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2015 Corvette Z06 Squares Off Against Nissan GT-R Nismo: Video

In this episode of Motor Trend‘s “Head 2 Head,” America’s finest sportscar, the 2015 Corvette Z06, squares off against Japan’s last living, true supercar: the Nissan GT-R Nismo.

Entering this competition of two greats, we felt that the Corvette Z06 had a bit more going for it. At 650 HP, its peak output is up 50 ponies from that of the Nissan, while torque is up an unfathomable 170 lb-ft. As if that weren’t enough, the Corvette also weighs in at about 350 pounds less, has a more favorable 50/50 weight distribution between the axles, and possesses seven forward gears to the Nissan’s six.

Now, in the Corvette, those are manually-selected gears, compared to the Nismo’s dual-clutch trans. But so what?

Motor Trend‘s testing of the two cars seems to prove us correct; the Z06 crushes the Nismo in nearly every quantifiable measure, with a 60 to 0 braking distance of 91 feet, and an incredible lateral acceleration measure of 1.17 G. The Nismo narrowly beats the Corvette in straight-line acceleration, due largely to the launch provided by its all-wheel-drive, and to its comparatively short gearing.

Upon taking the two cars out on public roads, Carlos Lago concedes that it will be a close match, as they each have their respective strengths. Because of the GT-R’s perfected AWD system, you can jump on the power a lot more soon through the corners, and of course, that’s long been the secret behind its near-physics-defying feats of agility. But the Corvette possesses such impossibly high braking and cornering limits – not to mention superb torque everywhere throughout the rev-range – it feels like you can push the car futher and further toward breaking traction with the pavement, and still have room to spare.

So which one proves to be faster around Willow Springs in the hands of Motor Trend‘s racing driver-on-retainer Randy Pobst? You’ll get no spoilers from us…

Aaron Brzozowski is a writer and motoring enthusiast from Detroit with an affinity for '80s German steel. He is not active on the Twitter these days, but you may send him a courier pigeon.

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Comments

  1. I don’t need to watch to determine the winner: CHEVROLET CORVETTE STINGRAY!

    Reply
  2. Just let the Corvette race team do a little of it’s magic to the Z06 (A8?) the way Nismo team did to the GT-R.

    Then press play, Again!!!

    And, ….Really, they took the rear wing of the Z06 completely off??? I’ve never attended wind tunnel high but? DUH!!!

    Reply
  3. Corvette need a faster transmission how 8L90 8-speed automatic, and rear spoiler that when brakes are lifted and lowered when accelerating

    Nothing more, and will be a rear-drive supercar amazing

    Regards from Spain

    Reply
    1. and you are a bull**t because I am biased with the Z06!!!!!

      Regards from the Philippines

      Reply
  4. Reply
    1. Interesting story.

      Regards from Korea

      Reply
  5. Another example of the inferiority of a manual tranny.

    Reply
    1. I don’t think this had much to do with manual at all. The Z06 that Jim Mero ran at VIR was a manual and he was able to beat the lap C&D set down in the Porsche 918.

      Looking at the numbers something was wrong with the Power of the Z06. It should have trapped higher in the QM, and should have beaten the GT-R in the straights because of its better power to weight ratio.
      I think GM just needs to figure out the Supercharger heat soak issue. IMO they should go with a twin turbo system.

      Reply

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