Many people are in love with the Nissan Skyline. For some reason this car just doesn't do much for me. This has brought about this comparison, where I test a R34 Skyline and then the flagship cars from 12 other companies. All of the cars in this test are completely stock. Used cars (mustang cobra and toyota supra) where given an oil change and chasis refresher before testing. All cars must come with a new car msrp of less than $100,000. Hp and torque ratings are from the exploded veiw of the dyno sheet in car settings. All of the testing was done with no driving aids and with a driving forcepro wheel. This is not only a test of straight numbers but also how the car makes me feel, weather you agree is up to you. let the fun begin...
2000 NISSAN SKYLINE GTR V-SPEC II
331 HP
341 LBS TORQUE
1560 KG
Starting the day off at the 400m drag strip the Nissan proves to be very fast out of the hole running to the end in a quick 13.413. Taking a bit more of the track to really get going the skyline reaches a top speed of 273.21 kph. A very strong showing in the engine department, power is smooth and there is little turbo lag. Heading out to Trial Mountian for the road test there is one warm up lap, it is very easy to push this car hard and it feels as though this could be close to the limits of this car though the driver is not being challenged. On to the second lap to set a time, this lap is faster but not by much, the skyline pulls a lap time of 1:42.011. The final feeling from this car is that though it proves through its times that it is a more than capable car, finishing in the top half of the comparison time wise, it is simply boring to drive. The limits are fairly high but don't feel like it because the car is very forgiving even at its limit. Some will argue that this is the reason the skyline is so good, I will argue that I want a sports car and that I want it so show its teeth sometimes.
1997 TOYOTA SUPRA RZ
325 HP
392 LBS TORQUE
1510 KG
Now the testing will begin to get interesting, the supra brings the most combined power and torque of all the japanese cars, and in a FR layout. traction is hard to find on the run through 400m though with the right launch a time of 14.379 is attained. A run further around the track gives a blistering top speed of 289.67 kph. There is definetly turbo lag in this car, but when it hits it hits hard. This makes it hard to launch but a dream anywhere past 60 khp. On the road track the first lap proves that the toyota can be a handfull if provoked. The second lap shows that with the ample power and solid chasis the supra turns well with a slight slip angle and slightly edges out the skyline with a time of 1:41.278. All in all an exciting and fun car, despite the power the car feels a bit heavy though.
MAZDA RX7 SPIRIT R
293 HP
245 LBS TORQUE
1270 KG
Tied as the second lightest car from Japan in this test I am expecting good things. The 400m falls in 13.943, with a huge power disadvantage compared to the supra it shows that weight is very important. Traction seems to be more available as well, partialy I'm sure due to the torque difference. One of two cars to rev right out in this test the mazda pulls a top end speed of 277.62 kph. Around the track this car is amazing, feels increadably light and well balanced. I feel at home in in after two or three corners. The second lap yields a time of 1:40.828. This is my favorite car so far though it must next face up to two street legal rally cars.
2004 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX STI SPEC C
322 HP
340 LBS TORQUE
1370 KG
As I said big things are expected from this car and the evo. however i dont drive AWD to often lets see what happens. The 400m falls in an incredible 12.799, the boxer 4 sounds amazing. Top speed run gets to 275.81 kph. Out to the test track for the first lap. What is this pushing feeling??? Why? Why? Understeer raises its ugly head. As soon as you hit the throttle the front end slides outward. Maybe the hours of drifiting in my sylvia and 86 will help here. Entering the corner there is a feint and the back end starts heading outward, feels nice and natural, into the gas to pull trough the rest of the corner and the drift instantly turns into... you guessed it understeer, WHAM!!! the front left smashes into the guard rail. On to the second lap I am resigned to driving like it is a fwd car the timer stops at 1:44.635. Very dissapointed I go out to Grand Canyon, the car drives like a dream. Well i guess this is why i dont have any fixed up AWD cars in my garage... still very disapointed. (yes i am aware that the sti comes stock with a VCD and yes i did play around with different settings)
2004 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION VIII MR GSR
322 HP
332 LBS TORQUE
1400 KG
400M in 13.122
Top speed of 273.04
Did not even finish one lap of Trial Mountian as I have decided that I detest AWD on the street. If you want a review for the handling read above. On a positive note, these two cars make me really apreciate the passive system on the skyline.
