regardless because the Z8 is meant to be a sort of halo car for BMW at the time if I've done my research correctly, and yet the E46 M3 is much better set up for the track, offering a much more exhilarating, engaging, and rewarding driving experience, even if it doesn't have the power to compete with the Z8 on most tracks. It's so soft that it makes a Supra and GTO feel more predictable and planted through corners. If you're looking for a no compromise sports car experience, you're much better served in a Viper or an S2000. But, it does have to be said that the Z8 can be a fun car to drive in its own right if you aren't chasing competition in it. I think it's a fantastically balanced car, one that, when coupled with its soft, but cooperative nonetheless suspension setup, really makes you as the driver pay attention to the weight transfer both laterally and longitudinally at all times. It's the sort of car that makes the driver pay it more attention than anything else. It almost necessitates wearing earphones just because of how much it needs you to keep a keen ear out for each tyre's squeals through a corner, and I guess that's why PD modeled the car with its top off. Also, it's a NA V8 manual with an open top! How rare is that sort of thing twenty years ago, let alone today?


As a cult icon, looks are a big part of the car's appeal, and I will admit that the styling has really grown on me after I initially thought the front fascia is offensively ugly. Unfortunately however, unlike the Fiat 500 from just three weeks ago, the metallic piece in the dashboard of the Z8, which should have been the same body colour as the exterior, cannot be painted. Hell, it even stays as Titansilber Metallic even if you buy the car in other colours, which is such a shame, because what really sold me on the Z8's looks is the example featured in Harry Metcalfe's review of the Z8, which is finished in Topasblau Metallic with contrasting tan leather interior. The latter isn't present in this game, either.

​


I recognise that it has its merits, but none of it really translate well into the digital realm of GT Sport, and holy hell this car and I really don't see eye to eye. I personally find it more tiring to keep on the track than rewarding. The styling may have grown on me in the week that I've spent researching it, but I still can't get over just how offensively ugly the front end of the car is, and I cannot for the life of me find a setting from cockpit view that actually lets me see anything past the narrow A pillars and the long hood, and the gimmicky centred instrument cluster is just... tragic. Add to that the fact that this car somehow costs more than 20 grand more than a 911 GT3 of the same year, and well... I don't even know where to start making a case for this thing.
 
If only it were the HPA TT. ;)

Drove my brother's 1.8T with APR chip tune. Raised HP from 180 to 250. In comparison to my Jetta GLI 16V/VR6 conversion, the difference in torque(in the TT) was felt, but my VR6 was smooth as can be(besides being half a ton lighter :sly:).
In the virtual world, the 3.2 doesn't give me that smooth power delivery. Feels like it's wheezing. For me, this 3.2 TT in GTSport, has a below average fun/performance ratio.
 

GTS Nordschleife hot lap STOCK Audi TT Coupe 3.2 quattro '03: 08.18.454​




I didn't expect such a quick lap time from this one. I always thought it was a little turtle, but nope, it's a quicky!

With its driven time, it is the 98th fastest car of all road legal cars. Its closest rivals are the Jaguar E-Type Coupe '61 with an 08.18.646 on the 99th place and the Mitsubishi GTO Twin Turbo '91 with an 08.15.381 on the 97th place. It can reach a top speed of 257 km/h=160 mp/h in the game (real life top speed being 243 km/h=151 mp/h), securing itself the 89th place top speed wise of all road legal cars, while its closest top speed rivals are the Renault SPORT Clio RS 220 EDC Trophy '15 and the Volkswagen Golf VII GTI '14 both with 255 km/h=158 mp/h on the 91-90th places and the Mazda RX-7 GT-X (FC) '90, the BMW M3 Sport Evolution '89, and the Alfa Romeo Launch Edition '14, all three with 260 km/h=162mp/h on the 88-86th places.

Driven stock on hard sport tyres without any driving aids, except ABS. First lap in third person view, second one in cockpit view and third one in cinematic replay view. All driven laps are the same lap.

Comparison with Nordschleife rival:



Comparison with Tsukuba rival:



Verdict: Rather neutral. Good car though.
 
