It was a throwaway statement, but once it was reported and widely quoted, it caused quite a controversy. Oh, how we all love a tempest in a teapot.

It went thus. August Achleitner, the demure chief of the Porsche 911 range, was speaking to an Australian Web site when he was questioned about Nissan’s claimed 7-minute, 29-second lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife in a new GT-R. His response was pure nitroglycerin. He reported that Porsche had indeed taken a GT-R to the ‘Ring, but that its test driver could only manage a 7-minute, 54-second lap. On the same day, a 911 Turbo and a 911 GT2 ran 7:38 and 7:34, respectively – slightly outside the times previously set by test driver Walter Röhrl, but only by a few seconds. Achleitner then suggested that the only way the GT-R ran the claimed time was using special sticky tires. We’ll never know if he uttered that last point wearing an impish grin, but he must have known that such comments would prove explosive among the Porsche and Nissan communities. Sure enough, since the story broke last year, the Web has been alight with claim and counterclaim. In its initial riposte, Nissan offered Porsche, and any other car manufacturer that might be interested, a demonstration of how to extract the best time from the GT-R. Meeeow.

Should Herr Achleitner have opened his mouth? Probably not. Was Nissan’s response a little childish? Possibly. Why do we care? Because it has prompted two car manufacturers to start bitch-slapping each other and caused one of the most interesting car debates of our time, namely – is the new $77,840 GT-R really faster around the Nürburgring than the $194,950 pinnacle of Porsche’s sports car lineup?

Now, it just so happened that a fortunate confluence of events landed on my lap. I race a Porsche 911 Cup car at the Nürburgring in a series called the VLN, and the day after the final round of the 2008 championship, I was doing a track day with some friends. With this in mind, I asked Porsche if it might lend me a GT2 and phoned a friend who owns a Nissan GT-R to see if I could borrow it. They both said yes, and it looked like we had a story from the gods. But then, when the Monday after the race came, it rained. And after it had rained buckets, it rained some more. And by encouraging the oil that had been deposited all the way around the 12.9-mile lap by an incontinent BMW M3 during Saturday qualifying to reappear from the pavement, a lethal emulsion was formed. In places, you couldn’t stand on the track. We didn’t drive either car for the whole day. Redefine your personal definition of the word frustration, because it can’t possibly compete with the combination of a Porsche 911 GT2, a Nissan GT-R, the Nordschleife, and unusable track conditions. Still, it gave me time to consider the prospect of two cars that could easily carry 160 mph into certain sections of guardrail, neither of them fitted with anything better at restraining a rapidly decelerating human torso than a standard road-car seatbelt. No harnesses – not even a partial roll cage in the case of the GT-R

LAP TIMES
Porsche 997 GT2 7 min, 49 sec
Nissan GT-R 7 min, 56 sec

Full Story: Automobile Magazine – Features: 2009 Nissan GTR v 2009 Porsche 911 GT2 – At the ‘Ring

M

PRESS RELEASE

Nissan Announces New GT-R SpecV Model

TOKYO (Jan. 8, 2009) — Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. today announced a new limited-production Nissan GT-R SpecV model, which goes on sale at seven specially selected Nissan dealers throughout Japan on February 2, 2009. The GT-R SpecV is targeted specifically at enthusiast drivers who desire race car-level performance in a street-legal vehicle.
NISSAN GT-R SpecV

NISSAN GT-R SpecV

Developed around the multi-dimensional Nissan GT-R sports car, which was introduced just more than one year ago to universal global acclaim, the new SpecV model builds on the original’s “ultimate supercar that anyone can enjoy driving anywhere, at anytime” philosophy – taking it to an entirely new level of “oneness between man and machine.” The SpecV model includes unique body, interior and performance equipment and modifications, raising the GT-R’s unmatched performance to even higher levels.

The GT-R SpecV’s new exterior features include a carbon fiber rear spoiler, a carbon fiber grille, and carbon fiber brake ducts. The SpecV is available exclusively in Ultimate Black Opal (RP) body color. Inside, the SpecV’s unique two-seat interior (non-SpecV GT-R models also include a two-place rear seat) offers special Recaro carbon fiber bucket seats, while carbon fiber insets embellish the rear center storage box, instrument panel and other trim areas.

Performance is enhanced with a new high gear boost control device, which momentarily increases boost of the engine’s twin turbochargers for greater torque in the intermediate-to-high speed ranges to provide a more powerful feeling of acceleration, while also allowing the engine to operate at a lower speed for improved fuel economy. Other modifications include a titanium-coated exhaust system and carbon-ceramic brakes that provide powerful stopping performance.

The GT-R SpecV is also equipped with lightweight, racing-style forged aluminum wheels that were developed for this model and have been sold by Nissan Motorsports International (NISMO) since September 2008. The lighter unsprung weight provided by the new wheels, together with the enhanced braking capability, an exclusive suspension and high-grip tires, combine to deliver the SpecV’s exceptional performance.

The SpecV will be sold at the following seven dealer outlets, each of which is staffed by mechanics with special GT-R SpecV training and who are knowledgeable of racing circuit driving.

Dealer outlets selling the SpecV
Ibaraki Nissan Sales Co., Ltd. Mito Sennami Outlet
Nissan Prince Tokyo Sales Co., Ltd. Kamedo Outlet
Nissan Prince Nagoya Sales Co., Ltd. Fukiage Outlet
Nissan Prince Osaka Sales Co., Ltd. Horie Kawaguchi Outlet
Nissan Prince Hyogo Sales Co., Ltd. Nada Outlet
Nissan Prince Kagawa Sales Co., Ltd. Takamatsu Outlet
Yamaguchi Nissan Sales Co., Ltd. Ogori Interchange Outlet

Suggested nationwide retail price (including consumption tax) 15,750,000 yen
Source: autoblog, via Japanese Car Zone