American muscle vs japanese ingenuity

[oliver1013]

Im not really familiar with American sports cars, the only knowledge I have with them is I play a lot of gran turismo. The game claims the dynamics and car specs are accurate when it comes to performance and handling. Pero pansin ko parang mas matulin ang japanese cars at mas maganda ang handling compared to US machines. (pwedeng dahil japanese gumawa ng GT kaya pinaganda??) Pero pag binasa mo naman ang credentials ng mga jap sports cars malupit din ang specs. US sports cars naman ganun din mga V8 nila at V10 ang lalaki ng makina. How do they match up in the real world ba? Diba mga kano they think their mustangs and vettes are in a different league with the skylines and supras?

[tr1ck5h07]

try the Ford GT. iwan ang mga Japanese super cars

but my all-time favorite drive is my black R34.

[niky]

In terms of track performance, the Japanese GTs like the Skyline and Supra aren't exactly as fast as the top American car, the 400 hp Corvette. Against other 300+ hp Americans, it's close.

The only Japanese car that consistently kills other sports cars with more power is the NSX.

Note that due to the Japanese "Gentleman's Agreement", they state maximum horsepower as 276 hp. Which is bull. The last Skyline had around 330-340hp, the Supra had 320+.

[pixelparadigm]

Im a fan of Skylines, with the technology it carries. But it's a fact that it's a huge, heavy lump of mass. Let's see what the next generation R35 can do.

Nowadays, Japanese manufacturers should try competing against C6 Corvettes and Ford GTs because those American vehicles are really good.

[mazdamazda]

niky... the current Corvette Z06 pumps out around 500hp.

[oliver1013]

I read the history of the skyline. It stated that sometime before it was banned in international races because it was virtually unbeatable.

[AG4]

How do they match up in the real world ba? Diba mga kano they think their mustangs and vettes are in a different league with the skylines and supras?

Mustangs are also in a different Categoty from the Corvette. In general(in the real world) American muscle cars are more affordable(and simpler)... a 300hp Mustang GT costs $25K.
The all-new 500hp Shelby GT500 starts at $40K, a 400hp C6 Corvette starts at around $45K...

The newest Corvette you can get at GT4 is the previous gen C5 Corvette Z06 with a 375hp engine, this one handles well.
Other nice American muscle cars in GT4? The 2005 Ford Mustang GT(just put sports or SR exhaust and racing chip) to boost the power from the stock 300hp to just over 320hp... Another nice American car to race, the SVT Cobra R Mustang(this one is only available at Used car showroom 2).
If you want something more exotic, get a Salleen, Ford GT or the Corvette based Callaway.

[basti08]

i want lithe and agile...gimme an Exige by Lotus.... hey!!! that's british...;)

[nugundam93]

Im a fan of Skylines, with the technology it carries. But it's a fact that it's a huge, heavy lump of mass.

true. and increasing the skyline's power does not immediately guarantee a good result, since you need to tweak the suspension. and very few have been able to tune the skyline perfectly.

Note that due to the Japanese "Gentleman's Agreement", they state maximum horsepower as 276 hp.

at least iirc as of june 06 it's officially gone.

I read the history of the skyline. It stated that sometime before it was banned in international races because it was virtually unbeatable.

when the r32 first raced sa JGTCC, it swept all but one iirc, thus prompting the rulemakers to handicap the skyline, to no avail. i think it was the same sa australia.

[squala]

Americans believe that nothing replaces displacement. They want torque as much as power. They don't really care about revs, handling, sophisticated technology whatsoever. Sadly, only Ford has come to civilization by finally shelving their pushrod engines.

Japanese cars, on the other hand, are more on the practical side, even when it comes to the most powerful ones. We haven't seen a mass-produced car having over 350 hp from them, have we? But that's not really the bad thing here. Rather, it's the fact that they save some of the best models for themselves, like the Skyline.

[basti08]

japanese likes maximizing their resources.... why need an old pushrod 5 or even 6 liters when you can produce the same power with say a 3L turbo or say, a smaller 4L V8?

[redorange]

japanese likes maximizing their resources.... why need an old pushrod 5 or even 6 liters when you can produce the same power with say a 3L turbo or say, a smaller 4L V8?

Have you ever driven and car with the so called old pushrod V8? You can't replicate that kind of torque on a 3L turbo six or a high strung 4L V8 when you step on the gas. You also can't compare the rumble of the pushrod V8 at idle to the sound any of those engine make. Don't get me wrong I like the modern engines as much as anyone, but hearing the rumble of the pushrod V8 brings back memories of sitting in my uncle's Chevelle or my dad's Buick as they rev the engine and shake the car and make the ground vibrate. Hmmm I can even smell the leaded fuel.....

[AG4]

japanese likes maximizing their resources.... why need an old pushrod 5 or even 6 liters when you can produce the same power with say a 3L turbo or say, a smaller 4L V8?

The "American" '07 Shelby GT500 has a 500hp Supercharged 5.4 liter DOHC V8. Price $40K, the upcoming "hi-tech" Nissan GT-R will be priced at around $70K. Muscle cars are in general more affordable.

Another reason why they have big V8's? Tradition. The Mustang, GT500, Corvette, 300C, Charger, GTO etc all have a long history... a small turbocharged 6 is just out of place.

A small displacement V8(4-liters) can be tuned to have the same power as the Corvette's 400hp 6.0 liter V8, probably at a very high rpm, but it wouldn't have that much torque, specially at low rpm.

I've learned to love different type of cars... AWD turbo charged Japanese cars, agile european sports cars/ sports sedans, musclecars etc...

BTW they do have a OHC engine it's called the Northstar and has been in use since the late 80's.

The Northstar V8 was 1st introduced in 1992.
The updated 1993 Cadillac Allante with the 1st Northstar V8.

One of the best looking Cadillacs of its time...

[mazdamazda]

japanese likes maximizing their resources.... why need an old pushrod 5 or even 6 liters when you can produce the same power with say a 3L turbo or say, a smaller 4L V8?

Chevy LS7 7.0L V8, 505hp 470lb.ft torque

So... name me a production 3.0L turbo or 4.0L V8 that can produce that kind of power?

===

Btw, American engines are not just limited to pushrods... look at the new HEMI engines with MDS!

[redorange]

Americans believe that nothing replaces displacement. They want torque as much as power. They don't really care about revs, handling, sophisticated technology whatsoever. Sadly, only Ford has come to civilization by finally shelving their pushrod engines.

Japanese cars, on the other hand, are more on the practical side, even when it comes to the most powerful ones. We haven't seen a mass-produced car having over 350 hp from them, have we? But that's not really the bad thing here. Rather, it's the fact that they save some of the best models for themselves, like the Skyline.

Don't knock the Chevy 350 based engines just because it's pushrod, the Corvette version now has variable valve timing with the bigger displacement. The 500hp rating for the 7 liter is what the factory has done, but with a little tuning another 200-500 is easy without forced induction. Besides for the performance it gives: top speed 202mph, 0-100km/h in less than 4 seconds, 1/4 mile in the high 11's to low 12's, 1+ G cornering ability all for about $60-65K. The only cars that compare to it in performance cost a minimum of $100K.

One other thing why GM hasn't shelved the pushrod engine is because it's a more compact design compared to a OHC engine. BTW they do have a OHC engine it's called the Northstar and has been in use since the late 80's.