2002 HONDA NSX TYPE R
291 HP
237 LBS TORQUE
1270 KG
Even though this is a two wheel drive car it has tons of tracion due to the midship layout (one of three in this test) simply dropping the clutch off redline yeilded the fastest time of 13.307 for the 400m. Top speed was also very impressive edging out the supra with a 290.26kph run. This v6 sounds incredible. Out to the test track, takes a couple turns to get used to but suspension is super tight and handling is very neutral though throttle oversteer is available. Pulls through the second lap with the fastest time so for of 138:134. Not really to much more to say, fun, fast, tossable. The last of the Japanese cars... now onto the americans.
2003 DODGE VIPER SRT 10
500 HP
525 LBS TORQUE
1270 KG
Now this is a car that I really don't like on a personal level. I really didn't want it to do well. But I had to test fairly and test fairly I did. Damn I shouldn't have tested fairly. The 400m even though it had tracion problems a few times when I got the launch right got the fastest time of the day with 12.389. Also acheived the highest top end of 322.83kph. still in 5th??? (I will adress this later) On to the road track, once again blows everything out of the water with a time of 137.887. Now you say well this car wins the comparison. And my answer is NO. You say it is the best American car. I say NO. Why? Because it drives like a friggin truck, be it a very powerful truck, but a truck and i dont like the way it feels so it doesn't win this test is to find fun and fast not just fast.
2000 FORD MUSTANG SVT COBRA R
366 HP
384 LBS TORQUE
1628 KG
I like the pony cars, i love the sound they make, i love the way they look. Out on the 400m I get a respectable time of 13.700. The top end test brings me up to 286.93kph. Out to Trial Mountian. First lap to get a feel for the car. Could this be the American Drift car? I sure think so, it handles very nicely and the first lap is spent sliding alot of the corners. Down to buisness for the second lap, there is a bit of sliding but just of the 5 to 10 degree angle variety. Gets a time that sets it right in line with the japanese cars with 1:41.514. Nicely balanced, feels slightly underpowered though? I like it.
2000 CORVETTE Z06
361 HP
309 LBS TORQUE
1409 KG
For some reason these cars always remind me of bald old men... but hey they got the numbers so lets see what happens. Out at the test track the 400m disapears in 13.377 slightly faster than the mustang, the top end is also slightly faster at 290.25kph. Now i will talk about something that really bugs me about all these, at least these three american cars. WHAT THE HECK IS WITH THIS 6TH GEAR? All of them have stupid 6th gears that they cant push worth a darn!! You spaced the other gears nicely what the heck is with this?!? ON to Trial mountian, the vette is very easy to drive though it can be slid if wanted. Pulls a lap time of 1:37.931. Simply put maybe the bald old men know something... i like this car.
2000 TVR TUSCAN SPEED 6
361 HP
309 LBS TORQUE
1100 KG
This engine sounds so awsome!! The power and torque feel like much more than they are, 400m falls in 12.810 running all the way to a top end of 299.15kph. This is my favorite engine of the test. Out at Trial mountian i am expecting good things... How could you put such a good engine in such a junky chasis? How could a car feel so light in a straight line and so heavy around a corner? I dont know ask TVR. Despite the cornering the engine powered the tuscan to a lap time of 1:38.971.
2004 LOTUS ELISE 111R
189 HP
134 LBS TORQUE
860 KG
Despite being the least powerfull car in this test with what is in reality a worked over celica gts engine, this is also the lightest car with a curb weight of only 860kg. 400m falls in 14.192 and the top speed is 254.08 kph. This is not waht i am really interested in though. so on to Trial mountian we go. HAHAHAHA This car is incredible... i love it... you can slide, you can grip, you can have a lot of fun... turn in is very fast and the handling is neutral with a tad of oversteer. got around the track in 138.98:.
2004 BMW M3
339 HP
269 LBS TORQUE
1470 KG
The car that BMW has called the ultimate drivers car went through the 400m in 13.783 and reached a top speed of 288.92 kph. Power came on slowly but was ample and pulled harder as the car went faster. great for high speed touring. Around the test track the BMW proved to be very predictable not as boring as the skyline but definetly not a very challanging drive. This resulted in a time of 1:40.307.
2000 OPEL SPEEDSTER TURBO
197 HP
184 LBS TORQUE
1005 KG
Well this car should be very comparable to the lotus as 145 kg is not much weight right? WRONG! I thought this would be like a more powerful lotus and it was not... the 400m fell in 14.691 and the top speed was 247.6 kph. But as with the lotus this is not where my interest was... so off to trial mountian. NO this car sucked... gone was the hard edge of the lotus the suspension was soggy and the gears where all wrong. Final time for the lab was 1:44.775.
