Put through their paces, both cars deliver - and how.
Negotiating tight hairpins and balancing big sweepers, it
was the Skyline that drew a line in the sand. For all the
electronics, the Skyline has the sharper, more dynamic feel
of the two. Steering is terribly direct, spring and damper
rates are definitely tighter, and the confidence inspired
by the
ATTESA-Pro system sees the GT-R simply stride off
into the distance once the blacktop becomes demanding.
That's not to say the Supra feels ungainly or ponderous,
but you are always aware, through the steering wheel and
'bum sensor, that the Supra is a big, heavy piece of metal.
In fact, the kerb weights are very similar, but the GT-R
hides its flab better. The Supra chassis does nothing wrong,
but tight roads certainly make it uncomfortable to drive,
and sometimes it does not act as predictably as you'd hope.
In the Skyline, you often find yourself 'involving the rear
end' when cornering, but in the Supra the feeling 'there
would be no catching this one' was etched firmly in our
minds.
The dynamic handling test served to show the different
design philosophies of the two cars. While Skyline Man loves
to return from a mountain pass with the bugs still caught
between his teeth, Supra Man worries about the possibility
of spilling the Red Bull into his cup holder. Don't despair,
Toyota aficionados; the slightly less aggressive chassis
of the Supra really starts to show its mettle in the everyday
driving situations, the road environment you find yourself
in most of the time. The Skyline is far less comfortable
here, with each small ripple and ridge in the road making
the GT-R LM fidget and jiggle annoyingly; the hard seats
transmit
such oscillations all too well. Despite its arguably more
practical shape, it is the GT-R that is best used as a true
weekender, being relegated to blasts through the countryside
rather than picking up the bread and milk. Most people I
know who own a GT-R use it this way.
Supras, though, are much happier as a daily driver. If you
can live with the level of visibility of the glasshouse
and the high waistline, it provides the most cosseting driving
experience of the two. Bumps and thumps that would crash
through the Skyline's suspension are soaked up by the Supra,
which provides a quieter, more insulated cocoon for the
driver. The controls are lighter than the Skyline's and,
although they might provide less tactile feedback, can be
used repeatedly without the slightest inkling of brainpower
needing to enter into the equation. Unsurprisingly then,
the majority of Supras are daily drivers.
So what happens at the business end known as the traffic
light grand prix? With a skilled driver on-board, the GT-R
is going to win the fight every time. This Skyline had a
slight advantage with its aftermarket exhaust system and
pair of pod filters but, even with this in mind, the gap
is wide. The Nissan dispatches the 0-100km/h (ed.: 0-62mph)
test in 5 seconds flat, before stopping the clock with 13.0
seconds dead across the quarter. The Toyota is quick at
5.6 seconds and 13.7 seconds,
respectively, but those tenths add up to many car-lengths
in the real world.
Surprisingly, with two 'average' drivers, the balance of
power starts to swing in favour of the Supra. In the Toyota,
clean launches are a simple case of turning off the traction
control, dialling in 3500rpm and popping the clutch. The
strip times can be repeated to within a tenth in most environments.
The key to the GT-R's phenomenal acceleration is the 'launching'
technique, which requires more like 7000rpm to be hit before
the clutch is side-stepped. A handful of rpm too few and
the car bogs lazily, while too many revs result in a surprising
amount of wheelspin. Prolonged use of this technique also
destroys the clutch rapidly. Still, it is this sort of foible
that GT-R owners derive enjoyment from perfecting.
Roll-ons are a different ball game to the standing-start
stuff, and it is here, especially in the lower speed ranges,
that the Supra is able to take the fight to the Skyline.
The sequential turbochargers and variable cam timing of
the late-model 2JZ-GTE engine offer a major low-rev advantage,
which combined with the extra
cog of the Getrag box, makes for in-gear performance that
will startle a stock GT-R. The Supra's torque comes on as
low as 2200rpm, while the GT-R's big surge is after 3500rpm,
with full boost often not achieved until 4000rpm. As speed
increases, the relentless thrust of the Garrett T28 turbochargers
on the Nissan sees it push into the lead, but for those
who prefer to keep their challenges within legal speeds,
the bottom-end grunt of the Supra is a big drawcard. Importantly,
either car will eat a stock
WRX for breakfast.
The difference in power delivery between the RB26
and 2JZ really is remarkable. In the Supra you can literally
feel the turbo staging valves and electro-pneumatic trickery
going on under the bonnet. Towards the redline, the turbochargers
start to run out of compressor puff, while the Skyline simply
loves to rev, needing the 8000rpm cut-out to remind you
when to stop.
