When it comes to six-cylinder sports cars, two big names come to mind: the Porsche 911 and the Nissan GT-R. Both famously feature a six-cylinder engine. The German 911 uses a horizontally opposed, rear-mounted six-cylinder engine. Meanwhile, the R35 GT-R sports a twin-turbo 3.8-liter V6. Some trims of the 911, like the turbo, also have all-wheel drive and twin turbochargers like the Nissan. These two seem to have a lot in common.
In a new video, YouTuber Cars with Pilot Tseno pitted the two icons against each other. The cars have nearly equal horsepower at around 650 horsepower so it’s going to be a close race. Not to mention, both are in a similar price category. However, the 997 Turbo S is quite a bit older, so some examples sell for under $100,000 according to Bring A Trailer.
With that in mind, the 6-cylinder rivals should have an excellent race. Read on to see how Godzilla faired against the German legend.
Race One Between Nissan GT-R And Porsche 911 Turbo S
As the blue GT-R pulls up to the orange Porsche, both look ready to tear up their tires. As Tseno’s arms drop, both cars rip off the line. The Nissan gets to an early lead and holds on for the whole of the race. It completed the standing ¼ mile in 10.83 seconds at 131 MPH, getting to 62 MPH in just 3.1 seconds. The 911 was not quite at fast coming in just after the GT-R at 11.09 seconds at 129 MPH.
In race two, it’s more of the same story with the Nissan rocketing off the line. The car seems to have significantly better traction from a standstill. It pulls a less impressive time of 10.97 seconds at 129 MPH. The Porsche, with its huge rear wing, did an 11.27-second quarter mile at 128 MPH, not quite as fast as other modified 911s. It seems the Japanese icon was just too much for this 997 generation 911 Turbo.
Long-Lasting Automotive Icons From Europe And Japan
These two cars have been performance icons for multiple generations but today, the GT-R reigned supreme with its superior launches. Nissan recently unveiled the 2024 GT-R, to mixed reception since it featured only minor updates and no power bump.
On the other hand, the 911 Turbo receives the same regular generation updates as the base 911 and continues to break records with its acceleration numbers. The Porsche 911 Turbo continues to be a comfortable tourer with a focus on straight-line speed.
While the Nissan GT-R was once considered to be the 911 Turbo alternative due to its much lower price, that is no longer the case. Although still less expensive, a 2023 Nissan GT-R Nismo edition costs $212,635 while a 2023 Porsche 911 Turbo S costs $216,000.
With that in mind, both cars have their histories but the Nissan came out on top in this particular race.
Source: Porsche, Nissan, YouTube @ Cars with Pilot Tseno