Did you see the latest episode of Top Gear where Matt and Chris drove second-hand JDM sportscars they've obtained from the auction for their road trip to Enbu? That was a blast and that episode made us fall in love with Japanese cars again. Talking about here, I got a little playing to do as I tried the JDM cars that are almost similar to the ones the boys drove in the show.
Both the FD3S and the R34 are one of the all-time greats when they emerged in the 90's, which became the golden age of fun, fast, and affordable sports cars speedo boys love to drive. Even in today's times, these 90's Japanese sportscars like these remain a high-value target for speedo boys to smuggle into their homes without alarming their local Customs. Some are crashed, some got modified, and a few sold twice the price when it was in mint condition. Anyway, no time to explain what's going on with 90's JDM sportscars because time for some words about these machines.
I'm in love with the FD3S Mazda RX-7 ever since it got featured in Initial D as Keisuke Takahashi's car of choice but there's a lot more to it than that because it was the first and last to come with a sequential turbo rotary engine that churns out 255PS of power and the power to weight ratio is 5kg/ps. Yes, some people slammed the rotary engine as one of the most rubbish engines in the world due to poor fuel consumption but that doesn't stop purists from having one because it was far out one of the best sounding engines of all time and with all that purring noises, you just can't stop listening to it. You really can't.
The tenth-generation Skyline, dubbed the R34, is by no means one of the best Skylines in its six-decade history like I said but the best of this generation is the GT-R. Yes, that guy from Friends ended up with the lesser GT-T variant but no matter, at least this generation gave it a good show until it lost to the RX-7 at the race to the airfield. Of course, the R34 Skyline GT-R still has the bits and bobs from the previous R33 Skyline GT-R, a car Triads would love to mess around London Chinatown with it. There's the 280HP RB26DETT petrol engine, 6-speed manual gearbox, sport-tuned dynamics, and ATTESA-ETS Pro, among many others. Although macho by looks, it still works its GT-R magic like it should and it's like the cherry at the top of the cake for this generation. It really is.
So, with a little chit chat over, how about a little shootout between these JDM icons round the track, shall we?
The FD RX-7 did it in 1:30.580 while the R34 GT-R did it in 1:28.822. Plain and simple.
It's kinda sad that Japan is stuck in an era that kei cars and hybrids flooded the streets but despite the outcome, cars like these should never be forgotten because these are the cars Japan is mostly proud of and despite being flooded with boring and beige eco cars, the sportscar genre is slowly crawling back like the creepy lady from The Ring and I believe they're onto something here.
A decade has passed since Nissan unveiled the R35 GT-R at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show and as supercars get more and more advanced, rest assured that despite its near-outdated looks, the R35 GT-R continues to break its limits until the day comes where it will lay to rest and undergo metamorphosis to become more powerful than it ever was. While we wait for that right time to come for Godzilla, it's fair to say that the R35 GT-R remains a classic for car enthusiasts worldwide because such looks and performance makes it a timeless classic.
Here in Forza Motorsport 7, I've been joined by two versions of the R35 GT-R, the 2012MY one and the latest 2017MY one. They're all slightly different but they're still the GT-R we all know and love.
Starting with the 2012 model, this is how I fell in love with the GT-R because of its incredible results compared against the world's best supercars. In its glorious days, it can mince even the most expensive supercars on the planet, probably thanks to its clever launch control feature. On the track, it can easily upset even the mighty Veyron as well. Now, seems that the luck has changed for the GT-R and as cars get more progressive than ever, looks like the GT-R's days are numbered as demonstrated by such humiliating clips where cars like the Aventador and the 911 Turbo S easily beaten the GT-R like a book.
Even the 2017 model couldn't help despite the added power. Sure it can beat the Honda NSX by a long straight but in the end, a Tesla Model S can beat it easily. Worse, it's even heavier than the previous GT-R I fell in love with and with the traction control off, it really doesn't feel like it's off, meaning dreary understeer is very likely for a 4WD JDM monster. Still, despite its faults, I still love the GT-R no matter what that is. This car has been the national treasure for Japan since sushi, anime, origami, even those dreary hybrids.
Speedo boys have been fallen in love with the R35 GT-R since its return a decade ago and as times change, even their favorite cars when they migrated to more powerful machines the Europeans offered, rest assured that in one piece of their memory, they can still remember the good old Godzilla within them because once driven, forever smitten, even when they switched cars.
