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R34 GT-R v Ferrari 360, owner's thoughts

I found this over on FerrariChat...thought I'd share it with you guys since its pretty interesting, and nice to hear what an actual owner thinks of the cars instead of a journo. Enjoy:

Quote:

"
R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R vs Ferrari 360

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I got a private message asking me to compare my new 360 vs the GT-R; here's the result...

Comparison: GT-R vs 360 Modena

1st I would like to say that both cars are sensational to own and drive. Both are very special and both are costly to run, insure, service and use everyday.

Regarding rarity, the R34 GT-R is rare in Europe, only 80 official imports where done and approx 100-150 cars through personal imports. The R34 GT-R V-Spec is actually quite a bit rarer than 360 then, in total they made significantly less cars in total than Ferrari did.

I cannot contain my excitement about the Ferrari 360 though, it is just an amazingly special car, it gets SOO much attention you wouldn't believe BUT its also more difficult to live with than the GT-R.

Most people who don't know cars (i.e. the average joe in UK) thinks the GT-R (particularly in Bayside Blue like my old one) is a new Subaru or Evo which isn't particularly flattering. Doesn't really say 'prestige' but more jap rally stage special. It certainly gets its fair share of attention! Nobody EVER wants to race you when you own a GT-R

The GT-R can be tuned to huge power and the interior is quite nice but not very special either. The UK cars where a lot better because they had full connolly leather seats but even this doesn't compare with the 360's interior. In stock form the GT-R feels composed but not very fast (they had 330 hp stock), as soon as you simply fit a performance exhaust, downpipes, race cats & exhaust the boost pressure automatically rises and the car becomes sensational. Its a day to night transformation, the car becomes alive, spitting and banging from its exhaust and sounding like a proper rally stage car.

Day to day its very difficult to consider leaving the 360 in many public places for fear of people who are jealous (just because its a ferrari!) wanting to damage it (thats the mentality of the British, may be different in US). You also crazily cannot buy locking alloy wheel bolts for a Ferrari (!) crazy but true! The GT-R, well I did use it everyday and I did park it in public places (And yes I did have a Satellite Tracking system on it too!).

The 360 style and shape is love by everyone, particularly women (I kid you not!!) and its amazing how much attention you get from them wink. I kid you not but ever since buying the 360 I've been having to beat them off with a stick

Conversly the GT-R tends to be hated by women (in general) as an 'on steroids' legal street racer (which by all accounts it is!). They see it as too aggressive and have no clue how much you spent on it (tuning on the GT-R is very addictive as there is just so much stuff avaliable for it, by stark comparison to Ferrari's which don't see much in the way of aftermarket, give or take the odd Tubi!). My GT-R new cost £54,000 (approx $110,000 usd), the 360's are selling for $130k-$200k in the uk). All blokes seem to love the GT-R though, so take your pick!! hehe

The 360 actually feels quicker that the GT-R in stock form but it is much harder to drive (!) than the GT-R. I feel ultimately the 360 is more satisfying as a result. The GT-R is quite easy to drive fast and any 'ham fisted' movements don't get the car out of shape, i.e. it makes bad drives look like they are really good, really flatters them!! heh. Its also a LOT of fun to drive fast, e.g. you still have to wind off the correct amount of opposite lock, its genuinely a lot of fun, unlike some other 4wd's. Tuning potential of the GT-R is otherworldly, its what has given the car such a reputation. I drove in a 650hp tuned GT-R and its quite unlike anything else, its totally amazing! Think everyday drivable Enzo! (I kid you not!)

In the GT-R you feel like its a much smaller car than it is whereas in the 360 I would say it feels like its much BIGGER than it really is. (surprisingly bad visibility out of the rear for reversing in the 360, still trying to get used to it!).

Controversally I'd say the metal gated manual 360 the better can than the F1. Driving the metal gated shifter for me is SENSATIONAL. I am not a big fan of the F1 auto's (I have an auto Lexus GS for my everyday car which I love, but its no sports car!). I really believe a sports car should be 'involving' and the 360 manual really is the purest form of that, I really enjoy shifting!

I wouldn't say all the electronics get in the way of fun in the GT-R either (certainly not) but the 360 still has the edge. Gear shift in GT-R really is excellent too (another 6 speeder), although without that tactile and sensational click-clack of the metal gated 360 shifter.

In truth I just love the 360 and would not ever consider a GT-R over it, its a much better car, it handles better, has higher prestige (and everyone's heard of Ferrari) but it can get you into trouble in more ways than one.

The jealous nature of people is that if you tell your boss you bought a 'Nissan', even if it is a GT-R thats not so bad. Try telling someone like your boss you've got a 360 and they'll say they are paying you too much! This also stands for both insurance AND running costs which are WAY higher on the 360 than the GT-R. *(actually ironically the Ferrari was cheaper to insure than the GT-R)

Also every day driving is taken in its stride by the GT-R, its a surprisingly comfortable car that can literally go around bends at 100mph (no joke) without feeling scary!

