At the time of its release, the Nissan GT-R was essentially unbeatable on a racetrack, so effective was its powertrain, all-wheel drive system and various electronic aids.
Fast forward to 2016 and the GT-R is now in its 9th model year and in need of a replacement – or is? While a successor is being developed, it is still some way off, meaning the GT-R’s crown is now being threatened by some rather unlikely opposition. Case in point, the Aston Martin V12 Vantage S.
Like the 2017 GT-R, the V12 Vantage S also pumps out 563 hp but does it through a naturally-aspirated 5.9-liter V12 engine. It also lacks the all-wheel drive setup of the GT-R and features a dog leg manual transmission rather than the dual-clutch auto of Godzilla. Surely it can’t keep up with a GT-R?
Well, Autocar recently brought the pair to the Blyton Park Driving center to find out and as this short clip reveals, the Aston does manage to keep up, despite its obvious drivetrain disadvantages and the GT-R’s supreme traction.
What’s more, it looks like the Aston Martin driver is having much more fun, particularly when the Briton’s rear end steps out around some of the sweeping corners.
Which one would you choose?