So, what can I say? How about putting these two versions for a quick lap round the Top Gear Test Track, huh? Sure, I got all of the ingredients here and all it needs now to see which one is the best.
Roll the tape!
And now the results...
1:20.708 - 2017MY GT-R
1:20.808 - 2012MY GT-R
Well, that was kind of anticlimactic. Despite the added power and the improved performance, the 2017MY GT-R performed almost as similar to the pre-facelifted model it replaces. Judging by this result, there's no denying that it behaves pretty much like it was out a decade ago even though they've improved it everything they've got!
The R35 Nissan GT-R has been on the roads for a decade now and with yearly upgrades ever done to keep Japan's premiere sports coupe more enjoyable for many years to come, it still feels pretty much like the one we fall in love with and even though more and more powerful machines coming out to hunt its bumpers to the last drop, the GT-R is always coming back for more fights and it will keep on fighting even if it loses. That's determination to you.
As the car prepares its imminent metamorphoses, what are your wishes for its potential successor? Be more better than it was before? I believe it is and here's hoping we can look forward for its replacement Nissan's working on. Until then, keep driving the R35 GT-R 'till the very end!
A GT500-spec Lexus LC became the champion of the recently concluded Super GT season and it's not bad for those who are one with the young jumpstarts that edging the likes of the Nissan GT-R and the Honda NSX in the middle of Japan's premiere touring car championship. So what is it then, this Lexus LC?
That is a tricky one because, by the looks of it, it was heavily inspired by the LF-LC Concept Car from several years ago, making it one of the clearest examples of what happens when a concept car goes into production while retaining most of the striking aspects of the concept car it was based upon. And because it was utilized on a brand new platform, the new model delivers a near-perfect weight distribution that handles like it promised. Of course, while it was powered by the same 5.0L V8 engine from the F lineup but mated with the first-ever 10-speed AT, I wonder what is like driving Lexus' new halo car that promises LFA-inspired thrills like no other?
From what I can tell behind the wheel, this V8-powered Sport GT from Japan is very promising at first and as I kept on driving, the LC500 is still as promising as it was setting off for the first time. I think the Lexus folks used the second-generation Toyota Soarer, which is the first Lexus SC in the world market, as the inspiration for the LC's dynamics and because of the new platform, the new double-joint multilink front suspension, and the Lexus Dynamic Handling, the LC behaves like the Soarer from the last century while promising a well-civilized drive not bad for a grand tourer.
In my mind, the Lexus LC is a Japanese take on the Mercedes-AMG GT because while they're not as superior as their powerful predecessors, they still deliver a show of force purists can't get enough of. Well, the LC is an ideal purists' car because with no turbos or hybrids holding it back, the sonorous tone of its 5.0L V8 engine tweaked specifically for this car is music to their ears and for those who drive it, it didn't matter if today's turbocharged sportscars can beat it in a little game of Top Trumps because, for this car, it's all about being an enjoyable grand tourer made for the most discerning of drivers who want to drive a car that can tour around from one place to another. As I drove the Lexus LC on GT SPORT, it's hard to fathom how good is the ride because the more I keep driving with this car, the more I'm starting to enjoy it and I understand that.
The Lexus LC500 may be Japanese made but it behaves like a European sports car and sounds like an American muscle car it's all about the best of both worlds for Lexus's newest grand tourer that doesn't care about its results at the end of the day and for those who had numerous reasons to hate very fast European exotics, supercharged American muscles, or turbocharged sports cars should look further to this because to you, the Lexus LC is the best car and you would have it than any fast car with an extravagant price tag. Hmph. Only because you are a Gran Turismo fan and since the Lexus LC is now a certified Gran Turismo-exclusive, let's see how much you'll love your new favorite by pitting against its new rivals during their Super GT heydays.
I've been joined by Japan's best supercars, the Nissan GT-R and the Honda NSX, to teach the Lexus LC a painful lesson of what's it doing in GT SPORT for no reason at all. Of course, with these two cars being on every block now and then, they will use their experiences to teach this newbie LC a painful lesson and I went to Suzuka Circuit, one of the Super GT venues, to settle this issue once and for all. Of course, even without GT500 specs, these three latest Japanese sportscars are going to have a blast just like what happened during this season.
