Autoblog

A good big man beats a good small man every time.

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And by the way...a supercharger is just a crank driven centrifugal compressor as opposed to two (does increased quantity equal increased technology?) exhaust-driven centrifugal superchargers.

Tokyo-by-night dashboards don't impress me much.

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Most of the GT-R's tech isn't in it's engine, it's in it's AWD system & transmission.

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Most of the GT-R's tech isn't in it's engine, it's in it's AWD system & transmission.

AWD ok but transmission? obviously not.

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The ZR1 might be a very fast and even an awesome sports/supersports car, but it really doesn't push the tech envelope enough to justify being the best of tech.

The GT-R's ATTESA-ETS AWD system is probably the most advanced AWD system out there, so it's definitely pushing the envelope. And yes, the transmission is going to suffer because any car that has a transmission dealing with that much torque being sent to 4 wheels is going to have transmission problems if you actually drive it hard, because there's literally twice as much strain on transmissions trying to drive four wheels instead of two. Cars like the WRX STi have transmission problems too because dumbasses think they can drive it like a RWD or FWD car and not blow their transmission. Just google WRX STi transmission and see the countless complaints, because people don't really treat their transmission nearly gently enough for AWD.

Just look here:
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/hot_lists/car_shopping/long_term_road_tests/2008_subaru_impreza_wrx_sti_long_term_road_test_update
Even car and driver's long term test unit had to have it's transmission replaced, and they linked to this thread filled with the same complaint:
http://www.iwsti.com/forums/drivetrain-components/119094-problem-my-2008-wrx-sti-transmission.html

The truth is that most of these problems are caused by people driving their high powered AWD cars as if they're 2WD vehicles-you CANNOT drive it like you stole it if you want your transmission to last, and while it's depressing that Nissan didn't cover the GT-R transmissions under warranty it's also friggin' idiotic to think you can run launch control over and over and dump 500lb/ft of torque into an AWD transmission and NOT have problems. Anybody who knows anything about AWD should know well enough to drive it gently and save the launches for special occasions.

Chances are if you took a Porsche 911 Turbo (the AWD one) and dumped the clutch at full power all the time you'd end up trashing the transmission too. I don't know what Porsche's warranty policy is, but I'm sure if you kept doing dumb crap to your porsche you'd end up paying for plenty of transmissions. Except most Porsche 911 Turbo owners don't drive around dumping the clutch all the time, unlike that racer-boy GT-R owner, or most WRX STi owners. Simple as that.

There's nothing inherently wrong with the GT-R transmission-anybody expecting to be able to dump that much power into the transmission from a standstill repeatedly and NOT run into problems is delusional. If Nissan had wanted to make the transmission capable of regularly dealing with that much power at launch the transmission would have ended up weighing a ton.

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You make a very good point. However I don't know whats so low tech about ZR1? Hydro forming chassis? Magnetic suspension? One of the best V8's out there ever made? Extensive carbon fiber use? And even if it was so called "low tech" worlds best inventions are simplified to its best practical capability not just putting bunch of sophisticated stuff in it. And that's what wins every time.

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The GT-R is a miracle of modern engineering, but anyone who thinks the ZR1 is low tech doesn't know what they're talking about.

The GT-R's AWD system defies the bulk of the car in the same way the 911's handling defies the laws of physics defined by it's rear engine mass. I wouldn't doubt it's one of the most advanced AWD systems in the world. The dual clutch trans allows the Nissan to shave precious seconds off shifting times while allowing the driver to focus on the road and the turbos to stay spooled up. Infiniti makes the amazing VVEL technology, however the GT-R is not equipped with it. Still, the on board display with much reconfiguration and performance monitoring abilities is nothing to sneeze at.

The Corvette is impressive for different reasons. A dedicated aluminum hydroformed-rail chassis (Z06 & ZR1) with carbon fiber, fiberglass, and composite body panels. Even the base Corvette isn't a typical unibody like most cars, but a separate chassis--like race cars, and a few very exotic road cars. The floor is made of balsa wood sandwiched between inner and outer body. Say what you want of balsa wood, but it's lighter, better insulating, and due to it's specific cell structure, stronger than any man-made alternative filler.

Speaking of the body, the exposed carbon fiber will not yellow with age like every other exotic machine similarly skinned. This is possible because the clearcoat is blended with a proprietary UV blocker developed just for the ZR1.

The transverse, composite leaf springs are often misunderstood as sharing something with what one might find under a truck or historic car. They are unique in the same way that the RX-7's Wankel is the sole bearer of a technological torch. The springs are lighter, more low profile, and capable being both better handling than most sportscars AND better riding than many luxury ones.

On top of that, the magneto-rheological fluid shock absorbers are nothing short of miraculous. They adapt to changing road conditions 1000 times per second. That's faster than any other adjustable suspension on any car! While the GT-R is kidney-thumping stiff in any mode of suspension setting, the ZR1 actually rides softer than the Z06. Truly the best of both worlds, and it shows at the Nurburgring. These shocks are so good, they've been adapted for use by Ferrari and Audi since debuting on the Vette.

Speaking of suspension, both the GT-R and ZR1 have stability systems, yet Corvette's was not only one of the first, but also one of the best. It has more enthusiast-friendly settings, and is easier to switch on-the-fly. Both systems are very good.

The ZR1 also features carbon ceramic brake rotors that are so large, they match those used on the front of the Ferrari Enzo--at the ZR1's rear! In testing, they showed to have none of the low speed drawbacks often associated with carbon-ceramic setups.

And then there's that mighty engine. It may lack dual overhead cams, variable valve timing, and all that other stuff they print on decals and valve covers, but it sure doesn't seem to notice. 638 horsepower and 604 lb. ft. of torque from one of the most externally compact, lightest V8s out there. That's a scant 13 hp less than the mighty Enzo V12, which it trumps by an amazing 120 lb. ft. of torque! Now the Enzo gets a rather meager 8cty/12hwy MPG, so it should not be taken lightly when the ZR1 nearly doubles those numbers to 14/20 MPG--only 1-2 MPG behind the much less powerful GT-R's 16/21. And unlike the Ferrari, the Chevy will run for several 100K mi before needing serious maintenance, and without breaking down, spoiling the fun, or leaving you stranded on the way. The GT-R is also much more reliable than the Enzo, but the shifter issue shows they have a way to go to handle that power.

The GT-R is a game changing car, and for that it deserves all the praise levied upon it, but if you cannot see the innovation and technology in a Corvette, you simply aren't looking. And quite frankly, if you aren't looking, you shouldn't be driving.

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