Seeing as we're playing with TTs this week, I thought I'd take a bit of inspiration from Rob's OnlyFans R8 and create... an R18 TT!


As far as hairdressers' cars go, one would be hard pressed to find a car that fits the bill as well as an Audi TT. It's always struck me as a "poor man's R8"—a car for someone who wants an exotic badge to appear rich, but doesn't quite have R8 money. But, while other hairdressers' cars, such as a modern Mini or an MR-S at least have the looks to be a hairdressers' car, the TT I've always found to be a disproportionate, ugly, and way too shouty with nothing to really shout about. Add to that an AWD system and a 3.2L VR6 that was shoved in seemingly without much thought, and, really, what else could one reasonably expect from this 1,520kg (3,351lbs) car but chronic, neverending understeer?


That's what I thought prior to driving the car, anyway. Once in, however, the car I found is somehow, shockingly balanced, even with a V6 that displaces almost twice as much as the Inline 4 that used to be where it is. Said balance in conjunction with the short wheelbase of the car and a delightfully responsive steering made the TT a car that is surprisingly "chuckable" into a corner. In fact, because the suspension setup is really rather soft up front, the front end will lift into understeer heights if you ask too much too soon from the responsive, torquey NA VR6, which in turn means that you're best served compensating for that with a hint of a slip angle into the apex of a corner—something the car is more than delighted to do with the aforementioned soft setup breaking grip on the rear end under hard braking, with the quattro AWD system making sure you're never really in much danger of a wipeout that would result in a complete write off. And speaking of the brakes, the car stops really well especially when considering its soft setup and mass, not to mention the 6 speed DSG feels simply magical in how quickly and seamlessly it shifts, even for a modern car, let alone one that's nearing twenty years old at this point.


I'm very surprised to say that I really don't have any major complaints against the 3.2 TT at all, only nitpicks. The suspension setup is, again, a bit too soft for my liking, and the car's looks really haven't grown on me a single bit the entire week. The gearing is a little... odd. The final gear ratio is set delectably low to facilitate strong acceleration, but third feels completely lost in an ocean in between second and fourth, with upshifts into third and fourth dropping the engine just out of the meat of its powerband. It's a small annoyance in mid speed corner exits, but it will completely halt any attempts at a graceful powerslide out of a corner on dirt if you for some insane reason feel the urge to bring your quattro badged car rallying, which is all the more a shame given how immediate and "free" gear changes in this thing are.


At nearly 60k Credits and not even offering 250HP on tap for that, the TT does seem like awful value for money. The rational side of me even wants to say that enthusiasts are better catered to with a much more practical, powerful, and cheaper Evo and Impreza, but I really don't think the turbocharged four door rally cars can really offer that feeling of instant, abundant torque of a NA V6, the instant, magical gear changes, nor the TT's immaculate rotation into a corner thanks to its short wheelbase. It may never be a logical buy, but as a sports car, something that's inherently illogical, it's a pretty damn good one. One that carves out a sufficient niche for itself, and one that will properly surprise even petrolheads with how good it is. It even feels great on dirt! Even though the racing was slightly chaotic this week, I still had a lot of fun with it. A part of me still can't get over how pleasantly surprised I am by the TT this week, and I therefore reckon it's a sleeper!

 
The Z4 is my most driven car in GT Sport. I'm a Z4 owner in the real world, and a member of a few Z4 clubs. Back in lockdown a bunch of us started a sim racing group, all playing in GT Sport and started a championship using the Z4 GT3. Since then, there have been two more championships, an endurance series, and bi-weekly races including practice rounds and wild-card races. Needless to say, the Z4 GT3 reinvigorated my passion for GT Sport and holds a special place in this game for me. Highly underrated and heavily penalised by BOP unfortunately!
 
