If Nissan’s GT-R Spec-V had to face off in a ten-round questionnaire against a Porsche, why not choose one of the wildest 911s to ever exist?

This ‘Face Off’ was first published in MOTOR Magazine March 2009.

Porsche 911 GT210 QUESTIONSNissan GT-R Spec-V
The ultimate 911 u2013 tougher, faster, lighter, and more powerful. The closest youu2019ll ever get to driving a race car on the roadWhat is it?Nissanu2019s much-anticipated lightweight version of the all-new GT-R is the fastest Japanese road car ever produced
Rear-mounted twin-turbo 390kW/680Nm 3.6-litre flat six, six-speed manual, rear drive. Semi-slicks. Two seats. Composite brakesWhatu2019s it got?Front-mounted twin-turbo 357kW/608Nm 3.8-litre V6, seven-speed dual-clutch, AWD. Semi-slicks. Two seats. Composite brakes
Porsche reckons 3.7sec to 100km/h, even though weu2019ve pulled u2018onlyu2019 a 3.9 (not using launch control!). And sheu2019ll do 329km/hHow fast?It exists more for track attacks than improving GT-Ru2019s blistering acceleration, but it should tap triple figures in around 3.2 seconds
It effortlessly claimed our Performance Car 2008 award, so itu2019s here already. But you wonu2019t see too many of them on the roadWhenu2019s it coming?The Spec-V was only launched in Japan in February, but weu2019re unlikely to ever officially see it in Australia, unfortunately
You could buy a three-bedroom house in most Australian cities for less. A bog-standard GT2 will set you back $447,500How much?Even though the base GT-R is a relative bargain at under $150K, the Spec-V would be $250,000. Thatu2019s why itu2019s not coming here
This 997 model is the third-generation GT2, and the most liveable. The original 993 GT2 u2018widow makeru2019 was launched in 1994History?Thereu2019s been a V-Spec version of every GT-R since 1989u2019s u2018Godzillau2019 R32. It was inevitable thereu2019d be an R35 model
Whatu2019s not cool about the GT2? Itu2019s blindingly quick, completely civilised, reasonably economical u2026 and itu2019s the best-ever 911Cool bits?Itu2019s lost some of the bulk that has blighted the new GT-R. Composite brakes and semi-slicks will provide wicked track potential
Are you effing serious? Okay, maybe its personal-island price tag is just slightly ridiculous. And the front splitter scrapesDaggy bits?Why Nissan couldnu2019t pull a few more herbs out of the engine is questionable. And it still weighs over 1600 kegs. And it wears a Nissan badge!
GT2 is likely to be a high-ranking executiveu2019s weekend plaything. Expect to see them only in the ritziest suburbs or at track daysWhou2019s going to drive one?In Oz, probably only a handful of rice burners with too much money. And theyu2019ll probably put a big zorst on it, dump it, and ruin it
No question, but donu2019t expect to be able to get too many bags of money in it as thereu2019s hardly an abundance of luggage spaceWould you rob a bank in it?Bloody oath! Not even Michael Schumacher in a VE cop car could catch one. Steal one in black for an even more sinister transaction