Some people complained (perhaps rightfully) that the GT-R which set the 7:38 lap time around the Nurburgringthing was a "preproduction" version, not stock.

Well, someone just took a bone-stock Japanese-market GT-R (even stock tires) to the 'Ring on a day with favorable weather conditions, and recorded a time of 7-fucking-29.

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/01/gt-r-dr...e-down-to-7-29/

I think when someone disassembles the GT-R, they will discover that it is not governed by the laws of physics, but is instead a sinister device designed by Lord Voldemort himself to suck the hope out of car manufacturers in a dementor-esque manner.

That 7:29 is probably BTG, which is not the real time.

EDIT: Guess not, that's pretty impressive. But I still don't care for this car. All capability and no heart IMO.

Character-wise, I think of it as being Neon Genesis Evangelion or Robotech distilled down to an automobile. I certainly see why a lot of people might not like this particular character in a car--its character is far less organic than either a Corvette or a 911--but I personally think it's got plenty of character.

On a complete tangent, I would love to see that engine in a RWD 6MT Infiniti G, as their version of an M3 fighter.

I think I agree with Clarkma5, if I understand his objection to the GT-R.

IMHO the soul of a car should be it's engine, where I feel that the soul of the GT-R is in it's micro chip.

Still...7:29 is bloody impressive for any car.

What's BTG?

I don't think the soul/heart of a car can be physically located. The reason something like the 911 has sooooo much more soul/heart than this car is not necessarily because it's got less electronic controls (it still has tons!) or because it has a nicer engine (obviously the GT-R's engine is brilliant) but because it's made by Porsche, the company who has been hand making beautiful and exclusive cars with the engine in the wrong place for decades.

By that reasoning, doesn't an Ariel Atom have the same soul as a Cobalt SS Supercharged?

Bridge to Gantry. Partial lap of the 'Ring, excluding the high speed straight Döttinger Hohe.

On tourist days, the public can't run on the straight, so a BTG lap starts at the bridge at Antoniusbuche (near the end of the straight) and ends at the gantry over the beginning of the straight past Galgenkopf.

^^ exactly

if you dont think this car has heart get GT5:P and watch the GT-R documentarys

Would you say the Evo has heart? Or the STI? Or Subaru Legacy? Or the Mazda Miata? Or even the Honda Accord? Well I'm betting you ask anyone who owns one on one of the enthusiast boards about how much they love their car and how much "heart" they believe the car has and they'll answer that it's full of soul a hundred times over. Does it have to be red and have a racing pedigree to have heart and soul? I think not. It's in the eyes of the owner. I bet if you owned one and loved it, you wouldn't still say the same. I really do think that goes for any car. Well, except the Prius or the Pontiac Aztek. But still.

^Spot on, theres even a Trabant enthusiast club for god's sake....

any1 here driven the car yet?./ just curious

Easton's been in one but I don't think anyone's driven it.

In all fairness, Clark did say "In My Opinion"...

That's very true, and I took that into account. I said if he had one and loved it, he'd most definitely change his mind. My point is that you can't label a model of car as having heart or soul, it's more of an individual thing. Say I had a really shitty, beat down econo-box from the mid-80s, but it had been my companion for years and I really did appreciate having it even for what it was, I'd consider that specific car having a soul. When Top Gear says that the Ferrari has more soul than a Mercedes, it's not what I think soul is about at all. I believe it's down to personal experience.

I think this car is like a samurai sword. Cold, quick, professional and with a no non-sense attitude. Yes, it's an awesome tool in the hands of a pro, but I'd still get a R34 if I could ever afford either one because I've grown up dreaming about that car. Just my $.02.

I have! And if you do ever get the chance to drive one, the car will completely change your opinion about it. For one, its HUGE, I mean the thing is 599 big, if not bigger. And the second most interesting thing about the car is that the ride is probably less harsh than a 350Z, and its also easier to drive then a 350Z. I haven't driven one around the track, although we're supposed to do a corporate event with one soon out in AZ, so I don't know how well it performs under harsh conditions. I do think the car has soul though, its humbling to be in the presence of one and to be behind the wheel is pretty unworldly.

Edit: Oh there is one thing that does really really bug me though: It doesn't sound that good, which is strange considering how distinctive the 350Z and G35 sound.

GTR4EVA

..I didn't know Japanese car manufacturers make cars with soul?

A Turbo will do that...usually.

Ah cool to hear man. My last post was somewhat of a joke if you could tell. People try to pass judgements about a car that... well... they've never driven. And that's the important part, right?

People will always pass judgement on cars they haven't driven... but thats ok, it sparks conversation and you honestly can't drive every car you have an opinion about anyways.

Don't get me wrong, the GT-R is a nice car, in fact its a really nice car and I have a great deal of respect for it, perhaps because its my employer's halo product. But in all honesty, give me 70k-80k and I'd run out and buy a used 355GTB over a new GT-R any day. I'd gladly trade some speed for the entire Ferrari ownership experience from the sounds and smells, repair bills, all of it! There's just something about those Italians...

Yeah, if we had to drive every car we had an opinion about then supercars.net wouldn't exist (actually, I guess that'd be a good thing...but I digress).

Alright, so I don't care for the GT-R and that's probably not very fair. A lot of it has to do with the fact I've never liked the sort of people who liked the GT-R in the past, but in terms of the R35 I also think it 1) Really doesn't look too good 2) Doesn't sound like anything special (and sound is so important in a car like that) and 3) Has an interior that looks like it belongs in a pickup truck.

And maybe I'm weird, but I've always been turned off by cars that are so-called "compromise free". They strike me as over-competent and don't leave enough on the table for the driver to work at. It's the same reason I don't care for the water-cooled Porsche 911 Turbos (and you know me, I love Porsche). All my personal opinion, I know, but that's how I feel and we're all here with our own opinions. And though I don't like it, I do have to grudgingly admit that it's an amazing machine. It just doesn't pluck my heart strings at all.

no.. but Korean cars have Seoul.