The GT-R may be the cheapest of the three but it is the most experienced because having been around for ten years, it continues to improve for the better until the inevitable metamorphosis occurred to our dear Godzilla. Of course, it still grips even with the traction control off, but in the pursuit of precision, the GT-R is known to set blistering fast laps just to demonstrate how much the GT-R has grown since its rebirth ten years ago.
Honda's new NSX may be the most expensive Japanese car sold because of the fact it was imported from America but despite being built in the state of Ohio, it's Japanese at heart and while it's basically a hybrid supercar with a turbocharged V6 in the middle, it still retains the spirit of the original NSX in every way. I know that it has SH-AWD but because it behaves like an Audi R8, it can be downright tricky to get it right because of such nature unheard for hybrid cars. It's amazing that Honda managed to move on from the lackluster CR-Z to the new NSX and I'm amazed by the fact they made hybrid cars engaging enough to break the stereotype.
I already told you about what's like to drive the Lexus LC and now that I have my opinion about these three Japanese sportscars, let's find out what happens when I send these three for a quick lap around Suzuka to see which one is best...
After a hot, well-cool one, and a lap around Suzuka, it's time to see which one is the quickest...
GT-R - 2:28.242
NSX - 2:32.550
LC500 - 2:36.308
Huh, looks like the legend is still going strong when it faces the young upstarts like the NSX hybrid sportscar and the LC grand tourer but still, looks like both the GT-R and the NSX are giving what the Lexus LC deserves because of being a GT-exclusive car.
I know, I may have ruined my experience with the Lexus LC at the end because I called the Lexus LC a Gran Turismo exclusive, and car enthusiasts should know better but despite what went horribly wrong here, the LC is still one of the most enjoyable sports cars you can drive on GT SPORT. It may not be as fast as the GT-R or the NSX but for the thrill of it, the LC500 brings the power to the drivers and despite its technology-induced chaos enveloping this grand tourer, it really is a decent halo car that can pass the candle from the likes of the Soarer and the Lexus LFA.
Continuing on getting to know about Forza Motorsport 7's hero car, the all-new 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS, it's time to see if the new king of the Ring takes on the world's best sports cars.
Here I am in Yas Marina Circuit, which is located at Abu Dhabi's Yas Island, where the Porsche's new hero car is ready to take on the world's greatest heroes representing parts of the world. In the American side, there's the Chevrolet Corvette C7 Z06, and in the Asian side, the Nissan GT-R.
It's great to gather three of the world's best sportscars for an epic clash of the titans right here in the land of the supercars and because Yas Marina is the ideal venue to settle the scores between the world's greatest hero cars, I think I'm onto something here but first, let's get to understand these two machines.
When I first encountered the seventh-generation Corvette, I always hated it for political reasons but hey, as the C7 Corvette continues to expand in different configurations, I'm starting to become a fan of this generation. In fact, my favorite C7 Corvette variant, the one that won my heart, is the Z06. With bits and bobs inspired from the C7.R racing machine as well as its supercharged V8 engine that makes it the most powerful Corvette ever made, it's no wonder the Z06 transformed the Corvette from a muscle car into a half-decent supercar that can slap the faces of every European it come across with. It may still scary to drive like most rear-wheel drive cars, it maybe as harsh as a Ferrari, and it can be very tricky to recover, but by having fun, this kind of Corvette can really enslave the driver by making it drive some more and that is why it became my favorite variant of this generation.
The R35 Nissan GT-R has been with us for ten years now and with this latest version, I'm starting to think that age hasn't slow Godzilla down to its last breath and when you think about it, it's starting to lose all that inner monster as it ages. In fact, the once invincible machine has became vulnerable of getting beaten up by more modern machines, even electrics, and favorability aside, it's starting to wane off so quickly. Aging aside, I still appreciate this machine because even though it's getting older and older, it's still trying very hard to become the ideal supercar for all drivers until the day comes it undergoes metamorphosis. Infinite metamorphosis, of course.
Anyway, this is no time to be sentimental with these machines because it's time to settle these three automotive titans in the biggest clash of all. The battle between the three sportscar titans will decide which is the Supreme One of today's era. It's time to decide who flies or falls from grace. Ready? It's on, ladies and gentlemen!
And now, the results are in.
GT2 RS - 2:29.267
Z06 - 2:33.872
GT-R - 2:37.796
It turns out that Germany has trumped Japan and America when it comes to create the most track-capable sportscars on the planet and because the 911 GT2 RS is the King of the Ring, it beats just about everything the world throws at it. Big or small, if its on the 911 GT2 RS's crosshairs, it's going to destroy everything in sight and I have to congratulate Porsche for a job well done to create a new class of track-focused sportscars and as a reward for their job well done...
