Porsche and Nissan have been at the other’s throat for a number of years, bickering over which holds the authenticated bragging rights as production-car king lapping the brutal Nurburgring circuit in Germany.

Nissan first stirred the pot and got the Germans all red-hot mad in 2008 with its claim that the GT-R had bettered the earlier time of the Porsche 911 Turbo. Since then there have been claims and counter claims about which is quickest.

Of course, Nürburgring lap times have often had the scientific basis of Tony Abbott’s views of global warming, but the bickering between the two significant automotive claimants does provide rare and apparently endless entertainment.

Half a world away in Australia, the bragging battle is creating an Eifel mountain of confusion among the punters. Which to believe? Which do you want to believe? Some are relishing seeing a premium European brand in the gun sights of a Japanese upstart. No doubt, too, that the GT-R is a cult hero model Down Under.

With this history in mind, but the Nürburgring being just too far away, Drive headed to Sydney’s Western Sydney International Dragway with examples of the current Nissan GT-R and Porsche’s 911 Turbo S – all-wheel-drive coupes both, with similar capacity 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged six-cylinder powerplants, but not much else in common other than astonishing, brutal performance. The aim: to see how their respective factory acceleration claims stack up.

In essence, we were out to validate (or question) the claimed times for the 0-100km/h burst and the 400-metre (or quarter-mile) drag strip dash.

Up first is the 911 Turbo S with stunning vital statistics: stuffed in its curvy tush is a 3.8-litre flat six-cylinder of 412kW at 6500-6750rpm and maximum torque of 700Nm at 2100-4250rpm (and 750Nm at overboost). It’s all-wheel-drive of course, with a seven-speed dual-clutch (PDK) with paddle shift and torque vectoring control.

Its whopping price tag of $441,300 plus on-road costs reflects the performance, technology, premium appointments and a high expectation of rock-solid reliability.

The Porsche’s launch control preparation is remarkably simple: just press the Sport+ button on the console.

With the lever in D, the routine is left foot hard on the brake and right hard on the accelerator. There’s about 5600rpm on the tacho. Release the brake pedal, and the next few seconds are a scenery-moving blur. The reaction is instant, and ferocious yet civilised. It squats and is O-U-T-A-H-E-R-E; the driver’s head and torso squashed back into the snug seat.

Onlookers remark later how the front end lifts on its suspension and stays nose up/bum down as the 911 disappears down the strip. There is some mild initial wheel spin, a little snaky action (controlled by the electronics), great accompanying exhaust sounds and the rest is a flurry of tacho action and blurred scenery, the needle flipping to the redline at every shift.

The numbers we’re chasing for the Porsche are the factory’s claims of 3.1 seconds for the sprint to 100km/h and 11.0 seconds to cover 400 metres.

The 911 Turbo nails it on the first run - 3.1 seconds for the first bit, and 11.0 seconds for the 400 metres, hitting 206km/h as it crosses the line. That’s blazingly, erotically quick and we’re reminded again that Porsche tends to be realistic, even conservative, with its performance claims.

We do a few repeat runs because we enjoy the experience. The Porsche is amazingly consistent. It’s no shock to learn that one American magazine did 50 launch control acceleration runs using the 911 Turbo, without a hiccup.

Now it’s the turn of the $182,000 (plus on-roads) Nissan, with its V6 engine up front belting out 404kW at 6400rpm with maximum torque of 628Nm available between 3200-5800rpm, the punchy powerplant doing its thing through a rear-mounted transaxle integrating the six-speed dual-clutch transmission, differential and Attesa E-TS AWD transfer case.

For our purposes, all we need to know was the R-Mode launch control process, which involves holding three dash-mounted switches for a few seconds until they indicate red.

The driver then snicks the shifter into auto, and with the left foot hard on the brake pedal, flattens the accelerator. The engine’s response to this is to dial up an optimal circa-4000rpm.

The exhaust note sounds unenthusiastic. But with the front wheels pointing straight and the brake pedal hurriedly released … POW! In an instant, the GT-R rockets out of the blocks, tyres scratching for traction, the auto upshifting at the redline … second, third, fourth….

The timer tells the tale. It’s 3.4 seconds for 0-100km/h, and 11.4 seconds at 199km/h for the standing 400 metres.

That’s quick but it’s considerably slower than the Nissan factory claim of 2.7 seconds to 100km/h. Not even close.

We try another run. And another and another. And then the GT-R, clearly not relishing the punishment, slips quietly into some form of limp mode. That’s the best we’re going to produce.

While this is a simple drag-strip challenge, it’s important to acknowledge the huge disparity in prices. The reasons for that difference is evident in the driving. On the road, the Nissan is raw and noisy and even uncomfortable, with a sharp ride. It feels like more of a race track car, with nicely contoured sports seats, but also with a snatchy and grumpy driveline, a tuneless engine note, and lumpy steering that “tramlines” on all but perfect surfaces. Despite a Kevlar-look console finish and lashings of leather, the GT-R’s cabin, with its impressive array of gauges and switches, looks far from expensive.

The Porsche exudes quality, has styling that won’t date and, even in this era of electronic aids, still allows its expressive character to shine and delight. It feels complete. By comparison, the GT-R, as brilliantly competent as it is, appears clinical and programmed.

It’s worth noting that despite its ferocious, unworldly acceleration the 911 Turbo S will also trundle around the ’burbs at 800rpm and return a fuel figure of 9.7 litres per 100km (claimed). Compare this with the Nissan’s 11.7/100km.

Though our dragway duel doesn’t mean a lot in the context of historical bragging rights at the Nürburgring, it does suggest that the current 911 Turbo S accelerates faster than the current GT-R. And that Porsche’s performance assertions can be validated easily, while there is doubt over the veracity of Nissan’s claims.

Porsche 911 Turbo S pricing and specifications



Price: From $441,300 (plus on-road costs)

Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo horizontally opposed six cylinder

Power: 412kW at 6750rpm

Torque: 700Nm at 2100-4250rpm

Transmission: 7-spd dual-clutch automatic, AWD

Performance: 3.1 seconds (0-100km/h), 11.0 seconds (0-400m)

Consumption: 9.7L/100km

Nissan GT-R pricing and specifications



Price: From $182,000 (plus on-road costs)

Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V6

Power: 404kW at 6400rpm

Torque: 628Nm at 3200-5800rpm

Transmission: 6-spd dual-clutch automatic, AWD

Performance: 3.4 seconds (0-100km/h), 11.4 seconds (0-400m)

Consumption: 11.7L/100km