VIDEO + DRIVEN: Two MONSTERS Meet Head-to-Head To See Who's The Fastest With Tiff Needell Behind The Wheel

It almost seems silly to put the Nissan GT-R NISMO and the Audi R8 V10 Plus together for a head-to-head battle. You may be left asking, "Why?"

Here's why.

They're completely different machines. The GT-R NISMO is an exceedingly hardcore variant of the GT-R with a front-mounted, forced induction six-cylinder. The R8, on the other hand, is a daily driven supercar that features a naturally aspirated V10 with a mid-engine setup. 

But I guess since Godzilla was resurrected and people are always compelled to see the Japanese monster take on a European, let's see how it shakes out in this EVO test.



In the first of a series of head-to-head battles, Tiff Needell pits the Audi R8 V10+ against the latest Nissan GT-R NISMO. They’re similar in power and both have four-wheel-drive, but the Nissan is built for hardcore track work. Will that make it faster around the super-quick Rockingham circuit, or will the Audi’s lighter weight give it the edge?

MDarringer - 9/2/2017 4:57:26 PM

0 Boost

Neither do I find remotely appealing.

Agent00R - 9/3/2017 4:43:29 PM

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The standard GT-R was kind of cool initially. The NISMO must be pretty painful, IMHO.

The second-gen R8 does have a naturally aspirated V10 so it's of some interest to me but as a commenter notes below its design is looking rather...old, already.

skytop - 9/3/2017 1:38:07 PM

0 Boost

Wow, is that Audi R8 looking long in the tooth and tiresome looking.

Agent00R - 9/3/2017 4:43:53 PM

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Indeed. The first-gen car was something special and this follow up just is lacking that certain something.

Firewombat - 9/5/2017 7:47:09 AM

+2 Boost

Agreed, also loved the first one

pcar4evr - 9/3/2017 2:25:54 PM

+2 Boost

I owned the first generation R8 and always thought it was a gorgeous car. The second generation is not nearly as attractive either in coupe or spyder form. In general, I don't think either generation of R8 is aging particularly well.

Agent00R - 9/3/2017 4:45:19 PM

0 Boost

I think the first-gen V10 Spyder w/ a 6-speed is going to be the one to have down the road when it comes to design and $$$. I love that first-gen car w/o the side blade.

MDarringer - 9/3/2017 3:11:58 PM

0 Boost

The first R8 hideous with that blade thing on the side and the 2nd generation looks better but it's a dull as a 20 year old Toyota. In person, the proportions on either of them just isn't optimal.

As for the GTR, yeah yeah yeah it makes great numbers but it's 100% about software and systems working and doing so in a way too obvious way. A 911 has all kinds of electrocrap on it to make a rear engined vehicle handle correctly, but unlike the GTR, a 911 feels like there's nothing up.

Then factor in how long-in-tooth the GTR is and I have no idea why anyone would want one.