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When the topic of BMW racecars comes up in Gran Turismo Sport, the cars that first come to mind are usually the M4 Gr. 4 and the M6 GT3, both of which should be more than familiar sights on the sharp end of the race results screen when accompanied by an equally familiar name: FT_NicoR, overall winner of 2019's FIA-Certified Gran Turismo Championship. In a game that often has only one car per manufacturer for each class of Gr. 3 and Gr. 4, and with how synonymous the M4 and M6 has been with BMW thanks to Nicolas' expert driving, it's easy to forget that BMW has three cars eligible for Gr. 3, and so I found myself curious as to how one of these oft–neglected cars drive, hence my pick this week: the 2011 BMW Z4 GT3 takes the spotlight this week here in Car of the Week! (well not quite THIS "this week" due to health concerns, persistent procrastination, and nagging perfectionism but blah just go along with it I don't know how to edit that last sentence while keeping the same flow and flair but that's not to say that my writing has any flow and flair worth mentioning gah whatever just have a photo of the car.)


It may be a foregone conclusion that the M6 is the most competitive car in BMW's roster of Gr. 3 cars, and nothing I can write or however many laps I can turn will ever mean anything more than Nicolas' feat and judgment. But, on a personal, non–competitive level, I actually have quite the soft spot for the Z4. The second generation Z4, the E89, is one of the best looking cars BMW has ever produced in my millennial eyes—much more graceful and striking than the slightly awkward first gen and the squarish and bland third gen, and certainly better looking than any of the samey sedans and coupés BMW are otherwise shackled to. I remember taking the Z4 M Coupé out for a spin in GT6 and being really pleasantly surprised by it. And speaking of past games and past models, there are unused assets remaining in GT6 indicating that some sort of 2012 Z4 GT3 adorned with Good Smile Racing's Hatsune Miku livery was supposed to be in the game, but was ultimately cut for unknown reasons. Now armed with a livery editor I haven't the patience, skill, or time to really use, and a Discover feature to save me from having to do much with it, I think it'd be really fun to kill two obscure birds with one spotlight and apply the livery that I believe was planned to be included in GT6 and race everyone with it this week!


...if real life hadn't gotten in the way and made me miss this week's racing, that is. Ah well.

If looking great and having some "lore" behind the Z4 isn't enough to tantalise you into trying it out for yourself, then perhaps the fact that the Z4 GT3 falls into ThePotatoKing's latter category of BMW racecars, the "let's put a V8 into it and see if it works" category, will push you over the edge. While the production E89s never saw an engine that exceeded 3 litres in displacement, had cylinders daring enough to stand out of line, and were rarely allowed to breathe freely, the GT3 spec Z4 boasts a hulking, naturally aspirated V8 outputting a maximum of 508HP (379kW) and 515N⋅m (380lbf⋅ft) at rev ranges where the road car's engines would've long since tapped out. In fact, the E92 M3 derived V8 that sees duty in the Z4 GT3 redlines at an S2000 rivaling 9,000rpm! Despite the fact that a larger engine was crammed into the long bonnet of the Z4's silhouette however, the racecar's diet programme has been so thorough that it somehow resulted in the long hood, short deck car having a 48:52 F:R weight distribution—with a 4.4L V8 up front! And so what we end up with then, is an open top car powered by a free breathing, rev happy V8, sporting stylish looks and impeccable balance. Why couldn't BMW have offered the production Z4 like this? Ah well, looks like we have to settle for second best then, which is to drive a carbon shod, flare sporting, racing slick draped, race prepped, pedigree backed, even more stylish GT3 spec of the Z4, and use our imagination a little. Like I do with Hatsune Miku.


To drive, the Z4 GT3 is nothing short of excellent! I think we as drivers subconsciously compensate for the imperfections in how the steering wheels and pedals respond when we drive, and only notice and complain when how they respond becomes too imprecise. The Z4 GT3's feedback and responses however, are so crisp and direct, it made me feel as if that layer of uncertainty was omitted completely, and I was left with a shocking sense of clarity, almost as though attaining Nirvana, like I was afforded a whole other dimension of understanding and context. It felt like I was wearing earplugs or sunglasses my whole life, and the Z4 somehow removed those filters to my senses and I was made to realise how much I was missing out by allowing me newfound directness. It almost feels as if PD forgot to program in those "filters", those imperfections in the steering and throttle response for the Z4, and what I'm left with is... well, perfection, really.