I hereby appoint you, the 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS, to be my noble knight for my everyday adventures on the world's best racetracks. Well, I guess that's it but you get the point.
For today's Project CARS 2 session, I will be behind the wheel of Godzilla in Britain's most demanding racetrack in history, so demanding, it was used as a venue for the British GP leg of Formula 1 races. I'm talking about Silverstone and I will be using the Nissan GT-R NISMO to drive round Silverstone without crashing myself.
The GT-R NISMO is the result of Nissan's trial and error struggle to create a supercar that can compete against the world's best supercars. Nissan has sent their experts to research on supercars as well as motorsports and that research led to the creation of the GT-R that set a Nurburgring lap time of 7:08.679. In this 2017MY minor change, the GT-R NISMO gains an aggressive exterior design and a new interior as seen in the standard model while retaining the NISMO-tuned VR38DETT engine that produces 600PS of power and 650Nm of torque, mated to a 6-speed dual clutch gearbox as well as its motorsport-inspired dynamics that its professionals spent countless hours performing R&D in the creation of this ultimate GT-R.
The GT-R has been the strongman of Japanese car culture because of its popularity among street tuners and racers everywhere and with the NISMO variant, it pushes the envelope even further in its relentless pursuit of speed and precision that was known the world over. I am familiar with the GT-R NISMO's tale and the fact that it became the fastest Nissan to lap round the Nurburgring, which sets a new gold standard among sport grand tourers everywhere.
Driving Godzilla in Silverstone on a foggy day can be somewhat challenging because with all that mist coming around, it's hard to spot what corners will you be facing next. Also, with all that moisture going on because of that mist, traction is going to be a real issue in this condition so you'd need to tread carefully while you're out there. It's not just the speed and concentration that you should be worrying about when driving in the fog, but also alertness and your sense of sight because you may never know what you'll see next in such conditions. Drivers need to be sharp enough to survive a foggy race and you should too.
To see what I'm on about, I'm about to drive Godzilla around a foggy Silverstone and because this is an all-wheel drive car, I had confident that it can take on the moisture of this track because of the foggy condition but I need to stay alert because one slip will cost me dearly so here goes...
So, what do you think? Driving in the fog is as scary as it seems but I am as fast as a Japanese industrialist. I am.
Weather can pose as either a threat or opportunity for the drivers and because speed and skill is not enough to win races at such conditions, it takes adaptability to take on different weather conditions and in the case of the all-wheel drive Nissan GT-R, it's all about taking on different conditions whatever lays ahead on the track. If you are up to a different kind of driving challenge with different conditions, play Project CARS 2 now.
Ask anyone what is the best Skyline ever made for over 60 years and speedo boys have this response; an R34 Skyline GT-R, the last Skyline GT-R ever made before its millennial divorce where Skyline became Japan's answer the BMW's 3-Series and the GT-R became a bona fide supercar against the world's best.
Like you and me, the R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R is like a true shogunate to a whole clan of warriors during the feudal times. Or better yet, the ideal Nobunaga to a while clan of JDM cars where it rules with an iron fist. This is the last of its kind where Japanese cars are cooler than watching anime shows until the new millennium comes and Japanese cars got even more boring than having a road trip with your mom and dad and since it was launched in 1999, this JDM car knows how to party like it's 1999.
Let me give you a clear secret, boys and girls. If you live in SoCal, there was a 25-year rule where you can legally import a car that wasn't available on American soil in the first place under certain conditions. Of course, I know that you wanted to smuggle that R34 Skyline GT-R to drive on Cali roads but federal regulations prevented you to do so, but little did you know that since this car was launched in Japan since 1999, you have to wait until 2024 to get one. Not sure? Do the math.
Math aside, the R34 Skyline GT-R still has the bits and bobs from the previous R33 Skyline GT-R, a car Triads would love to mess around London Chinatown with it, There's the 280HP RB26DETT petrol engine, 6-speed manual gearbox, sport-tuned dynamics, and ATTESA-ETS Pro, among many others. Without it, it wouldn't be the one that was favored by "God Foot" Hoshino from Initial D 4th Stage, Yamamoto from Wangan Midnight, and Brian O'Connor from Fast and Furious movies. This is the absolute epitome of the JDM car culture of the late 90's and when Japan heralded the age of boring cars, this R34 Skyline GT-R remains an all-time great.