The 360 is even difficult to get the stock power down when its damp. I find it difficult to 'boot it' without wheel spin in 2 or even 3rd. In the GT-R you can put your foot fully to the floor and be off! Ironically the 360 feels more like the racer than the GT-R does, the GT-R feel much more 'GT', more composed and civilised than the 360 does!

Overall I think both are brilliant cars but by a long margin the 360 has it licked. The fact that I am comparing the GT-R with the 360 really shows how good it is (especially at 400+hp, its chassis really handles extra power exceptionally well). It really is as good as the reputation that bestow's it. I am smitten, i love my 360 like no other car I've ever owned!
"

by 360trev

Wow cool read.

Interesting about the part of damage by jealous people. Here in the US I think it would be more likely to get damaged by ignorant soccer moms while swinging open their doors or what not, but not really because we're jealous.

A 400 bhp+ skyline will murder a ferrari 360 or 355 in the turns and on the straights 500-650 bhp will kill anything maby not a evo or impreza.
I think the skyline gtr r34 is the better car compared to a 360 of 355 and much more rare than a ferrai.
Ferrai=italian playboy car =skyline is one the best drivers car ever.
I just to love ferrari's when i was a kid not anymore today now love skylines ford cosworths supra's evo impreza that sort of car
Most ferrai's have never seen a racetrack most owners of godzilla (skyline nickname) have taken their car to a racetrack.
:D :) :D

I wouldn't be so sure about that. The skyline isn't nearly so much a drivers car as it is a tuneable rocket. Much as the driver states that the car is much more forgiving to hamfisted driving. 4wd rarely equates to a drivers car. Can it be much faster on a track? Of course. But usually when one is thinking about a drivers car you are thinking about a car that may not necessarily get around the track fastest, but be the most communicative and entertaining to drive.

Granted I haven't driven either of these cars, but I would venture to say that the Ferrari would give the owner a much more fulfilling experience on the track than the skyline.

I saw a couple of tuned R34's at Silverstone a while back and they weren't that quick at all compared to the porsche's etc. IMO the skyline, although a very good car is way too overrated.

As for being rarer.... maybe in some parts, but i definately see more skylines thant ferraris round my way.

I know which one i'd take.

The more well kown cars over overrated like aston martin ferrai lamborghini's because of the badge and everyone think that all cars they make are good but this is not always true.
A well tuned skyline will murder most things on a racetrack.
The only good expensive 'supercar' is a porsche 911(996 gt3 or gt2)
And here in limburg where i have seen ferrai's and porsche several times never seen a skyline in real life.
:D :)

If you were to take both cars to the track, especially one with long sweeping corners I would bet on the GTR even in stock form for a long time. Once a driver gets used to the 360 I'd bet on it.

Once they can use that extra grip(not traction) braking and straightline speed I think the 360 would be clear winner. For pure ability the 360 is a better car, but the Skyline is so confidence inspiring(from what I hear) that even pro drivers can drive it quick than more capable cars simply because they can start taking it near the limit very early on.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pagani

A well tuned Ferrari, Porsche or a Z06 will leave the well tuned Skyline in the dust. Case closed. :wink:

Look at Koenig Spec Ferraris, and should I even mention the number of good Porker tuners who turn those things into rockets..?...

mr config

vs

front awd.

enough said.

I thought we were talking about which is the drivers car? Not which is faster.

Faster has absolutely nothing to do with what is more fun to drive. (A Drivers Car)

I have seen nismo skyline beat a stock ferrari 360 modena.
The koenig ferrari's is a diffrent story.
A skyline will just give as much driving pleasure as ferrai or porsche and can corner very fast and you can sideways whit one without any problem.
I think that a skyline is more underrated than overrated.
A gtr wil always be the underdog and i like underdogs.
I would pick the skyline not the ferrari.
:D :o

Quote:

Originally Posted by pagani

I have seen nismo skyline beat a stock ferrari 360 modena.

It does not take much to beat a stock 360... so if it takes a Nismo Skyline to do the job, it can't really be that good now... can it ?? ;)

nice reading thanks :D

i think i would choose F360 :D

Nismo is the factory motorsport division of nisssn they tune production and make limted edition cars just like amg bmw motorsport they are not as harcore as some of private tuners like top secret jun auto mines wave garage saurus mcr etc.
A nismo skyline mostly stock whit a few tweaks on suspension engine and brakes aerodynamic.
:D :) :o

Quote:

Originally Posted by pagani

but i read or watched somewhere that this japanese create their "kamikaze" rides just by putting a BIG TURBO in it, so they can tune them up to 1000hp,
:shock:
i think this was in the nissan skyline story ....video :)

If I had the money to actualy buy one hands down winner would be the GTR easier to fix and the power potential as we all know is crazy in GTRs.

Thanx Sentra_dude!! Fantastic read :P

@Pagani - you forgot something - this topic was written by someone who HAD(HAVE) both cars and he compares them. So its at first HIS opinion and second its based on actually OWNING both cars :wink:
So saying that GT-R will kick everybodys asses and you never even seen one is... well not really objective. Sorry, no hard feelings :wink:

Indeed a great read. I like how he states the GT-R are for the somewhat hamfisted. Compared to the 360 this is 100% true.

didn't jabba have a skyline?
skyline vs. 355 :D