The Porsche 911 997 Turbo S was the benchmark for the first Nissan GT-R R35. Both sports cars have similar engine specs and are legends among fans.
The Nissan Skyline GT-R has an immortal reputation among JDM fans. The Japanese legend has dominated street races, and car meets since the 1990s. Through teary eyes, enthusiasts had to bid the Skyline farewell in 2002 when its production run met a dead end. However, the car received a new life in 2007 when the GT-R R35 took to the streets. It is, without doubt, the best sports car Nissan has produced to date.
Breaking out of the German stables on the other side of the planet, we have the king of Porsche sports cars with a solid legacy. The Porsche 911 has been the face of the automaker since 1964. Its timeless design has lasted throughout the ages and well into the 21st century when the 997 took the world’s spotlight. The 997 made history with its excellent performance and unbeatable sales until it was discontinued in 2013.
Comparing the two symbols of automotive perfection reveals more similarities than differences, explaining their near-identical success. The Porsche 911 997 is a marvel of German engineering, deserving no less credit than the Nissan GT-R, a marvel of Japanese engineering.
The 911 And The GT-R Both Have 6-Cylinder Engines
Despite being born to two radically different manufacturers, the powerplants propelling the Porsche 997 and the Nissan GT-R are much alike. The Porsche is slightly older, depending on the GT-R’s model year you pit it against. The latest GT-R (The 2024 Nissan GT-R) is set to enter production during the summer of 2023, while the newest Porsche 997 you can get your hands on is the 2013 version. Interestingly, the intended benchmark for the 2009 Nissan GT-R was the Porsche 911 997 Turbo.
The GT-R and 997 both have 6-cylinder engines. Porsche brought the M97 engine to the market alongside the 997.1 Carrera S and 4S models, These German sports cars feature a naturally aspirated 3.8-liter flat-six engine that produced 350 hp at 6,600 rpm and 300 lb-ft of torque at 4,600 rpm. These may seem like rookie numbers, but Porsche pumped up the numbers with the later model years.
The 911 997 Turbo had a turbocharged engine with variable-geometry turbos, producing 473 horsepower and 502 pound-feet of torque. This was the Porsche that Nissan had in their crosshairs, which brings us to the GT-R’s engine. Underneath the GT-R’s hood lies a twin-turbocharged V6 engine with a displacement of 3.8 liters. This six-cylinder powerplant(in the 2008 GT-R) churned out 485 horses and 434 pound-feet of torque. The GT-R manages to match the 997 Turbo perfectly in horsepower but falls short in torque.
The second-generation 997.2 models saw the most significant revision to the sports car’s injection technology in 40 years with Porsche’s move to direct fuel injection (DFI). The new 997 Turbo produced an upgraded 493 horses. These figures were later surpassed by post-2010 GT-R models.
Yet, Nissan didn’t copy everything right out of Porsche for their iconic sports car. A key difference between the 997 and the GT-R is the engine layout. Nissan places the V6 powerplant right underneath the hood of the GT-R in a front-engine layout. The Germans prefer to do things differently than the masses, which is why the 997, like all Porsche 911 models, is a rear-engined coupe.
Both GT-R And 911 Sports Cars Have Great Handling Capabilities
The Nissan GT-R is only second to the Acura NSX in the amount of praise a Japanese sports car received for handling capabilities. The coupe may stand tall among any AWD performance cars, but it is certainly no Porsche.
The Porsche 997 is the front face of the industry’s idea of perfect sports car handling precession. The German automaker has perfected rear engine placement and rear-wheel drive, although certain 997 models had an AWD option.
The perfect weight distribution on the 997 gives the best steering feel a driver can ask for. However, the GT-R isn’t too far behind with its high-precision six-point mounted front and rear subframes.
Porsche 911 And Nissan GT-R Both Have Legendary Status
Neither sports cars need any introduction to gearheads or just about anyone who hasn’t lived under a rock. The Porsche 997 is often regarded as the last 911 that follows the classic design language, earning it a soft spot among Porsche enthusiasts. The stylish exterior and appearance reflect the 911’s rich past, as Porsche never tried to fix what isn’t broken.
The Nissan GT-R carries the legacy of the Skyline GT-R that dominated the streets a decade earlier. While the newer versions are hardly a collector’s dream, they serve as beacons of Nissan’s evolution. Every GT-R ever produced is well respected in the automotive world as an idealistically perfect piece of engineering. The Porsche 997 has the same reputation under a different badge, appealing to a like-minded yet different crowd.
