Top Gear's Clarkson Shuns GT-R In Favor Of Corvette ZR1 For Top Car in 2009

It’s been a quiet year for the world’s motor industry. There have been no wrecks, nobody drowning; in fact, nothing to laugh at at all. But, hidden in the sea of normality and business as usual, were a couple of gems.

We start with the BMW X6, which must receive my inaugural What Were They Thinking Of award. Have you seen one? No, and I doubt you ever will because in a world that’s plagued with recession and run by people who believe the world’s polar bears are up at the North Pole sipping pina coladas and slapping on the factor five, it is surely the most inappropriate piece of corporate thinking since Sir Clive Sinclair said: “Yes. The electric slipper. That’s what people want . . .”

However, I cannot say the BMW X6 is the worst car of the year, partly because I have not yet driven it and partly because it cannot possibly be worse than the Chrysler Sebring Convertible. Unless it smells of slurry and the radio is jammed on Rap FM.

 

neutral - 12/29/2008 12:16:00 PM

+6 Boost

HAHAHA, funny.

Have to give the GT-R credit though... I personally would take a ZR1 over the GT-R... but still

I have to agree though... when given a choice...

dlin - 12/29/2008 4:06:43 PM

0 Boost

Great, ZR1 wins. I believe it's more fun than GT-R, just like my G is more fun than my 3, though the latter is indeed a better car.

So, where's Bimmer now? Does it even has anything on the performance list? Can we really call BMW sports car or it's just all sport sedan?

Get back to work, Slacker! :)

Kthorn - 1/4/2009 1:29:50 AM

+1 Boost

That's right! Don't you douchetools know Clarkson is no longer a mover and shaker. Nobody values that guys opinion on supercars!

EL34 - 12/29/2008 12:34:19 PM

+5 Boost

I'll take the Corvette ZR1 over the Nissan just on looks alone.

And those Enzo brakes.

EL34 - 12/29/2008 1:07:43 PM

+4 Boost

StarSearch-

I'm married and I'm not out looking for highschool girls that want to be like Hannah Montana.

The ZR1 is a great looking car and the Nissan isn't.

veyron1001 - 12/29/2008 7:25:57 PM

+1 Boost

If that was your reason save your self about 135k and get a C6.

Whelan - 12/29/2008 12:41:54 PM

+1 Boost

The GT-R is a nice car, but I would not have picked it either. It has gotten A LOT of promotion and precedence in the automotive world, maybe a little more than necessary.

Ever since the Fast and the Furious came out, words like Supra, RX-7 Efini, and GTR-33, 34 have been synonymous with kiddies everywhere. So Nissan builds a whole new car and yes it is good. But it is hyped a bit.

The ZR-1 is not immensely advertised or thrown around. But if I was to see one parked next to a GT-R, I would probably see a guy in his 40's or 50's who knows a thing or two of autos. If I looked at the GT-R I could gurantee, like the black and white ones in my town, they would be driven by younger guys who aspired to own a Lexus IS300 when it first came out over a BMW 3 series.

EL34 - 12/29/2008 1:09:34 PM

+5 Boost

People that get thier inspiration in life from Fast and the Furious are not buying either car.

They're buying Civics with a trashcan exhaust.

Agent63 - 12/29/2008 1:46:44 PM

+3 Boost

I could see a Leno-type driving a ZR1, not a bad thing though.

truckman - 12/29/2008 3:02:26 PM

+3 Boost

Agent 63, Lenno has a a GTR, I wouldn't be surprised if Lenno has a Vett too, If I had his money I would have both too.lol

veyron1001 - 12/29/2008 7:29:26 PM

+1 Boost

Not much to advertise since its a modified Z06.

Type707 - 12/29/2008 1:07:48 PM

+3 Boost

Well...at least there's a warranty on the Corvettes tranny.

PerformanceGuy - 12/29/2008 1:24:32 PM

+2 Boost

Nothing wrong with people having different opinions!! In the end, I would choose the GT-R.

veyron1001 - 12/29/2008 7:27:13 PM

0 Boost

Well yea its looked the same for the past 25 years or so.

Yonder7 - 12/29/2008 2:22:28 PM

+5 Boost

Any of those is a great car, I would pick the Vette..

Kthorn - 1/2/2009 7:06:46 PM

+1 Boost

Not completely irrelevant, we now know he likes fisting hams.

Kthorn - 1/4/2009 1:30:51 AM

+1 Boost

Ladies and gentlemen Scotty is dead, reborn as Kthorn. I have seen the light and have been saved. And yes I love long walks on the beach. And talk about hanging out behind his computer, Kthor you were sweet enough to tag every one of my posts, God Bless you! And thanks for the inspiration, I was lost, now I'm found.

truckman - 12/29/2008 3:06:45 PM

+1 Boost

The numbers speak louder than opinions, the Vett is the obvious answer! Although the GTR would be nice to own if you could afford to fix the tranny, knowing Nissan will not cover the warranty.

stevenv1999 - 12/29/2008 3:27:29 PM

-2 Boost

The Corvette is cheap and it's about the driving and the viceral experience that the GTR doesn't provide. The GTR is talented, but it weighs too much and it's talents come from technology and not from having well engineered componants and balance. Take away the GTR's gagetry and does it still feel as balanced? Probably not. The Corvette is pure.

dlin - 12/29/2008 4:21:38 PM

+2 Boost

Where can you prove GT-R not 'having well engineered componants and balance'? You think you can just mount a computer to a car and make it go that fast in a corner? If that's the case, even Ferrari will just buy it from NISSAN and call it a day, saving all the R&D and make huge money.

PorscheMeister - 12/29/2008 9:00:48 PM

+4 Boost

"Clarkson" Shuns GT-R In Favor Of Corvette ZR1 For Top Car in 2009!!!!! It's snowing in hell right now!!!!

truckman - 12/30/2008 5:07:03 AM

+1 Boost

Clarkson dislikes American cars! So this Vett must be just fantastic! And remember it has a faster stig time than the GTR, that is louder than any verbal diarrhea from the GTR camp.lol

truckman - 12/31/2008 6:21:26 AM

+1 Boost

I love Top Gear! And I generally agree with most of what he says, I also agree with most of what you state too, and yes Jeromy has the GT-40, but I think he is still biased towards American cars because it is politically correct to think that way, and yes they have a lot of bad cars, and some great vehicles too!

E36er - 12/30/2008 2:26:41 PM

+1 Boost

The Vette is a great car, BUT... I don't know if it's better than the GT-R but whatever. The Vette's only downfall is it's Guido factor. It's still a Huggy Bear pimp mobile in my eyes.

3pointstar - 12/31/2008 2:48:19 AM

0 Boost

I think you could get more exotic pussy with a GTR than a vette so my vote is for the Nissan.

Kthorn - 1/2/2009 7:10:05 PM

-1 Boost

The kind of exotic pussy you get with a GTR has under arm hair, give me the un-exotic pussy with shaved arm-pitts and the Vette please.

Kthorn - 1/4/2009 1:31:39 AM

+1 Boost

Ladies and gentlemen Scotty is dead, reborn as Kthorn. I have seen the light and have been saved. And yes I love long walks on the beach. And talk about hanging out behind his computer, Kthor you were sweet enough to tag every one of my posts, God Bless you! And thanks for the inspiration, I was lost, now I'm found.

desertwindauh - 1/3/2009 9:22:54 AM

+1 Boost

GT-R has a black box that records naughty bits that may be used against you in a court of law. ZR-1 doesn't.
ZR-1 gets my vote.