British magazine Autocar has a habit pitting unlikely competitors against one another, then trying to find similarities, but ultimately admitting to the fact that the cars they choose are not the best matched.
Take their latest endeavor for example, which has them trying out the latest version of the Nissan GT-R, and having it compete against the BMW 6-Series-based Alpina B6 – the outcome is predictable.
The Nissan, the cheaper of the two cars, is considerably more agile (and a lot faster) on a track, but the trade-off is a harsh ride on-road and an interior nowhere near as sumptuous as that of the Alpina. The GT-R annihilates the German car around the Brands Hatch Indy Circuit, simply because it was specifically designed with track-driving in mind.
Once the smooth tarmac of the track is swapped for a bumpy British B-road, the Japanese car has no chance, and the Alpina is far more comfortable, spacious and well-finished. It also has more than enough power, from its tuned 4.4-liter turbocharged V8 that makes 532 hp and maintains that power from 5,200 rpm all the way up to 6,250 rpm.
It all comes down to what you want the car to be. For daily use and continent crossing, the Alpina is a good pick – just like any regular 6-Series, it’s a cruiser, not a sports car. However, for mind-boggling performance numbers and corner entry speeds, the GT-R is still without rival, especially in its respective price bracket. Scroll down and watch the video to get all of the details.
By Andrei Nedelea
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