Supercars, hypercars, megacars: in its quest for performance, the automakers (and the motoring press alike, in some occasions) create new niches, only for them to be blurred by new models.
The GT-R has long been hailed as the supercar slayer, yet one could argue that it’s a supercar in its own right. One that, unbelievably, is already nine years old and has just received a major makeover for the 2017MY.
On the other hand, Acura’s contender is fresh off the box and, even though it’s named the NSX, is a totally different animal to its iconic predecessor – or anything else that’s on the market right now.
Despite the age difference, though, these two Samurais have lots in common, as they both sport a twin-turbocharged V6, dual-clutch gearbox and all-wheel drive. They also have the exact same torque (476 lb-ft) and are just 8 HP apart in power.
The Honda Acura has its internal combustion engine at the middle plus three electric motors and it’s strictly a two-seater, whereas the Nissan makes do without any form of electrification, though it’s more practical as it also has two extra seats at the back.
Now, we’ve already seen the new NSX murder a Lamborghini Aventador in a drag race, which in itself is quite a feat. Crossing swords with the 2017MY GT-R should be a walk in the park for it, then. Only, as Motor Trend finds out in its latest ‘Head 2 Head’ episode, it’s actually not.