Since the R34 Skyline GT-R is considered to be the best Skyline of them all after six decades, it's time to flex its muscles as Godzilla takes on the world over; from Australia to Thrilltopia. And would you look at that R34 that I have? It's someone's idea of artsy but never mind, let's take the R34 a spin round Horizon Australia, starting with the Australian outback against the other JDM bushidos.
Next up is Blizzard Mountain and it's the turning point where the R34 Skyline GT-R's four-wheel drive system is put to the test...
And lastly, Hot Wheels Thrilltopia, where I ramped up the R34's testosterone levels to the critical level...
So, with all of them taken care off, it's the ideal proof why the R34 is the best Skyline of all for six decades and you can't hardly blame the speedo boys who loved driving one or desperate enough to have one in their garages while not letting bureaucracy standing their way. Imagine life without the R34 Skyline GT-R...
Continuing on the Nissan Skyline's 60th anniversary celebration, let's take a look at one of the rarest Godzillas of all time and this Godzilla is a corker when it participated Le Mans in 1995 with satisfactory results. Meet the legendary R33 NISMO GT-R LM.
Specifically, the Road Going Version of the said car, the one you can get from Forza Horizon 3's Duracell Car Pack. Anyway, I got a chance to try out with the rarest road-legal Godzilla of all time and while this one is basically a living legend in the eyes of racing game fanatics, this rare beast is impossible to ignore due to its legendary status in the world of motorsports.
So, how did they do it? Nissan became a major player in the competitive world of endurance racing with their R87E, R88C, and R89CK, which set a pole position at the 1990 Le Mans 24 Hours. However, regulation changes prompted Nissan, pretty much like every carmaker in the world, to end its Group C racing campaigns and instead, making production-based GT cars starting with the R32 Skyline GT-R, which dominated Group A racing for 29 races, hence earned the nickname Godzilla. With the success of the Group A R32, they've developed their worthy successor to this vehicle, the R33 NISMO GT-R LM. First of all, it was stripped out to almost nothing as well as converting it from four-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive, resulting to 1150kg of weight. Apart from that, the RB26DETT engine was tuned to Group N regulations, producing over 400HP of power output.
Before taking the R33 LM to Le Mans, they have to homologated it for road use and for this "Road Going Version", however, the said engine dropped a hundred horses of power output while putting road-legal stuff to make this race-worthy Godzilla suitable for road use. Anyway, back to Le Mans, only two race cars have participated in 1995. Whereas the #23 car, the pink one, retired with gearbox failure after 157 laps, the #22 finished in 10th place overall, fifth in class. Although average, it shows what Nissan is capable of in the world of endurance racing.
Being inside the R33 GT-R NISMO LM is a great honor to get behind the wheel of this mythical demon from the Skyline timeline, if you are looking for another great way to celebrate 60 years of Nissan Skyline, but by getting to know about the rarest Godzilla of all, first impression wasn't always grateful because while this is basically an R33 Skyline GT-R underneath, it doesn't feel like the GT-R at all because it's a rear-wheel drive car but despite being rear-wheel drive racer, it still has that Skyline magic to it and then there's the noise, which is very ear-deafening during fourth gear max speed runs. So deafening, it feels like your head's going to blow off any minute, and that's downright scary.
The NISMO R33 GT-R LM can be downright mind-blowing for a road-legal version but because this is the rarest GT-R of all, it's downright legendary and I think I have a brilliant idea to do with it,,,
It took me a lot of time to find the perfect replica of the #22 design as seen from the 1995 Le Mans endurance race where it place 10th overall and 5th in class and here it is. Gotta give credit to the one who made this exact replica but anyway, I did some improvements to make sure it is as race-ready as the real thing and believe me, this GT-R's not afraid to be pushed too hard.
To test this, I sent this one to a little invitation from the best of 90's Japanese sportscars and looks like this one's up to a challenge against one of the most iconic street racers from Japan since the late 20th century. Ready?
Man, that was a good game and driving the R33 NISMO GT-R LM is a real blast for me and did you see the part where the inevitable photo finish occurred at the end of the second round? It's impossible but it happened anyway.
So, with that taken care of, the celebration of 60 years of Nissan Skyline continues...