The crisp and immediate throttle response works in perfect harmony with the peaky, frantic, yet progressive engine to create an experience that I'd go as far as to claim is an art form in itself. It's impossible to place a tyre wrong in the Z4 because of this linearity, clarity, and immediacy, both from the throttle response, torque curve, and steering wheel, which makes tracing racing lines through corners almost feel like writing calligraphy with my hands and feet. I begin to actively use even the smallest of parts of a racetrack to open up corners more, like the drainage covers of Spa, simply because I felt that confident and assured in the Z4. In other cars, hearing the rumbling of going over those parts of the track just means, "oh, I'm going off the track. Best back off I guess..." In the Z4, it's instead, "I am HERE because I WANT TO BE here and NOTHING and NO ONE can take this moment away from me!!!" Where I see limitation in other cars, I find opportunity and excitement in the Z4. It's a car that can make even the extraordinary feel special, and it's been so, so long since I've felt this way with a car before. So confidence inspiring is the Z4 GT3 that I, someone who grip drives as though trying to write down my horrible attachment issues on pavement, even began to slide and drift the Z4 GT3 in the rain!


Yet, for all its party capabilities, the Z4 is one of those cars where I just hop into and clear my mind as I drive if I wasn't in the mood for shenanigans, simply because it's so linear, predictable, easy, and therefore familiar and relaxing, the fact that it's a noisy, harsh GT3 racecar capable of insane gs notwithstanding through a TV speakers sputtering out onto a living room couch, of course.


I know my analogies sound corny as hell, and it's a stretch to even think that there was even an attempt by PD to replicate these intricacies in the steering and throttle in this simcade, but this is really how I felt and worded it in my head as I drove the Z4 GT3, and I'm just going to give you my thoughts as–is. If nothing else, that corniness is just representative of how much the Z4 GT3 blows my mind every time I drive it.


Despite the common consensus that the Z4 simply isn't competitive with the current BoP however, I find myself setting startlingly similar times with it around Interlagos in comparison to the similarly long hooded, short decked Viper GT3-R, and also the much more commonly seen RX-Vision GT3, none of which are hot lap contenders, granted, but both of them competitive still as shown in the latest Exhibition Round of FIA Gran Turismo Championships. In fact, I was actually a whole second faster round Spa in the rain with Z4 than I am with the RX-Vision!


The real surprise though, came when I decided to run the aforementioned 2016 M6 GT3 around Interlagos as well. Yes, its straight line speed over the Z4 is immediately felt, but the much larger car with a longer wheelbase simply doesn't crave to carve out corners like its older sibling, and dare I say it, the 4.4L V8 is blown straight into ground zero of a tornado by the turbos, kicking out the rear end on corner exits more often than not. The M6 GT3 feels almost like a car with a split personality because of the turbos, and neither of them are particularly pleasant to be around. Corner exits out of hairpins and other such tightly wound corners then, require a savant level of awareness with your right foot and ears, even with fresh tyres and a full tank of fuel. Even though I spent more time with the M6 trying to get things right, I simply couldn't beat the time I set in the Z4, which is the real surprise of my testing. Perhaps with an obsessive amount of time behind the wheel, the M6 has more potential to set better lap times than the Z4, especially around a track that favours outright speed more than Interlagos, but even without going down that path of insanity, I can safely tell you that I won't have a gram of fun with that experience, and I'd sooner attempt to swim across a wet track than to drive an M6 GT3 on it. It simply doesn't look as good, sound as great, or drive as amazing as the Z4. I doubt it's even really that much faster than a Z4 around most tracks in this game.


If there's anything that can be gleaned from this review that amounts to more than an unskilled, inexperienced kid playing around with big, expensive toys in a highly unrealistic scenario and then writing awful "reviews" based on that experience with cringe–worthy analogies, it's this: I think people put too much stock in what's "meta". I think people just see what cars the aliens set the fastest lap times with, and then try to get as close to those times themselves with the same car, thinking that that's them at their most competitive scenario. I think Gr. 3 is so finely balanced now after years of tweaking that most cars in the same hands can set lap times within a tenth of a second from each other. Me personally, if I had to choose between an extra tenth a lap the M6 might offer me versus the consistency and ease of use the Z4 assures me, I'd take the latter all day any day. Sure, Nicolas proves the M6 is the faster car, but here's the thing: I'm not Nicolas Rubilar. I'm me. I'd be lucky to have a tenth of his talent. I don't have the same chemistry as he does with the M6. I'm more competitive with the Z4 than I am with the M6. I think, if more people took the time to try out more options rather than simply following the "meta", I think the Z4 wouldn't be so criminally underappreciated as it currently is, and hence why I'm so eager to get everyone to try out this undervalued gem of a car. And I really hope everyone found it as pleasantly surprising as I did.

