They both carry the same suffix – ‘GT-R/GT R’, and they’re very closely powered, but there is a big difference between the two.
First of all, the Mercedes-AMG GT R features a clever two-wheel drive layout with rear-wheel steering, which might make its tail feel light from time to time, but the difference is well noticeable in corners.
Unlike its German competitor, the Nissan Nismo GT-R has an advanced all-wheel drive system, and a boxy silhouette that allowed it to fly under the radar 10 years ago, when the automaker dropped the veil off the first model.
In terms of power, the Japanese supercar features a tweaked 3.8-liter twin-turbo’d V6 engine that feeds 600 horses and 481 pound-feet (652Nm) of torque to all four corners. Its official 0-62mph (100km/h) sprint time still hasn’t been announced, but it should be on the same level as the previous car, meaning 2.8sec.
The Beast of the Green Hell, on the other hand, uses a 4.0-liter bitubo V8 engine. It sends 577hp and 516lb-ft (700Nm) of torque to the rear wheels, needing 3.6sec to reach 62mph (100km/h) from a standstill, and it will keep going up to a top speed of 198mph (318km/h).
So, which one is the clever choice? MotorTrend’s Jonny Lieberman and Randy Pobst revealed their favorite, which happens to be the same one, after taking both cars out for a review, on public roads, and then putting them to the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, in an attempt to make the ‘real’ GT-R/GT R stand up.