When pressed to choose a fovorite car it is the lotus elise... it has the least power of the group but is the most fun to drive and the most challenging. So now i am going to drive my lotus but i think i am going to ad a stage 1 turbo to it.
2000 NISSAN SKYLINE GTR V-SPEC II
331 HP
341 LBS TORQUE
1560 KG
Starting the day off at the 400m drag strip the Nissan proves to be very fast out of the hole running to the end in a quick 13.413. Taking a bit more of the track to really get going the skyline reaches a top speed of 273.21 kph. A very strong showing in the engine department, power is smooth and there is little turbo lag. Heading out to Trial Mountian for the road test there is one warm up lap, it is very easy to push this car hard and it feels as though this could be close to the limits of this car though the driver is not being challenged. On to the second lap to set a time, this lap is faster but not by much, the skyline pulls a lap time of 1:42.011. The final feeling from this car is that though it proves through its times that it is a more than capable car, finishing in the top half of the comparison time wise, it is simply boring to drive. The limits are fairly high but don't feel like it because the car is very forgiving even at its limit. Some will argue that this is the reason the skyline is so good, I will argue that I want a sports car and that I want it so show its teeth sometimes.
1997 TOYOTA SUPRA RZ
325 HP
392 LBS TORQUE
1510 KG
Now the testing will begin to get interesting, the supra brings the most combined power and torque of all the japanese cars, and in a FR layout. traction is hard to find on the run through 400m though with the right launch a time of 14.379 is attained. A run further around the track gives a blistering top speed of 289.67 kph. There is definetly turbo lag in this car, but when it hits it hits hard. This makes it hard to launch but a dream anywhere past 60 khp. On the road track the first lap proves that the toyota can be a handfull if provoked. The second lap shows that with the ample power and solid chasis the supra turns well with a slight slip angle and slightly edges out the skyline with a time of 1:41.278. All in all an exciting and fun car, despite the power the car feels a bit heavy though.
MAZDA RX7 SPIRIT R
293 HP
245 LBS TORQUE
1270 KG
Tied as the second lightest car from Japan in this test I am expecting good things. The 400m falls in 13.943, with a huge power disadvantage compared to the supra it shows that weight is very important. Traction seems to be more available as well, partialy I'm sure due to the torque difference. One of two cars to rev right out in this test the mazda pulls a top end speed of 277.62 kph. Around the track this car is amazing, feels increadably light and well balanced. I feel at home in in after two or three corners. The second lap yields a time of 1:40.828. This is my favorite car so far though it must next face up to two street legal rally cars.
2004 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX STI SPEC C
322 HP
340 LBS TORQUE
1370 KG
As I said big things are expected from this car and the evo. however i dont drive AWD to often lets see what happens. The 400m falls in an incredible 12.799, the boxer 4 sounds amazing. Top speed run gets to 275.81 kph. Out to the test track for the first lap. What is this pushing feeling??? Why? Why? Understeer raises its ugly head. As soon as you hit the throttle the front end slides outward. Maybe the hours of drifiting in my sylvia and 86 will help here. Entering the corner there is a feint and the back end starts heading outward, feels nice and natural, into the gas to pull trough the rest of the corner and the drift instantly turns into... you guessed it understeer, WHAM!!! the front left smashes into the guard rail. On to the second lap I am resigned to driving like it is a fwd car the timer stops at 1:44.635. Very dissapointed I go out to Grand Canyon, the car drives like a dream. Well i guess this is why i dont have any fixed up AWD cars in my garage... still very disapointed. (yes i am aware that the sti comes stock with a VCD and yes i did play around with different settings)
2004 MITSUBISHI LANCER EVOLUTION VIII MR GSR
322 HP
332 LBS TORQUE
1400 KG
400M in 13.122
Top speed of 273.04
Did not even finish one lap of Trial Mountian as I have decided that I detest AWD on the street. If you want a review for the handling read above. On a positive note, these two cars make me really apreciate the passive system on the skyline.
2002 HONDA NSX TYPE R
291 HP
237 LBS TORQUE
1270 KG
Even though this is a two wheel drive car it has tons of tracion due to the midship layout (one of three in this test) simply dropping the clutch off redline yeilded the fastest time of 13.307 for the 400m. Top speed was also very impressive edging out the supra with a 290.26kph run. This v6 sounds incredible. Out to the test track, takes a couple turns to get used to but suspension is super tight and handling is very neutral though throttle oversteer is available. Pulls through the second lap with the fastest time so for of 138:134. Not really to much more to say, fun, fast, tossable. The last of the Japanese cars... now onto the americans.