 
Remember when I said that BMW has three cars eligible for Gr. 3? Well, that's surprisingly debatable, actually, seeing as the M6 GT3 comes in two liveries with slightly different lights between them, and are therefore technically different cars as per traditional PD car count bloating logic. Heck, according to Car of the Week's tame Otaku, the 2014 BMW VGT should have been a Gr. 3 car to begin with.


And really, why wouldn't it be a Gr. 3 car? While BMW's successful Group 5 racecars in the 70s may have been cited to have inspired the silhouette of the 2014 BMW VGT, the car itself bears more than a striking resemblance to the 2 series BMW eventually unleashed into the world in 2015, and can even be interpreted as a "M2 Gr. 3 Race Car", sporting flared arches, air dams, carbon aero bits, and a roll cage over the road car. As far as specs and numbers go, the BMW VGT has just 33HP (25kW) more and 10 kilos (22lbs) less than the 2011 Z4 GT3 "we" tested two weeks ago, packing 541HP (403kW) at 6,700rpm and weighing in at 1,180kg (2,601lbs), and they even produce the exact same amount of downforce of 350 front and 730 rear if the arbitrary units of downforce this game uses can indeed be interpreted this way, while also coming default with Racing Hard tyres and a sequential 6 speed gearbox like any other Gr. 3 car. The only reasons I can see as to why the BMW VGT isn't already in Gr. 3 is that the car's power and ride height of all things oddly cannot be adjusted at all in this game, which makes BoPping this car impossible, not to mention it will scrape on anything but the smoothest and prettiest of paved tracks. Still, in a game that has taken a topless Golf and neutered a 873HP, 875kg, AWD Peugeot VGT to shoehorn into Gr. 3, what's unlocking the two sliders in comparison to those aforementioned crimes against motorsport?


As the numbers might suggest, the VGT car has a slight edge in overall pace in comparison to the Z4 GT3 when the latter is ran as–is without applying BoP, ranging from 0.7 to 1.5 seconds depending on track from what I could tell running the Z4 against the rest of the crew. Trust me when I say that all of that is down to the straight line speed advantage of the VGT, because it can be quite the feisty box to wrangle around a track. The torque... table, is such that you have peak torque from near idle at 1,900rpm to about halfway in the rev range where the power curve overtakes the torque table, which makes the rear end of the car rather pokey out of corner exits, and I have no idea why BMW obsesses over an artificial tabletop torque "curve" over a more natural feeling climb. Maybe it makes sense in the real world, but in GTS, I've just never been able to get used to it, either in the M4, Supra, and now here in the VGT. The alignment of the tyres do feel like there's potential left on the drawing board, as the front end isn't as keen as I'm led to believe a short wheelbase sub 1.2 ton car with a 50:50 weight distribution shod with racing tyres should slice into a corner at low to mid speeds. At high speeds, the advertised downforce of the car seem to do nothing perhaps due to the fault of the tyre alignment, requiring drivers to brake markedly harder to navigate high speed corners such as Eau Rouge and Blanchimont of Spa in comparison to bona fide GT3 and Gr. 3 machinery that can much more easily cruise past those fast sweeping corners while barely losing any speed.


The most glaring Achilles' Heel of the VGT however, has to be its lopsided gearing: 1st and 2nd are almost unusably short, barely allowing drivers to hit 100km/h (62mph), and 3rd feels completely lost in its own universe between 2nd and 4th. As noted by many of us during race day, "2nd gear is a death trap", because the large gearing difference between 3rd and 2nd when you downshift results in a rev climb so high on downshift that the spike in engine braking is more than capable of breaking grip on the rear tyres in an instant. I think drivers are much better served avoiding 2nd entirely and just using the abundant torque of the engine to lug the turbocharged car out of low speed corners, which does mean that you lose out on engine braking helping to rotate the car into a corner. Downshifting into 2nd requires as much meticulous planning and pussyfooted approach as conceiving a baby, not just because of the aforementioned rear tyre and fender destroying tendencies, but also because attempting to downshift into 2nd using "normal" racing car instincts just results in you blowing up the engine. What do you mean I can't downshift into 2nd when I'm doing 120km/h?! Bruxelles of Spa is comfortably a 1st gear corner in GT3 cars, and I'm approaching redline in 2nd in the VGT? The rest of the car is mostly fine, but the gearing really did give me that sense of, "did no one test drive this before releasing it?" vibe that is rife in the land of VGTs. Even though its performance and specs are close to those of Gr. 3 and GT3 cars, the gearing alone is enough to make me immediately dismiss the car even if it were eligible.


Overall, the car looks great, sounds amazing, and it has a lot of potential as a racing machine when set up right and if given the chance to be relevant. Still, the lack of an interior is something I find personally aggravating, and I do wish it at least came with a reverse light and much more prominent turn signals up front. I don't like how it drives however, but it's not nearly bad enough for me to hate the car, which I think is a huge achievement in itself given that it's a BMW and a VGT, both of which are so easy to associate antagonism with. As the now mysteriously banned TonyJZX might say, I'm "ambivalent" towards the car.
 
Oh Jesus Hulkamaina Christ am I behind on write ups.

Starts of with one with me saying, “Eh, I can do it on the weekend.” :rolleyes:

Hello Procrastination my old friend. :indiff:

And here I am with a small shipment of cars to write up on.

Hopefully I can get through them all during my holiday downtime. :P

I’m gonna try and keep each one relatively short, but no promises.

We’ll start with the Gr4 & Gr3 versions of the Alfa 4C.

Much of what I could mention has mostly been covered before on the 4C Gr3 Road car, but the Gr4 version is closer to the normal 4C’s weight at just over a tonne while upping the power to nearly 300hp.

Both are good for those like cars which are easier on fuel & tyres, but it IS still a short wheelbase, MR layout racer so you’d be wise to not get complacent with them. ;)

Verdicts: Gr4: Sleeper :)👍 Gr3: Netural.

From ICE’s to Lasers, yes really. :boggled:

The Chaparral brand is one of innovation and when we tested the 2J way back in 2016 on GT6, I said that many of motorsports greatest ideas like wings and active wings and even ground effect can be traced back to Chaparral in Can Am.

And I still stand by that.

So the fact that when they unveiled their VGT and it had Laser Propulsion, I wasn’t too surprised they were the ones to do it. :lol:

With the Laser Pulse putting out the equivalent of over 900hp in a car weighing only 450kgs, acceleration is nearly unmatched with only the Tomahawk X being the one that can beat it. :eek:

But there’s a side effect to laser propulsion or any system which behaves like this.

Handling becomes quite unpredictable. :scared:

Because none of the wheels are being driven, just pushed along, you don’t any kind of engine braking and how you apply power through turns is also completely different.

I found that keeping partly on throttle helps the car rotate, but it’s a delicate balancing act.

Get it right however and not much can keep up with the 2X’s rapid acceleration.

Your mileage will definitely vary with this. ;)

Verdict: Neutral

Next up is Japan’s version of the Jaguar E Type.

The Iconic Toyota 2000GT. 👍

Not the car for those in Toyota at the time who wanted it make a profit as it didn’t do so despite the high price tag.

As a result only 351 cars were built, but these days they command more money than a similarly well sorted E Type, like 7 figures in some cases.

Believe it or not, the 2000GT was sold with 2 engine options, the one we all know and love in the form of the 148hp 2.0 litre I6 which was taken from the Toyota Crown sedan and worked on by Yamaha, who gave it 3 twin carburettors and a new DOHC head.

The other engine option was a 2.3 litre SOHC I6 with 10hp less, but more torque at 148ft-lbs(2.0 had only 129.).