2003 DODGE VIPER SRT 10
500 HP
525 LBS TORQUE
1270 KG
Now this is a car that I really don't like on a personal level. I really didn't want it to do well. But I had to test fairly and test fairly I did. Damn I shouldn't have tested fairly. The 400m even though it had tracion problems a few times when I got the launch right got the fastest time of the day with 12.389. Also acheived the highest top end of 322.83kph. still in 5th??? (I will adress this later) On to the road track, once again blows everything out of the water with a time of 137.887. Now you say well this car wins the comparison. And my answer is NO. You say it is the best American car. I say NO. Why? Because it drives like a friggin truck, be it a very powerful truck, but a truck and i dont like the way it feels so it doesn't win this test is to find fun and fast not just fast.
2000 FORD MUSTANG SVT COBRA R
366 HP
384 LBS TORQUE
1628 KG
I like the pony cars, i love the sound they make, i love the way they look. Out on the 400m I get a respectable time of 13.700. The top end test brings me up to 286.93kph. Out to Trial Mountian. First lap to get a feel for the car. Could this be the American Drift car? I sure think so, it handles very nicely and the first lap is spent sliding alot of the corners. Down to buisness for the second lap, there is a bit of sliding but just of the 5 to 10 degree angle variety. Gets a time that sets it right in line with the japanese cars with 1:41.514. Nicely balanced, feels slightly underpowered though? I like it.
2000 CORVETTE Z06
361 HP
309 LBS TORQUE
1409 KG
For some reason these cars always remind me of bald old men... but hey they got the numbers so lets see what happens. Out at the test track the 400m disapears in 13.377 slightly faster than the mustang, the top end is also slightly faster at 290.25kph. Now i will talk about something that really bugs me about all these, at least these three american cars. WHAT THE HECK IS WITH THIS 6TH GEAR? All of them have stupid 6th gears that they cant push worth a darn!! You spaced the other gears nicely what the heck is with this?!? ON to Trial mountian, the vette is very easy to drive though it can be slid if wanted. Pulls a lap time of 1:37.931. Simply put maybe the bald old men know something... i like this car.
2000 TVR TUSCAN SPEED 6
361 HP
309 LBS TORQUE
1100 KG
This engine sounds so awsome!! The power and torque feel like much more than they are, 400m falls in 12.810 running all the way to a top end of 299.15kph. This is my favorite engine of the test. Out at Trial mountian i am expecting good things... How could you put such a good engine in such a junky chasis? How could a car feel so light in a straight line and so heavy around a corner? I dont know ask TVR. Despite the cornering the engine powered the tuscan to a lap time of 1:38.971.
2004 LOTUS ELISE 111R
189 HP
134 LBS TORQUE
860 KG
Despite being the least powerfull car in this test with what is in reality a worked over celica gts engine, this is also the lightest car with a curb weight of only 860kg. 400m falls in 14.192 and the top speed is 254.08 kph. This is not waht i am really interested in though. so on to Trial mountian we go. HAHAHAHA This car is incredible... i love it... you can slide, you can grip, you can have a lot of fun... turn in is very fast and the handling is neutral with a tad of oversteer. got around the track in 138.98:.
2004 BMW M3
339 HP
269 LBS TORQUE
1470 KG
The car that BMW has called the ultimate drivers car went through the 400m in 13.783 and reached a top speed of 288.92 kph. Power came on slowly but was ample and pulled harder as the car went faster. great for high speed touring. Around the test track the BMW proved to be very predictable not as boring as the skyline but definetly not a very challanging drive. This resulted in a time of 1:40.307.
2000 OPEL SPEEDSTER TURBO
197 HP
184 LBS TORQUE
1005 KG
Well this car should be very comparable to the lotus as 145 kg is not much weight right? WRONG! I thought this would be like a more powerful lotus and it was not... the 400m fell in 14.691 and the top speed was 247.6 kph. But as with the lotus this is not where my interest was... so off to trial mountian. NO this car sucked... gone was the hard edge of the lotus the suspension was soggy and the gears where all wrong. Final time for the lab was 1:44.775.
When pressed to choose a fovorite car it is the lotus elise... it has the least power of the group but is the most fun to drive and the most challenging. So now i am going to drive my lotus but i think i am going to ad a stage 1 turbo to it.
). You can really feel the system doing its stuff when you are driving on Trail Mt. with Economy tires, it does help to reduce understeer. 