Only 9 cars left the factory with the 2.3 engine. 🧐

With smooth body lines, weighing only 1120kgs and having a 5 speed manual gearbox, the 2000GT was capable of 135mph and also proved it was also reliable at the limit with a 72 hour endurance and numerous speed records.

That also translated to success in Endurance Racing, winning the 1966 Suzuka 1000Km race and in 1967, the Fuji 1000km and the 24hrs of Fuji race.

Carrol Shelby even enjoyed modest success with them when he built a few for SCCA Production Class racing in 1968.

It’s no rocket ship, but it still handles very well for its age, a solid N200 Classic.

Verdict: Sleeper 👍

Next up I’ll be grouping the remaining Gr3 & Gr4 cars on my list into bite sized summary’s.

Ok give me a timer annnd go. ⏱

Nissan GT-R Gr4, Heavy, chews front tyres, potent on the straights, 4WD stability, easy to drive and hard to manage tyre wear.

Verdict: Neutral

Mclaren 650S Gr4, Initial understeer on turn in, power drops off at high rpm so shortshifting is preferred and it’s outclassed by the FF Gr4’s.

Verdict: Beater👎

BMW M4 Gr4, My first Sport Mode choice, Flat power/torque curve, stable handling and was once the car for Gr4 before BoP reigned it in.

Verdict: Sleeper😉👍

Mercedes SLS AMG Gr4, Stable handling, punchy V8 and is great for close fights on the Tokyo Expressways.

Verdict: Sleeper👍

Mercedes SLS AMG Gr3, Basically the Gr4 with big wing. bigger wheels, lighter, more powerful and its engine sound corrected from GT6.

Verdict: Sleeper👍

Jaguar F-Type Gr3, One of 2 Supercharged Gr3’s and the only one that’s front engined, solid all rounder if slightly thirsty and it’s a Jaaaaaag.

Verdict: Sleeper👍

BMW Z4 GT3, Great (Corrected) sounding engine, capable, but easy to drive and stable handling.

Verdict: Sleeper👍

McLaren F1 GTR, Straight line monster of Gr3, slower through corners, Seems outta place in Gr3 compared to the others.

Verdict: Neutral

And time!! ⏱

Phew, let’s slow things down a little.😉

Over to you, The Renault R8 Gordini.

This classic rally prepped machine debuted on GT6 and was arguably better suited under the PP system than the GrX classification.

But that’s not to say it’s pointless as it’s a great one make racer.

With a 101hp 1.3 litre 4 cylinder mounted at the back, sending power to the rear via a 5 speed manual gearbox, this 850kg 4 door sedan can offer more smiles per miles than even some sports cars.

Wherever it’s Brands Hatch, Tsukuba, Bathurst or any of GTS’s off road offerings, you can be certain the R8 Gordini will bring close racing whilst you learn how to deal with RR layout machines that won’t immediately kill you.

Not bad for 80K credits. :D

Verdict: Sleeper👍

Speaking of 80K cars, the Mazda MX-5 Touring Car.

Yep, The race car that’s in the road car class, i’m happy that the PP system is coming back for GT7.

Featuring a 205hp version of the standard cars 1.6 4 cylinder engine, this caged and winged open top is ready to dominate the N200 class.

IF said N200 lobbies haven’t already banned it, I mean If I showed up with a car that’s basically a race car with the absolute bare minimum to be considered a road car, I’d fully expect to get dirty looks thrown at me for it. :lol:

Just like when Toyota did the absolute bare and in one (Suit)case, used asinine logic to justify that the 1 road version of the TS020 was legal for GT1 Homologation. :odd:

It’s a great car, but for a entry level race car in a road car class, it’s got no choice but to be good.

By all means get one, just don’t be that guy who brings it to N200 lobbies with serious intentions to win.

Verdict: Sleeper👍


Time to machine gun the rest of the picks with easy bite sized verdicts.

Mercedes SLS AMG Road Car: Has big V8, got Gullwing doors, will travel.

Verdict: Sleeper👍

Daihatsu Copen: High revving, but short shifting at 6.5K is better for performance.

Verdict: Neutral

Hyundai Genesis GrB Rally Car: Inaugural RXGT Dirt Race Winner, 1 of 3 NA GrB cars, Once beat a 787B at RBR. :P

Verdict: Sleeper👍


Porsche 911 Carrera RS ClubSport: Capable N3-400 car, but don’t take liberty’s with its RR layout.

Verdict: Sleeper👍

Honda Fit Hybrid: ‘Why not start out by purchasing the Honda Fit Hybrid?’ :sly:

Verdict: Neutral

Honda S660: The Kei car you’d want to pick.

Verdict: Sleeper👍

Honda NSX Raybrig Concept GT: A capable machine which also served as a fitting farewell for the Raybrig Brand.

Verdict: Thank You Raybrig :cheers:

Fiat 500 1.2 8V Lounge SS: The slightly cheaper, but much slower version of the Abarth 500.

Verdict: Beater for performance, Sleeper for Close fun racing.👎👍

Toyota GR86: Still an absolute performance bargain at only 8.600 credits, 3 times cheaper than the OG GT86 and quicker too.

Verdict Sleeper👍

Lancia Stratos: Sounds the business, an absolute weapon in the right hands and an absolute nightmare in the wrong hands.

Verdict: Neutral

Audi TT Coupe 3.2 Quattro: An everyday all rounder, easy to newcomers and great for One make races or something like the Daily Races for example.

Verdict: Sleeper👍

BMW Z8: Softly sprung, but one of the faster road going open top cars in GTS, Just stay away from Buzz Saw equipped helicopters.:P

Verdict: Sleeper Agent😁👍

Toyota TS050: Gr1’s Jack of all trades, masters of none, but better than most.

Verdict: Sleeper👍

I mentioned the BMW VGT back when we drove the Zagato VGT, quite liked it back then so.👍

Now Hopefully I’ve covered all the cars I’ve missed up to now, I really need to not let it keep snowballing on me like this. :boggled:
 
The Toyota TS050. If you're a sim racer serious about your craft, you've probably learned how to turn competitive laps in it before you've learned to boil water. As a Toyota in the fastest category of motorsport in this game, the TS050 represents the status quo of Gr. 1, being so unethically quick around most tracks in the game that it massacres anything without a hybrid drivetrain in Gr. 1, from fictional VGTs to older LMPs, let alone the dinosaurs that are Group C prototypes that are somehow lumped together in the same category. It even has the fuel efficiency to lap them all to do it all over again. It's essentially flawless in this game, and the real car has been highly successful in real life as well, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2019 and 2020 essentially unopposed.

And yet, despite its proven success, Balance of Performance has yet to lift a finger to hold it back in the four years since the game's launch, simply leaving it at its original power and mass as though the benchmark of Gr. 1. As things are right now, Gr. 1 is just euphemism for saying "Group TS050". I don't really know how to review a car like this. It'd be like trying to review a communist government: it doesn't matter if you like it or not; nothing really seems set to change in the near future, and as such, you had better learn to accept it and play along it if you want to survive in an area where it exists.

That said, I did go on a photo shooting spree before I gave up on trying to say anything meaningful about the car, so... uh... enjoy? I guess?

 

GTS Nordschleife hot lap STOCK Chevrolet Camaro SS '16: 07.43.276​



Quite a bit faster than expected. Looks cool. Drives really, really well, except the slighty pronounced snap-oversteer. Really enjoyed the ride. On Tsukuba, it felt really, really awesome. One of those rare cars, where you would improve lap by lap.

With its driven time, it is the 51st fastest car of all road legal cars. Its closest rivals are the Ferrari 512 BB '76 with a 07.44.446 on the 52nd place and the Porsche 911 GT3 (996) '01 with a 07.42.716 on the 50th place. It can reach a top speed of 299 km/h=186 mp/h in the game (real life top speed being 250 km/h=155mp/h-electronically limited), securing itself the 54th place top speed wise of all road legal cars.

Driven stock on hard sport tyres without any driving aids, except ABS. First lap in third person view, second one in cockpit view and third one in cinematic replay view. All driven laps are the same lap.

Comparison with Nordschleife rivals:



Comparison with Tsukuba rivals:



Verdict: Awesome sleeper
 
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